The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-05-19

tanned and perpetuated free govern
ment, and in order to have true gov
eminent we must have an intelligent
ballot, and that kind of ballot means
one in which the voter doesn't deposit
mis- little slip prompted by prejudice,
blinded by spite, and excused by ig-
norance, but from principle, backed
by pure motive.
You often hear 1t asserted that a
man has a right to his opinion. That
lis true, provided his opinion is based
on truth and reason, otherwise he has
not. A man has no right to exercise
anything to The detriment of mankind,
not even an opinion. Every privilege
is coupled with a duty, but there is
broad difference between duty
and right. A man is privileged to
kill another If he so willeth. This
privilege, however, does not convey
the right or impose duty in com
hitting murder.
So with the vote, if he can vote an
honest sentiment, founded on princi-
Die, backed by reason, it is his duty to
do so. II, on the other hand, he
noulds and votes his sentiments ac-
2ording to distorted facts and infiam-
,natory appeals from paid attorneys
md stereotyped literature, employed
by great trust in defense of its I'M
scrupulous scruples, he is not an hon.
est voter, and is, therefore, danger
Gus one.
This. in brief, is analytical of the
present agitation on the prohibition
situation in our state. On the one
hand, are the great moral, education
Il and business forces, the moulders
II thought the opponents of righteous
less and builders of industry On the
other is lone out great trust, backed
by its ill-gotten millions, heralied and
boosted by staff of paid attorneys
iapping the country to the tune of
one billion, three hundred millions of
dollars year, for d product that is not
necessity but a recognized and dan
gerous evil
In this little article it is our desire
to ask few questions and make few
notes, not for argument but for infor-
nation.
If Intoxicating liquor is such a boon
to humanity why does it produce such
baneful effects? Like begets like"
If there is more liquor sold and
drunk in Durham or elsewhere under
prohibition, as they Of the opposition
contend. why are they so anxious for
he return of the saloons? For the
benefit of the tax, they say. Judge
'haw says that since he mas been on
the superior court bench he finds that
for every dollar put in the treasury for
schools, streets, etc, throJ;h the tax
from saloons from two dollars to five
dollars go out in court costs. Rather
costly benefits. A waste of five dol
lars in order to secure one.
Name the town of equal size in the
south with the saloon system that
can boast of better granolitholic side.
walks, more substantial streets or mag.
nificent graded schools than High
Point. \. c. There hasn't been a sa.
loon within its borders since il was a
tot of a village. Did liquor ever build
them? No. they were built and are
maintained by the honest tax of its
citizenship. the only Legitimate method
of maintaining public Improvements.
They argue that the liquor traffic
builds up the material prosperity of a
town; that a dry town is dead. Is
that so? Let's c3e. What towns or
cities have developed or built up more
rapidly along material lines than
Greensboro and Charlotte. since they
voted out the saloon? Name them.
The wealth per capita in Kansas. the
banner prohibition state is. says Gov.
ernor Hoch. ninety dollars. where. in
the United States as a whole II is only
thirty-two dollars. Why this great ma.
terial prosperity in Kansas under pro.
hibition II liquor is such a stimulus to
wealth?
Why didn't Salisbury. the home of
fifteen bars and four rectifers. and
where liquor has been sold for de-
cades. pave its sidewalks earlier than
two years ago. since through the tax
comes such monster public improve
ments?
They say II takes away their liberty.
Liberty TO do what? 10 destroy the
liberties Of other men by the sale of
commodity that makes the makers
and sellers richer and the consumers
poorer.
The most prosperous section of our
state in every way is the central or
piedmont section. where the saloon evil
only exists in one town-Salisbury.
r. l.. SPENCER.