Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1909-02-09
AN ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
Some Expressions Concerning the Attitude
of the Anti Saloon League.

natural public. interest as to the
present policy of the North Caro-
lima Anti Saloon League, and in
response to this feeling we have
thought it advisable to issue the
following public statement.
By an overwhelming majority
the people of North Carolina have
declared for the suppression of the
liquor traffic in this State.
The State Anti.Saloon League
stands simply for the enforcement
of this expressed will Of the voters
confidence to the General Assem-
bly, elected by these voters to see
that in no particular shall the
verdict of last May beabated.
We do not ask for more than
the people have declared for, nor
the people have declared for, nor
do we expect less. The people
having SO Enthusiastically declared
their wishes, it becomes the duty
of their lawmakers to provide in
all cases the proper legal mach
inery for enforcing their newly.
expressed will, and for Furnishing
all violations of the new statue.
Seeing that the enforcement of
the law is now in the hands of
our own State officials, we call at
tention to the fact that in most
counties no compensation is now
allowed sherlffs for breaking up
illicit distilleries, and we earnest
ly ask for a general law providing
for the payment of $25 for each
capture madeby a sheriff, a policy
which has worked successfully in
Cumberland and other counties,
and without which the machinery
is manifestly inadequate. Be-
yond this we ask nothing.
We do not believe that the
whiskey interests can bring any
strong pressure to bear upon our
lawmakers for any weakening of
the present lew, but we do not
think it amiss to warn our people
against agitation for seemingly in
nccent or unlmportant amend
ments. To make one change will
open up the whole subject afresh,
and offer another much-coveted
opportunity for the whiskey for
ces to spend money in an effort to
corrupt public sentiment, W.
have seen Indications, for example
of a plan to use the apple growers
as cats paws-the liquor interests
lnsldlously endeavoring to arouse
a spirit of dissatisfaction among
them IN the hope OF weakening the
law for their own ultimate advan-
tage. We warm our farmers
against these schemes: we cannot
afford to make a hole in the dixie
which might lead in the end a
bringing down the whole flood of
corruption and intemperance again
upon our homes.
1t is our belief that the people
of the State, the Anti-Saloon
J eague, and the General Assembly
are alike resolved upon what has
become known as the ''stand pat"
policy. Let us have no hurtful
agitation, and if it come, let the
blame be upon the heads of the
whlskey element.
If they seek to violate the law,
swift and sure punishment must
| be noted out to them. Upon this
point we ask all good citizens to
be alert. 1t is the duty of every
friend of temperance, of course,
to see that our prohibition law
is thoroughly enforced, but it is
not more the duty of the temper
ance man than of any other good
Cit zen. It is now one Of the
States statues which every official
and citizen is sworn to support,
and whatever his original attitude
may have been, it is as much the
duty of every nan to support the
Prohibition Law as to support the
laws against gambling, theft, or
arson. The same penalties pro-
vided by law for failure to enforce
these last named laws are also a.
valuable in the matter of prohi-
bltion, and the duty of every citi-