The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-17

Raleigh Last Night and Issued Ad- !
dress to People OF the State-Ped-
ton Signed by 25 Citizens Wired til
the Committee Asking That the 1es-
islature, at its Special Sess on, be
Requested to Pass State Prohibition
Law.
A new and rather Sensational move
in connection with the question OF
nrohibitiol. on whlcn al election has
been asked for by tho local anti-salooh
league, the petition being now unoei
consideration and investigation Dy
committee Of the board Of aldermen,
was made in Wilmington yesterday,
when a petition, signed by about 20
leading citizens, was teleGraphed ID
Raleigh, to the executive cJInInlIISe
OF the anti-salOon league which was III
session there last night, asking mat
that league request the state leglsla-
ture, which is soon to meet in speclal
session, to ennact a statutory prohlol-
ton law, covering the entire state.
The petition was not put in general
few of the local clergy and to several
representative business men, twenty
five persons in all having been ap-
proached. Among those who signed
were the following:
Rev. DR.. J. NJ. Wells, pastor OF the
First Presbyterian church; Rev. X. u.
Holmes, of Fifth street M e. church;
Rev. T. ~ Smoot, Of Grace street M.
E. church; Rev. w. L. Rexford, OF lrln
| ity NJ. E. church; Rev. A. D. Mcclure,
D. D., st. Andrews Presbyterian church
and Messrs. w H. Sprunt, J. Alien
TAYLOR, James Sprunt, B. G. Worth, W.
! NJ. Cumming and B. F. Hall.
With the purpose in view, it is stat
ed of having the legislature enact
state prohibition law If possible, there
by making unnecessary a prohibition
election in this city which it Is ad-
mitted would engender bitter feelings
and cause considerable strife, a GER
I tain coterie o. citizens had planned to
have Rev. K D. Holmes, pastor or
+ fifth street NJ. E. church, go to Raj
eigh yesterday to appear before the
! executive committee of the state anti
saloon league and use his influence,
| backed by these citizens, to have tnat
| league recommend to the legislature
that a prohibition Jaw, covering the
whole state, be enacted at it's special
! session This plan was frustrated by
! the failure of Mr.. Holmes to get away
from the city on the morning train
| Yesterday and the petition above re-
ferred to was drawn up and signed and
telegraphed yesterday afternoon to the
! executive committee.
| The petition read about as follows:
1--WE the undersigned, feeling that
state prohibition is decidedly the need
| of the present hour f. r North Carolina
respectfully request the executive COM
mittee of the ant-saloon league to
| petition the Legislature to that end"
Mr.. Henry G. Fennell, president or
! The local anti-saloon league, although
rot a member Of Fhe state executive
| committee vent to Raleigh yesterday
! to attend the session, bearing the prox-
| les of Messrs. w. H. Sprunt and W. B.
| Cooper, who are members of the exc
cutive committee but who could not at
tend the meeting and the petition
above was sent in MS care. Mr.. Fen
nell, it is stated, before leaving the
city, endorsed the move to have the
| legislature take action.
Concerning the meeting in Raleigh
of the executive committee, the fol-
lowing special was received after mid
night, and 1t shows that the desired
action has been taken:
Especial to The Messenger)
Raleigh, n. c., Jdnuary 4--In the
! senate chamber, the executive commit
tee Of the North Carolina anti-saloon
league met tonight and had a three
hours session. 1t prepared the follow
ing address to the people of North
Carolina:
| we, the members Of the executive
committee of the anti-saloon league,
after careful consideration, and after
comforting with leading and
various citizens of the state. are of the
. unanimous opinion that the special
Z session of the general assembly, presents
a fitting opportunity Of securing an
Get prohibiting the manufacture and
sale of liquor in this state We believe
q majority OF the people of this state
demand this legislation, and the tiUe
has come for the enactpent OF the
same. With anything like unanimity
among the temperance people Of the
state, we believe the general assembly
will pass such an AT Patriotic men