The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-04

III LHcII COunLys
 This act is known as the local op- ton act. and its manifest purpose is to secure to the citizens of each coun- ty the opportunity and the right to determine for themselves whether the liquor traffic shall be carried on in their county. It commits them to the right to exercise an important govern mental function--reeognising and put ting in force the principle of local seIf-governfn4nt with respect to mat ter peculiarly affecting their social or- ganization.
 In the exercise of So important a function, the purpose to be accom- plished by governmental authority should be kept steadily in view. This purpose is that of promoting the mutual safety and advance of those effort of their combined strength.
 sEvils of The Traffic.
 This purpose cannot be accom- plished by the exercise Of the function entrusted to you by the fostering and maintenance of a traffic that impairs, in any degree, the moral force oG any substantial portion of the people of our county, their character and man. hood; traffic that incftes lawless- ness, perfidy and crime; that engen- ders prodiga1ity. thriftlessness, dis honor, and Deggary; a traffic that breeds discontent, controversies, quar- rels. and bloodshed; traffic that wrecks fortunes, lives and homes, and breaks the hearts of fathers, mothe CTS, wives and sisters: a traffic that sup plies inmates for almshouses, asylums, jails and penitentiaries.
 If these be some Of the direful con sequences attendant upon the liquor traffic--and undoubtedly they are---is it not the duty of every patriotic voter who cherishes the sacred privileges of the elective franchise, to assist in striking 1t down, ratte CT than to pro- mote and sustain 1t and. 1t may be- perpetuate 1t in power for generations to come.
 where, in all this fair county of ours, is there a white man or white | woman, that has not drunk deep of degradation. who is willing to foster l and sustain, and perpetuate a traffic that will make drunkards of men and | boys and outcasts of women and girls? And is there one among you will | ing by his vote to say, that he Is so selfish and so sordid as that he is | indifferent to the results produced by | the traffic upon the lives, the charac- l ter, the well-being, of his neighbors and their sons and daughters, to say nothing of the material prosperity that l will ultimately follow in the wake of the suppression of so pernicious an l institution?
 sobriety and Virtue Priceless.
 But should 1t be conceded that | temporary business depresison will | follow as a result of the suppression of the traffic--is the morality, virtue, happiness, peace, order, the security | of our women and our boys, to DC measured by a money standard? Tt is possible that we have imbibed | the spirit of eommercialism to such an extent that we are willing to barter or sell all these things so essential to our social well-doing. to the end of perpetuating in our midst an institu- tion which impoverishes its patrons in purse, health and morals2 Sobrtety and virtue are priceless gems and their value incapable of a measurement by any money standard.
 ''It is because of its menace to ouI social organization that the right to
 engage In the traffic is neither na- | turai nor a constitutional one. Fol | the same reason the State--which ls | nothing more than a society of men
 banded together for tneir mntual pro
 else of itsNright to control its purely
 internal affairs, has, since the foun-
 dation of this republic, exercised the
 authority of controlling the tramc
 even to the extent of prohibiting 1t by
 legislative enactment and prescribing
 penalties for the violation of such laws
 MiMfmkZeM EVILS 0x TEamcs
 But 1t is said should a majority oi
 you. by the exercise of the sovereign
 bower conferred by the legislative act
 vote against the sale of liquor, th'
 blind tiger will take the place of thu saloon; that to existing evils Will b' added others--that the evils now ex
 tant as consequential of the traffic -wil still obtain, strength eded. fortified ant accentuated by others equally injuriou
 to our social status; and that the conse uuences attendant upon the tlIega traffic thus established will be ia more damaging than those attendan
 E'1it is not perceivable-how this cal
 be. The assertion Is Eenectlon upo,
 with the sworn duty of executing tn law, and an imputation upon the non
 esty and sincerity of purpose Of tho
 of you who feel and appreciate the re responsibilities of the trust committed [
 you to protect and preserve the man hood and womanhood of the people o 0U Ali laws are framed with the ex pectation that they will be violated
 which is clearly shown by the fact tha penalties are prescriped tor their thtr Vi3 9 ministration will show that no one C them has been inviolably kept. There can be no question tnat yot law will destroy the opportuh@isSs @ n |. T { loon and the temptations held put I it. and thus decrease the trafic. "Ia proportion as the traf1c Is q rnfnished in the same proportion u
 evils consequent upon 1t will be le
 sened. intimidation or the tran naanimizes inebriety. drunkennes profiigacy and crime; and incuIcates, that extent, a spirit of industry TIT galfty and obedience to law.
 Economical View.
 "Aside from the ,,rsfs efrses " which dSr nsl U
 ne to inc end of impairing good ci izenship, from a viewpoint of pu economies its suppression Will In 4, short time result in increasing u
 prosperity of the people of every con
 mnnitv in our county,
 1t ia A fundamental principle or p'
 IIt,cal economy, that & traffic which o
 fers to the individuals of .c g eOmmInil Hr !,
 anpreciable value to the .purchasin
 consumer cannot be made the basis
 prosperity. Tn other words, nnanciI
 prosperity cannot be Iounoed upon l