The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1908-01-29
THAT ALLEGED COMPROMISE BY THE
PROHIBITONISTS.

An arGlclo puDlSneu in announcer
column will give our readers
partial insight into the present
situation at Jackson on the Prohi-
bltion question. More plainly
stated, few liquor champions in
the House aud Senate, realizing at
the very outset that the final
overthrow of the legaized liquor
traffic in Mississippi was only a
question of months, commenced
playing for time as the utmnst
that they could accomplish in put
ting off the saloons death.
Led by shrewd and diplomatic
Mr.. Foster of Warren, and with
no capital stock to trade on but an
inexhaustible supply of gall and
the morally rotten, crime, breed
ing, demoralizing institution
known as the saloon, located in
eight counties of the State,
4hese gentlemen put on bold
front, after the manner of the
liquor traffic and its champions,
and began to talk loudly about
trading and compromising and of
important concessions they we're
willing to make to the prohibition
majority, as if they really had
something important and neces-
sary to be secured by the Prohibi-
tion majority before any Prohibit
tion bill cou Id be passed or amend
ment submitted.
One or two prominent prohibi-
tionists in and out of the Legisla
ture, who are always running
about hunting for soft place tu
fall when any aggressive prohibi-
tion work is proposed, became
alarmed at this bold front put on
by the little saloon contingent and
their loud pleas for exercising
conservatism, CON S-E-R-V-A-
T-IS-M in dealing with this
liquor question, sir, and they fell
full length into the trap Mr.. Eos
ter and his lieutenants had adroit-
ly set for them, and advised other
prohibitionists to do likewise and
not close out a saloon until the
first of next January.
A majority of the Prohibition
lists present at the joint legislative
committee meeting which first
considered the date when all H.
quor licenses should be declared
void, not being fully informed,
we're Influenced by this alleged
and unauthorized compromise Of
Prohibitionists with The saloon
interests, to vote to change the
date in the Prohibition bill to the
time the liquor men demanded.
Other Prohibition members of the
committee who appreciated the
situation better and were not will.
ing to needlessly and unJustifiably
Iengthen out the days of the
saloon, voted against it, and un.
less the majority reconsiders, will
appeal to the Prohibitionists of
the State and carry the fight to
the floor of the Senate and House.
The Prohibitionists on the
liquor traffic committee who voted
to give the liquor men what they
demanded are fast realizing that
. they have been tricked and out
generated ,and they will realize this
more and more as they hear from
their Prohibition constituents and
discover the small support the
saloon actually has in this Legisla
ture.
The Leader has no harsh criti.
cism of any Prohibitionist who
has fallen into the trap set fol
them and who favored giving the
liquor lnen what they demanded
and get nothing of real value in
return. If those who did this
have not already done so, they
will discover that in hearkenine
to the noise and boasts of the lit
tie liquor contingent in the Legis
lature they are exactly in the pre-
dicament of the fellow who drain
ed his pond for bull frogs, expect
ing to catch a wagon load and
didn't find peck.
Meanwhile. let Prohibitlonists
put aside wrong and humiliating
compromises with the iniquitou
saloon evil, make their fight il
the open for what is right and jus
and all will be we'll. Hav
done with gum-shoe tactics ant
dishonoring and unrighteous deal
with the matchless evil of th
age. The individuals engages
IN the saloon business shoul
be treated with due con