The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-02-01
PRES. B. G. LOWREY
Administers a Merited Roast to a Cow.
ardIy Sneak Who AssaiIs a Noble
Mississippi Woman From Ambush.
Incidentally he Protests Against the
States Accepting Saloon Blood
Money.

Editor Daily News: In the
News of Jan. 23rd appeared a
wellwritten article headed, No
Time for Haste,'' and signed
Local Self.Government. 1t is
not my plan to write full reply
to this article. In general |
would say, believe in absolute
prohibition of : the liquor. traffic,
and | do not believe that any
municipality or state or nation has
alright to approve such traffic
by making laws for its regulation
instead of its suppression. No
man, however, has any right to
do evil that good may appear y
and do not think we ought to
suppress this evil by passing law
that would amount to violation of
contracts. If the first of June is
set for the time at which the
dram shops shall close then the
money paid for license beyond
that time certainly ought to be
refunded, and | am sure that not
one of the prohibition leaders
would be willing to anything
short of that. We certainly
ought to do the square, honest
thing from a business standpoint
even in dealing with anything so
evil as the liquor traffic. | think
honesty ought to come in as a
great big question, but | do not
think that money ought, and | re-
ject the argument that we ought
to allow the dram shop to con-
tinue business to the end of the
year simply for the sake of keep
ing money in our state treasury
or avoiding the payment of money
out of our state treasury. be-
lieve that every dollar that comes
out of the liquor traffic in any
way, is blood money. Old Judas
Iseariot, the old arch traitor,
who sold his Lord for thirty
pieces of silver, and whose name
has come down the ages reeking
with shame and infamy, was at
least honorable enough when he
found that he had blood money in
his pockets, to throw it at the feet
of those who had given it to him,
and to 60 out for very shame and
hang himself. And those who
had cried, Cruelty Him! Crucl-
fy Hint His blood be uIon US
and our children,' were honorable
enough to say, "It is the price of
blood, and we cannot have it in
our treasury. Let the Christian
state of Mississippi at least get on
as high a plane as that occupied |
by Judas Iscariot, and those who |
howIed for the blood of Christ.
believe furthermore that the
dram shops in the few wet coun-
ties left in Mississippi are doing
enough harm to the rest of the
state to Justify our legislature in
the absolute suppression of them.
But, excuse me, | did not start
out for an argument. / started |
out for a protest in the name of |
Here is my protest: Local
Self Government" makes constant |
at the good women who
are taking an active interest in
this movement. He even calls
Mrs. Kells by name and holds her |
up to the public as woman of a
sharp tongue, ETC., and yet he
hides his identity behind a nom |
de plume. | am sorry for him.
He admits that he does it from
fear and because be is afraid to
come out in the open and face
these good women squarely. |
When man and citizen of Mis-
sissippi shoots at the women folks
from behind the bush and then
comes out plainly and admits that
he conceals his identify because
he fears the viaIs of wrath of
these women, / feel like holding
up my hands and excIaiming, I'm
the name Of chivaIryP' And
must be excused for saying fur
ther that | do not believe chiVal-
rous legislator will be very much
Influenced by an article written in
such a way. Very truly,
B. q. LOWREY.
Blue Mountain College, Blue
Mountain, Miss.