The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-17

and the fireSide than any Otner QueS-
ion now before the American people.
HON. c. l.. WATSOS'S VIEWS.
On the Qunestion OF State Prohibi-
tiOn-Some of His Reasons ter OPP
posing This Kind OF Legislation.
Following is a letter written to Mr.
A II. Boyden, the mayor Of Sails
bury. by Hon. G.. B. Watson, one OF
the leading democrats of the state,
giving his views ON the question as
to state prohibition now being dis
cussed all over the state and to be
voted on May 26th:
Winston-Salem, N. c.,
March L, 1908.
Mr. A H. Boyden.
Salisbury, n. G.
Ir. Dear Sir
Your letter of yesterday just re-
ceived. | hasten to comply with your
request for a letter expressing my
views as to existing conditions in
North Carolina, political and other
wise.
By the adoption of the late amend
ment to our state constitution, the
democratic party has been enabled
to carry the state by Overwhelming
majorities. The people of the state
have been, for some years, enjoying
great prosperity. For years before
| the adoption of what is known as
| the Watts bill and the Ward bill,
| true temperance, in most If not all
| sections of the state, had made rapid
| strides.
There was a time when the gov
| ernment tax on distilled spirits was
| $500 per gallon. In many sections
| of the state what was known as
| blockade distilleries were numerous.
| The people looked upon tas as be-
| ing oppressive and prohibitory. These
blockade distilleries were operated
in violation of the law, and the own
ers, to large extent, had the SYM
| pathy of the people with them. Up
on the reduction of the tax the pro-
| fits to these violators Of the law
were not sufficient to justify them
| in taking the risk Of criminal prose
| cution. Distilleries were greatly re-
| duced in number and most Of them
| operated were operated under Ii
cense from the government. The
! blockade distillery, which was al
ways a retail establishment as well
not only led to contempt of law
but proved to be a school for the
encouragement of fraud, perjury and
| other crimes. AS they disappeared
| school houses and churches were
built everywhere, and notwithstand-
| ing the fact that there remained a
comparative few distilleries in the
country, temperance sentiment was
| rapidly growing and increasing all
over the state. The people were being
! persuaded, and were willingly led
Under these conditions. and because
of this growth of temp senti-
| ment, great many good men con-
cluded that the time had come when
| force should be applied in the form
| Of criminal prOhibitory statutes.
do not believe that the promoters OF
this prohibitory legislation had
made a thoughtful study of the his
tory of our race. 1t is not difficult
for the diligent student of history to
trace our people back through the
| centuries to the early days of their
progenitors on the banks of the
Euphrates and the Tigris. Through
all this sweep of ages, ours has been
a race that has indulged, to a greater
or less extent, in the use of alcoholic
beverages, from the time of the vine
covered hills, the wine press, the
"wine-vats" and wine cellars of our
ancient ancestors to the present time
The only portion Of the race, as far
as 1 have ever been able to know
which has ceased to manufacture and
use intoxicating liquors are those
who have fallen under the rule OF
the Mohammedan religion, which
forbids the manufacture and use OF
wine or other intoxicants These
people are, perhaps, a sober people
but they are a degraded people. be-
cause they are not free.
Our race has ever been jealous OF
its individual rights and liberties
Loving liberty, they have been read !
Guided by these principles, it has es
tablished civilized government anG
religious liberty wherever civilized
government and religious liberty now
exist. 1t has outstripped and left far
behind it all other races of men. The
use of intoxicants has, perhaps, de
stroyed a small percentage of its
people annually, but in the mean
time it has multiplied and replen-
ished the earth, each generation
growing better, stronger and nobler
during all this lapse Of time. 1t is a
race Of men that is ever ready to be
taught. to be persuaded, to be lead
along upward paths, but never driv-
en-. will you," and Wont you?'' to
an Anglo-Saxon are always pleasant
phrases. You shalP' or You shant''
causes his blood to tingle
| I do not believe In stringent. pro-
hibitory measures have been led to
believe from my earlies: youth that
sGmptuary legislation is undemocra-
tic, unrepublican, un American AMI
contrary TO the spirit y. our institu-
| tions. Under this training have
| voted the democratic ticket since ar
irving at the age OF maturity. as did
my ancestors for two generations be-