The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1908-04-02

reclamation OF North Carolina from
illiteracy.
Let the laborer, the blacksmith.
the farmer, the merchant, the bank
er-let every business understand
that Prohibition is not aimed at that
business but will prove helpful to i.
To-day it is isrecognized that North
Carolina owes its industrial condition
to the adjustment Of the liquor t-.,.cc-
flc in those counties where n1anuf :
turing enterprises abound. The c1ae
Of Gin Mills versus Cotton Mills has
been decided hy our people in favor
Of the defendant, and today health
full industries all over North Caro-
lima testify to the justice Of tLa5 yer
dict.
Let the taxpayer understand that
instead Of increasing the burden o.
taxation Prohibition lessons ii. Ior
example, Scotland Neck, IJ0brond.
Palmyra and Spring Hill for a nun
Der Of years have been dry. Tille1y.
Halifax, Enfield, Weldon and h.osi-
oile Rapids have been wet. We be-
lieve it is fair to say that Of all t'ie
criminal cases that are tried in oar
Superior Court 80 per cent. come
from the wet towns and 75 per cent
Of these are attributable to the IT.
quor habit. Abolish the traGie and.
the cost of CUR criminal court VII. 1e
reduced TO amiaimum. Our Jail with
its expense will no longer be q t.j7.
upon us and the notorious chain gang
will pass into history.
Let every voter understand that
Prohibition does not ally itself With
any party. It is above party. Tho
Prohibition movement is & universal
movement for the universal moral
welfare OF the whole people. Lag,s-
lation had to come through some
party and the Democratic party
would have been traitor to its hi5lr
ideals had it failed to act when fle
great public sentiment was clamar-
ing for legislation upon this question.
The saloon advocate, it is true, says
that it will wreck the party. Il 90
let it wreck. 4 party which os~as
It's power, It's influence, its prestige
to,the rum influence ought to die
the sooner the better. But have no
fear for the party-any party that
can go before the people and stand
upon the platform Of White Sn-
premacy, the overthrow Of the dom
jnation Of the Public Service Cor
poration and Temperance need have
no fear for its continued prosperity.
Let the people understand that
prohibition will prohibit. If it fai,s
it is not the law but the officers who
are sworn to support that iav.
When that officer understands LIS
imperative duty, he will either G.
force the law or resign. And when
any one begins to talk about proai-
bition having failed il Maine aid
Kansas. let him understand t,iat yoa
are from North Caroi:na and not
from ALaine or Kansas either, and
he viii have to show you. hsh hi'n
! If ne thinks ten blind tigers having
their den in some dark alley O. down
some filthy cellar can 90 as much
harm as one tiger with his eyes wide
open, having his den on the prinei-
pal thoroughfare Of the town, di=-
playing l.is tempting wares through
plate glass windows?
Before April End the registrars
and the pol!-holder5 will have been
appointed. The books will remain
open for twenty days prior 10 the
| Saturday before election, and it vii.
be your duty to see that every voter
is properly registered and be pre-
pared to challenge those registered
who are not eetitled to vote. Above
all things, see that every voter lia5.e
/ for roli tax pays same before A5%
Jst, else he cannot vote. This rc-
spnnsibility is yours. 1t is impossible
for the executive committee Of the
! county to be iii the several townships
when matters pertaining 70 the e.sa-
ton shall arise, hence the work de-
wolves mainly upon you. Real care
fully the election law Of 1901 and he
guided by it strictly. See that thc
registrars and poll holders conduct
the election as prescribed il t'a-
Act. We do not want to achieve tn
victory and then have the election
thrown out. IN all things BE watch
ful. Sleep with one eye open Unit.
after the decision is known.
Make for a great victory. See
that the voters rise above passion
and prejudice and cast their ballots.
tho they be the last, in the cause
of temperance. That they vote that
the saloon shall be abolished and il
its place the white flag Of teupeI-
ance may forever wave on high, g
legacy to posterity that shall be
proud to boast OF the deed and act
Of its ancestry. Let not the finger