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


as do, l DO not hesitate 10 say "a
you that 1 oppose the ratification oy
the people OF me proniuiuon onI
pf-ssed ~ a-te eAlr4 session Va
li4S 5e4.e. - ..&so-4...y ALL ~ a.se you
some Of my reasons
The question involved always has
ano always will cause q dangerous
fusion (if | may use the wordl be-
tween the church and the state. Inc
lnlnisier OF the gospel may stand IL
the puipII and preach Temperance.
paue.Ice, goQnness. Urotherly kina-
hes and charity and receive =.
hea.,J Amen from ali classes &C.
cup, ing pews- he cannot go out 60.
acliNeIy engage IN the dIscusslCu Vi
any question 10 De voted on Uy The
people, wnere there Is q division Of
sentiment without stirring up op-
position from men both good and
Tad. In all such elections he viii be
looked upon by many as carrying The
pulpit into politics.
But that is not the worst feature
The worst feature is that these cam
paigns always have and always will
Invite ambitious politicians into the
pulpit Ii gives them an opportunity
TO stand up before an excited people
engaged in the promotion of what
they believe to be a most righteous
cause. They are ready to believe
anything he says and to stand by ali
his alleged statistics, which. if true.
mean that the human race is RAPIDLY
going to destruction, none of which
is true. These ambitious politicians.
after joining in the crusade, after
mounting the cold water wagon and
| usually rushing for q front seat. an
nounce that whatever they may have
been in the past, that they have now
| cut the bridges behind them, when
| in fact they care nothing for the
bridges behind them, but are seeking
bridge in front of them over which
| they may pass to be safely landed in
| some honorable and lucrative office
| These politicians frequently express
! fears that the course they are pursu-
ing may destroy them politically, and
thus seem to be making maryrs Of
themselves. All this leads to the
practice Of hypocrisy, the vilest sin
that flesh is heir to- Have we not
seen, in the past, this same class Of
men almost Immediately after the
! end of an exciting campaign, on what
Is claimed to be a great moral Ques-
ton, announcing themselves as can
didates for political Office, and don't
they write innumerable letters to
temperance men asking their sup
port and claiming the same on &C
count OF the part they took and :he
| great sacrifice they made? During
these fights every man opposing
these people however honest may be
his motive, Is pointed at, ridiculed or
abused as an unworthy man.
I read in a newspaper a short time
ago a charge that fifty per cent OF
the old fellow soldiers of mine, liv-
ing in the Soldiers Home at Raleigh
and cared for at the expense OF
a grateful people, were there because
of intemperance. I do not believe it
and if I did believe it l would not
! have the heart to say it.
The people of the state, with the
exception of one or two counties
have never been permitted TO vote
on the Watts hill or the Ward bill
nor were the DroyisiG IS OF either
discussed before the people ry the
members Of the general assembly
when asking for votes. There are
thousands of men in North Caro-.
lima who have silently acquiesced
during the trial of the measures
contained in those bills while no1
endorsing them. Especially is this sc
as to the latter.
A great majority of the people Of
North Carolina believe that the peo
pie of this state will continue, /,
spite Of any legislation through al
years to come, to indulge in stimd
lsting drinks, most of them temper.
ately. But the prohibitionist says
that this is true as to men who arc
able to send out of the state anC
import liquors for private use. but
That they want to get at the mar
who Is not able to thus furnish him
self, in order that he may spend tn,
money that he would use for drinf
in the support of his family. The
man Of all others who now and ther
needs stimulant is the man who
daily wears himself out at hard la
Dor. The man of natural heavy heart
1T is not for kings, O. Lemuel
1t is not for kings to drink wine
nor for princes strong drink 4
Give strong drink to him that i:
! lCduy W p0IISL, anu wine unto CnOSf
that be of heavy hearts Lee
him drink and forget his poverty
and remember his misery no more.
Was it not David who uset
these words?
[ believe the true policy of this
state should be to provide laws tha
will sternly regulate and control the
manufacture and sale of Intoxicating
liquors. Not only regulate but in
spect and prevent adulteration b,
harmful drugs and chemicals. The
ratification of this prohibition bill
prevents all regulation. All that i:
left as a protection to the people
comes in way Of criminal prosecu
tions, and our experience shows tha
when one proprietor of blind tigeI
is locked up, another proprietor
takes his place, and this will con
tlnue in every community where
there is a demand for intoxicants.