The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-12-20
A HOPELESS TASK
COnfronts Prohibition Statesmen Who
Should Dare to Urge Universal
"Dry" Statute by Congress.

pfonlDltlOn question is live Wire with
statesmen from the south just now, es-
pecially those who come from states
that have already, or are about to en-
act statutory prohibition laws. So full
of current is the wire, that they are
sidestepping and tiptoeing, in an Ell
fort to placate their constituents and
at the same time maintain their repu-
tations. It's a job, too, is this at
tempt to escape the laugh" list and
satisfy the folks at home who are yell
ing for prohibition.
Here is the hitch There is in the
constitution of the United States
paragraph which insures to each state
the right to govern and regulate it's
internal affairs-states rights-but the
prohibitionists at home, the wool hat
boys and the good women who mould
public sentiment, insist upon 1o-
tional prohibition law The senator
or representative who introduces bill
to dry" up the United States will at
once go down as the biggest laugh"
of the sixtieth congress, yet if he
fails and cannot explain, he may re-
main at home.
Senators and representatives, es-
pecially those coming from the dry
and partially dry states of the south,
are being pestered to their wits end
by enthusiastic temperance leaders
among their constituents who believe
a national prohibition bill not only
possible, but probable. Their daily mail
is full OF letters and petitions urging
them to propose statutory prohibition
for all of the United States, Porto
Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, the Philippines
and Cuba, if necessary.
Thus far no such legislation has
been proposed, and no such bill is like
ly to fall in the hopper of either
house, bearing the authorship of a
southern statesman. And it is hard.
ly probable that the temperance lead
ers in other sections of the country
can induce any of their representa-
tiyes to champion such a measure.
The reason should be obvious, espe-
cially to southerners, but there are
many representatives and senators in
Washington who are ready to swear
to the contrary. In their enthusiasm,
some of the temperance leaders out
side of congress seem to have forgot
ten about the civil war and the under
lying causes for the bloody conflict
they have eradidated from their
memories all thought of states rights
"Talk about Capitalization, exclaim-
ed a prominent senator from the south
in a discussion Of national pro-
hibition, "but the Temperance folks to-
day take the cake They would out
Hamilton Hamilton, they would sweep
away the last vestige of states rights
in single move, with a single stroke
Of the pen, and then see the supreme
court set it back again.
II am prohibtionist, have always
been one, and further, am temper
ance mani practice what l preach,
but l can never and will never vote
for a bill in congress to regulate and
control the internal affairs Of the
states. l believe each state should
regulate its own affairs, and though I
sincerely hope to see the day when
liquor has been driven from each of
them, l will not vote to place the
power in the federal government. When
we reach that stage, we might as well
abandon our state governments"
The senator in question is pro-
hibitionist, and as he himself said,
he is also a temperance man He
has been greatly annoyed during the
last two weeks or ten days by the
number Of letters and petitions he has
received urging him to introduce a
national prohibition bill in congress,
but believing as he does, and his ia
Their before him did, in the sovereign
right Of each state to regulate it's in.
ternal affairs he will not stultify him
self by proposing such legislation.
And this particular senator is not
alone. Dozens Of others have been
besieged to present such bill in con-
gress, and every one who has been
approached gives practically the same
reasons for not doing it.