The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-02-13
MI. j. ". Ba;lay-s Work for Tenn
Derrncc.
(charity ana Children.)

MI d. W. tF6tttN HAS ItIlit b from
the presidency of the A~nti-Saloon
League. Three years ago. when the
Temperance Convention was held in
Raleigh, Mr.. Bailey was called to be
the leader in the important nov
lnent. y glance at the progress made
is sufficient to show the wisdom Of
the convention in its choice Of q
leader. Mr.. Bailey has proven him
self to be 4 superb organizer. When
he assumed his duties as president of
the League. there was considerable
temperance sentiment IN the State.
but it was in 4 chaotic and intangible
shape. Tie has crystalized this SEN
timent and made it effective. He
found the temperance advocates q
great mass without any well defined
purpose: he leaves them a W%eli-or-
GaniZed n well trained arny There
had been some local legislation which
affected certain communities, but un-
der the direction Of the League he
set abOut securing legislation that
would benefit the whole State. This
was an exceedingly delicate matter.
The politicians, many of them at
least didn't know where to take hold.
gAll sorts Of direful PREDICTIONS were
made. THE thing woulu get into
politics. "Thi or that party would
be wrecked" ''The affairs of State
would fall into the hands Of a set of
! lldllC dIltl 1ull NouId 1o1ioN, tlG.,
etc. In the Senate Chamber his mo-
tives were impugned by of the
"~solons,' who declared that Mr..
Eailey'S sole . was to wreck
the Democratic party. Unaffected by
such false and unjust charges, he
forced the warfare. There was dan
ger on the one hand tina the move
ment would get into politics, and On
the other that politics would get into
it. With cOnsummate Skill Mr.. Bailey
steered between "Scylla and Cha
rybdis." He ACCOMPLISHED what he
set out to Go, and the political par
ties are still intact.
Now what has been accomplished?
The Watts Bin was first enacted,
which prohibited the manufacture of
LIQUOR except in incorporated towns.
The liquor forces made this bill in
effective in some communities by in
cooperating cross road places at
which the distiller vas h mayor of
the city" At the next Legislature
the Ward Amendment passed which
makes it illegal 10 manufacture Whis-
key in places which have not a popu-
latiOn of a thousand, and to sell il in
places where h population is less
than two hundred and fifty. This
practically drives Whishey out Of the
country into the owns where there
is police protection. SO strong has
grown the tenn d Se0lli0clG j93t
most of the important towns in the
State have voted whiskey out. Indeed,
among the larger towns Wilmington.
AsheVille ana Salisbury are the only
places where it is tolerated.
At first there was some laNity in re-
gard to law enforcement, but the
president of the League mas urged
the Importance of seeing that the
laws are enforced, and, as a result,
4 iDln hoe. J1O,, C.D,+ NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. :.
this direction. In some OF the W
where prohibition could not be Sc
cured. the saloons have been displaced
by disDensaries. These institutions
are regarded by the friends Of tenn
Perance as stepping stones to prohi-
bitjon. Already some OF these w
have voted out the d~isoensarics and
have prohibition. The progress has
been more rapid during these three
years than even tie mOSt ardent
friends of temperance could have
hoped.
OF urse Mr.. Bailey has had able
and loyal supporters, but to him as
to no other man are we Indebted for
the progress the cause has made in
the State, On the PLATFORM, through
the press and in the lobby of the Leg
islature, he has shown himself mas
ter of the situation.
- the Convention last year Mr..
BAILEY offered his resignation because
of press of Wol'h. but at the earnest
eques of tho Convention. he con-
scntcd 10 carry on the work for an
other year, Having been appointed
by the trustees III Wake Forest to be
gin, with President Poteat. the cam
paign for raising additionaIt endow-
ment for Wake Forest. he is forced
to give up his position as president
If the League.
Surely no leader Of any moral
movement eve had a better right to
.ook back over his Worl- with feel
i0gs Of satisfaction. As he leaves MS
important post he will carry With
aim the gratitude OF all who have at
heart the betterment of our beloved
state.
LIVINGSTON JOHNSON