Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-01-17
Friday, January IL. 1908.
THE ADVANCE OF PROHIBITION.

Prohibition seems advancing rapidly
and the advance is from the South.
As the South grows determined in its
adoption of anti liquor laws the North
seems to grow determined and defiant
in the other direction. This is appar
emit from a tilt between Senator Clay
Of Georgia, and Senator Nelson of
Minnesota, last week over an effort on
the part of Senator Clay, who comes
from Prohibition Georgia. to have the
United States pass law prohibiting
inter state carriers from delivering
liquor in prohibition States. Already
the Postoffice Department has been
driven to ordering liquor off the star
routes.
There is great similarity between the
anti slave fight prior to the breaking
out of the civil war and the
prohibition fight. One says Il
will" the other You won't" There
were those in the South who believed
that they had a constitutional right
to own slaves; there are those both
North and south who believe they
not only have a constitutional right,
but an inalienable right TO drink
whatever they please, and that no man
nor set of men have right to abridge
that right. The anti-prohibitiOnist
therefore goes further than the slave
holder. But the destruction of slavery
established in this country the princi-
pie that might makes right" and if
there be majority who are willing to
vote for law prohibiting the manu-
facture and sale of liquor, the residue
of mankind will be compelled to sub
NIT no matter how much they may
sQuirm or twist under it, With that
illustrious precedent served upon the
country as the result of the civil war i,
when the South was shorn by might
and arms of its property, and its fond
ly cherished principle of States rights,
1t has no hesitancy just now, nor any
gualms of conscience in handing back
to the North ON the very same platter
ON which they passed up to her the
issues of the Wharf.-The principle OF
prohibition. 1t is true that some
Northern States have adopted proh1
bition long since. SO have some West
ern States, but these seemed satisfied
to let it rest there. Just now, how
ever, the storm issweeping from the
South to the North with resistles
fury, and the North is steadying her
self against 1t. The reason in part
indeed the controlling reason, VIII.
prohibition in the South has becom
almost overwhelming is that the negr
Is too dangerous citizen with liquo
in his hands. TO be allowed the indis
criminate purchase of it. The mora
idea Is drawn on also, but the rulini
cause of the sudden seizure on prohibit
tiOn In the South is that her white pee
pie may protect themselves agains
this very dangerous class of citizens
In order to protect themselves the,
must make prohibition national, be
cause SO long as liquor can be shippe'
from other States into prohibition
States, just SO long is prohibition
failure. We are personally of opinion
that prohibition has not been a thinl
Of beauty where tried, but We cannO
help viewing its advance with muel
more complacency than we could 9th
erwise do, when We see the North get
ting dose and a very large dose, o.
the very same medicine it served to III
with bullet and bsYonet, from 1861 tt
1865 The prOhibitionists of the Soutt
care little what the North thinks Of
inalienable rights or how sacred they
may be held, nor for their tastes OF
their palates; they are determined tt
force prohibition on them just as they
the North. forced their views on the
South in the great civil war 1t is q
beautiful opportunity to pay off debt
in the same coin. and to smash ''in.
alienable rights" with ballots as theirs
were smashed with bullets, little ex-
change Of fanaticism for firebrands
Let the good work go On. We are in
position to say Lay on McDuff, and
dam ned be he who first cries. hold.
enough" Prohibition In the South
would die natural death If it were
not for the negro; and the sweet COM
fort OF teaching the North the same
lesson Of compulsion it taught US by
carnage and bloodshed.