Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12
NOT A RIOT. OF ENTHUSIASM BUT
A RIGHTEOUS REVOLUTION
By BISHOP WARREN A. GAMBLER.

ness thousands of irresponsible creatures
without capital and without consclunoo.
Back of these inscriptions bar-tenders
the brewers, distillers and rectifiers have
stood concealed and gathered their tolls.
To protect all this network OF iniquit-
Gus interests they have gone into munic-
ipal politics and have fixed things by
controlling members Of city councils, po-
ee-commissioners, turies, sheriffs, police
men, and all other officers of the law up
on whom by any means they could lay
their hands or whom they could touch
with their influence. Men have been put
In city Offices who were of such orR~-
aoter that other interests than the liquor
concerns have been able to use them for
nefarious purposes. The saloon put them
In ONCE exacting nothing from them ex-
cept they should protect II, and leaving
them free to get any other graft which
might come in their way. Hence they
have sold valuable franchises for brioes,
and have done whatsoever else was prof
liable to themselves Witness the revela-
tons made by the prosecutions of the
grafters in St. Louis, San Francisco,
PittsbHrg. and other saloon governed mu-
inequalities. Could other or better results
have been expected from men Of the sor.
which the liquor interest finds # neces-
sary to put into city offices?
ALI these things, and others, have
brought to pass this revolution Ii the
direction OF prohibitions revolution
which is not going to turn back until
the saloon is extinct.
1t is idle for politicians to try to ar
rest It. The people know what they want,
and they are going to have II. They have
made up their minds to put an end to the
saloon in both the rural districts ard the
cities, and all parties may as wen count
that matter settled
II is Of no avail to talk OF ''blue-laws'
and the like. The truth is. there never
were any -blue-laws'' anywhere. A no.
toriOus tory preacher, the Rev. Samuel
A, Peters, who had charge OF the British
churches in Hartford and Hebron, Conn.
and who In the days of the War for In
dependence was compelled to fly to Eng
land, started that myth, and every apes
tie of liberalism who has arisen since to
apologize for immoralities has begun by
screaming about 'blue-laws" When this
mal-odorous Peters returned to England
he published In 1871 what he called his
General History of Connectieut"-a
work born of spite, overflowing with ex-
aggerations and filed with ISLANDERS OF
the people OF Connecticut, who sent him
flying from their midst on account Of his
meanness. Subsequently a small book,
which purported to contain the supposed
''blue-laws," but which was, in fact.
made up of extracts from the book OF
the runaway Peters, was issued. 1t is in
teresting only as a curiosity. containing
as It does scarcely one reliable state
Hient as to the laws of Connecticut or the
statutes of any other American colony.
This is the source from which the phan-
tom of ''blue-laws" is conjured up when
ever great moral issue comes TO the
front in our day. 1t Is very much over
worked ghost, Of which even ignorant
children have no longer any fear. The
witty Sydney Smith said: Il ara not
afraid OF ghosts, for have seen so many
Of them" SO I feel about ''blue-laws.
Our prohibition laws are not blue
laws.p and they only appear 50 to the
color-blind. But whether red. white or
blue. or dyed with all the tints OF the
| rainbow, they have come to stay.
With reference to Georgia, the prohibit
tionists know sthat4 If our present law
were repealed (Which by fits adoption re-
pealed the local option law and ali other
forms OF prohibition in the common
wealth.. we would have wet state
from the mountains to tire sea, The Work
of forty years would be set aside. and
barrooms would be opened in every coun-
ty Of the state. We are not going to sub
init to that If any cities propose 10 defy
this law. IT will be easier to deal with
them when the Legislatures meets than to
throw away all we have done. The mem
bers Of the legislature from other coun-
ties than those in which such cities are
located VIII come to the capitol with
constituencies back OF them who will not
allow lawlessness to dictate terms to the
sovereign state of Georgia.
What is written herein is not printed as
the proclamation OF threat but as reli-
able information TO misguided men who
enormously suppose that the prohibition
movement Is only a passing CONFUSION
Of hysterical REFORM. 'Sires. this f. not
riot, but a revolution" OF this let all
concerned be well assured.