The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-02-08

sFOt lCnNlIS w buC OlACA Ctlu COAuelCs
| the liquor question, that cannot BIZ
said with equal force in behalf Of
gambling, pistol carrying and Of
Eother offenses. On the contrary
1.-The evil effects of liquor selling
extend beyond county lines, ever
more iniuriously than other
crimes.
! While it can be SAID that pro.
hibitory laws do not absolutely
prevent violations. the same is
true of all other laws. Ii mere
enactment of penal.statute
would prohibit all future viola
tions, and complete projection Of
society could be thus secured,
court houses and public officials
would become a useless expense.
In Mississippi unIawt tul retailing
is generally less frequent than
gambling or carrying concealed
Weapons. None but anarchists
contend that other criminal laws
tempt commission of what they
prohibit, yet human nature is the
same in it's results and workings
in regard to all classes of prohib-
tied acts. The men, the money
and the literature that are being
provided by the liqour manufac-
turers and dealers for their bitter
and relentless war against pro-
hibitlon prove they do not believe,
in the slightest, that prohibition
does not greatly lessen the use of
stimuIants. The saloons, the
nursery of crime, the fruitful soil
for the termination of successive
crops of drunkards, aid the worst
enemy of home, of wife, and
child, should be speedily closed.
Upon this question the Judgment
of the dry counties as to what is
| good within their own borders, is
to be made equally applicable to
the whole state. The right of the
majority to voice public policy
and even more unquestionably
possessed by the state than by it's
smaller sub. divisions; and its con-
demnation of the liquor traffic be-
ing clearly expressed, it is for US
to make it effective. Method and
time are the only questions for
real discussion.
When Licensees are shortened re-
turn can be made for the proper
tion of time unexpired. While
some consideration should be
shown for those whose capital is
thus invested, it should not be for
gotten that such consideration to
this traffic brings hourly suffering
to innocent people. If prohibi-
ton is made purely statutory,
foreign liquor dealers and their
home sympathizers will attempt
to renew the question before
every legislature. For this rea-
son we should also have constr
tutional amendment submitted, SO
that only the people could undo
what they once determine.
Next August nominations will
be made for municipal officers in
the liquor municipalities. The
saloon interests will unite iA a
most determined efort to control
these elections, and to have their
friends chosen for Office entr usted
with the enforcement of the law,
hoping thus to obtain legal i'm
munity during the closing days of
saloons, which they can thus make
vastly profitable. Not only this,
but many of the liquor sellers will
become connected with saloons in
the adjoining states which they
will seek to provide, by aid of
blind tigers, liquor to their former
customers and to thus evade and
discredit the laws of our state.
The real friends of statutory
prohibition should not permit
themselves to be defeated or de-
layed by difference of views as to
the time of putting the law in full
effect. The question should be
brought up for speedy action.
By amendments the voice of the
majority can be easily. and quickly
ascertained, then all should unite
lin advancing the general result
iOther legislation and the welfare
Iof the state will be promoted by
pressing statutory prohibition to
a settlement at the earliest prac-
ticable moment,
That regulation .of the liquor
traffic does not regulate, tie usual
manner of conducting liquor busi-
ness clearly proves by, sales to
drunkards, to minors, and through
other prohibited crime, ordinari.
lily, than blind tigers. Beth cater,
for mercenary purposes, to tile
ereation and qualification OF
bestial instincts, furnishing what
paralyzes reason and. infames pas
Ision. When to this is added las
lcivious suggestions. liquor yend-
lers fit the worst men for the worst
lcrimles. How far this can 60 is
shown by an indescribable calen.
dar issued BY a negro .saloonkeep-
Ier in Vicksburg, copy of which
is held by the chairman of the
house committee on liquor traffic.
That saloonkeeper, although this
i matter has been brought to public
Eattention through the press, was,
and is, vouclled for by the aFthor.
1ities of Vicksburg, as a citizen OF
good reputation, and a sober and
lsuitable person TO reseiye such
license. = Withont such approval
lhe could not have entered that
Il ha1c1r III Ia =