The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-01-21
Warning to Democracy.
The Democratic Party Must
Take Measures to Make
Prohibition Prohibit or Woe
to It-Prohibition and Party
Too.
Communicated.

Communicated.
1t il death to lay violent hands on the
King. If it can be clearly shown that
the violence was necessary to save the
King, then the King pardons- but an II"
other grounds.
In North Carolina the people are hing.
The Democratic party has laid violent
hands upon the King, upon the most
sensitive and unforgiving part OF the
king-to wit Upon the King = ST omach
1t has shut off the Kings tippIe 1t
must now bestir to show that 1t was
for the Kings good or woe. woe to IT.
For on no other grounds can 1t ask or
even hope for pardon.
Unless vigorous and stringent measures
are taken by this Legislature, four years
hence will find moonshine stills on every
spring branch and grog-shops with
druggists signs over their doors) IN
every town in North Carolina No man
will deny that this will be state OF al
fairs not only worse than dispensaries
but worse even than saloons.
The Democratic. party Is now IN abso,
lutte control. 1t can pass any law and
put behind that law TO have 1t enforced
any power that it sees fit.
The liquor problem is knotty one.
Never was problem more so. Bnt 1t Is
also vital one Never was one more so.
The whole wisdom OF the party, of the
State. should apply itself to the correct
solution of this problem.
4 way should be found to force coun-
ty officers, sheriffs. county commission
ers. grand jurors to ferret ont the moon
shine stills. Judges in charging the
grand Jurors should be required to
especially impress Oh them their sacred
duty in this respect.
The grog-shop. drug stores must b.
rigidly supervised and controlled. Many
of our most practical men think that II
State medical dispensary in each county
is the proper solution OF this matter.
| am not presuIning to dictate any
plan as best. for | don't know what is
best. | am only calling affection to a
state of affairs that every observant
man in the State knows will prevail il
not headed off Nothing could be more
undemOcratic than the general prohibi-
ton law. Por local self-government, the
right OF each community to control the
things exclusively concerning that com
munity, is the very essence OF democracy
Nevertheless, if the outcome shows that
it was for the peoples good-that violent
hands were laid on the King and that it
did save him then the King will not only
pardon but also reward. Otherwise
woe be to the Offender-the Democratic
party. For a Republican platform i'll
1912 pledging that party to submit to
the people local option will sweep the
State.
Indeed, the general concensus of opinion
seems to be nov that restricted dis
pensary system is the only practical so
luton of this cursed problem. They are
willing to give prohibition a fair trial
though they are dubious of its results
They don't think that the women anC
the preachers can form laws to govern
men. They can form laws that we
ought to be governed by, but not law.
that we are quite willing to be governed
by,-not yet awhile, not until we get 6
fraction less unregenerate. | fear tina,
Vance's reply to the good Temperance
woman when she appealed to him t(
support prohibition in 1881 describes
our plights too. My dear madam, my
heart is with you, but my stomach il
against you
o. W. BLACKNAEL.
kittrpIl Y E.