The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-09-14

capped with all tfleir pluF1sier
The reaction from the crimes al
the Whisky Ring aroused good
deal OF popular feeling in the North
aud West. which resulted in most
stringent State and local laws fo>
the restraint and regulation of the
business. wlliIe little attention was
paid to the subject in the South ex-
cept in South Carolina. where the
business OF selling liquos was made
a State monopoly under what vas
called the 'dispensary system.
South Carolina was the first of the
Southern States to realize evil of the
unrestrained selling OF intoxicants to
the negroes, who composed the
greater part of its pa2lllation IL
the other Southern States, where
there were any laws for the regIlla-
ton Of the liquor tra1,-, they were
wholly disregarded and no effective
efforts, If any at ali,were made TO en-
force the laws. But finally the stu
alton became so serious that the peo-
pie began TO rise up IN various coun-
ties of various states. and to the aston
ishment of almost everybody it be
came manifest that numerous coun-
ties. parishes and communities
in all the States had taken advantage
OF the local option laws and had be-
come dry
In brief, according to the laws
that prevail in the several Southern
States by prohibition, by high license
bvx1ocal iption, and by the dispen-
sary system, 90 counties Of the .I1o
in Kentucky, most of North Carolina
III !,
Carolina. Mississippi most of Texas.
larger cities), and now Georgia are
closed to- the liquor traffic
This is wave Of prohibition as
northern New England: and some OF
the Western States a generation ago.
and it is due 10 sfrralar causes. and
these causes were the enormous
amount OF crime, poverty and misery
resulting from the. indiscriminate and
unrestrained sale of liquors to a large
ignorant and senri-barbarous elc-
ment of the population, not to speak
of the great harm done by the bclc
and defiant vilation OF the laws.
AS matters stand today, absolute
prohibition has been enacted in
Georgia. In South Carolina the dis
pensary system IN modified form
exists. North Carolina has a State
dispensary system The Texas
Legislature. which has recently ad-
iourned. enacted severe laws against
the liquor trade which is slbject to
local prohibition by the people of
any county. Under the new law
saloons, where they exist. are held
TO strict regulations and if any sa-
loon keeper : convicted of a viola
ton ofthe iaisgle IS fined from SIoo
to $1,000 ana in addition given a Jail
sentence. if tie gravity of his offense
warrants it. His license is also revok
ed and he cannot resume business
within two years Of the date of his
conviction. At that time, provide d
no one objects, he can re-enter the
business; but a second offense for
ever prec1udes the possibility OF his
securing a liquor license anywhere
III the state If another saloon keep
.er employs him, his own license is
revoked
In Tennessee, under a modified
local option law. to-day no whisy is
legally sold in Knoxville. Jackson or
Bristol. and the sale Of liquor in the
state is largely confined to the cities
of Chattanooga, Memphis and Nash
vile and to La Toilette. small
mining town of 5000 people.
In Mississippi seventy cf the
seventy-six counties are dry The
representative from these dry coun-
ties elected to the next Legislature
are being pledged to support statu-
tory prohibition, in accordance with
a we'll defined plan. Today no
liq.or is being sold in the cities Of
Meridian, Jackson, Greenwood, Co
lunnbus. Aberdeen, Hattiesburg and
West Point.
Arkansas is treated to prohibition
politics as a regular diet. At every
general election the people vote on
issuing licenses. Under to local op-
ton law each county settles tht
question Of license or no license and
a petition of a majority of the adult
citizens. men and women, is suf-
ficient TO prevent saloon operating
within three miles of a church or
school
1t has been the boast of the liquor
dealers that prohibition laws do not
stop the illicit secret sale Off liquors,
but while this is true, it stops the
regular trade, and 1T is no recom-
pense when man is driven out of
business by law to know that some
body is violating the law. Match OF
the feeling that has been manifested
III the powerful and widespread
against the liquor trade
has been aroused by the fragrant and
defiant lawlessness of dealers them
helves If they had obeyed the laws
they would have prevented a great
deal of the crime that has resulted,
and they would have saved them
selves fron much prejudice and con-
deT1a1ation
It rests with the liquor trade it
self if it would save its business
from extreme measures of prosecu-
ton. Let the dealers be prominent
in the ranks of the law-abiding in
stead of the law-violating citizens,
and they will do more for their busi-
ness than they could accomplish in
any other way.
The law firm off Shieldss & .Boddic
of this city have been employed by