The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-21
PROHIBITION A SUCCESS

State Superintendent Davis Calls Upon
All Temperance Men TO be VigiIant
to the End That the Law VIII Be
a Blessing in Every Community in
the State.
To the Editor: Please allow me
space III your paper to say q few things
to the subscribers of your paper, who
believe in good government. l want
to speak in regard to the law that pro-
hibits the manufacture and selling OF
intoxicating liquor.
As superintendent Of the North Car
DINA Anti-Saloon League. l have been
from the mountains to the sea several
times this year; indeed since l have
been in this work. I have visited and
spoken in every county in the State,
except six. / am also in constant cor
r~espOndence with our leaders and am
prepared to say our prohibition law is
working nicely: in fact, is a great sue
cess.
Having said this much as regards
the successful working Of the law, let
me give you the other side. There is
no doubt of the fact that in many
communities, the law is greatly vic
lated. and that in some of these com
munitieS the officers do not have the
proper respect for their oath. nor the
citizens appreciate the duties of citi-
zenship. / do not want to necessarily
discourage any in their bright views
of h situation in the State, but still
we can gain nothing by disregarding
or by overlooking the violations Of our
law. The thing to do, is to accept
h conditions and strive to improve
them.
Allow me to quote from letters on
my desk that will verify my position.
I read from a letter, written by a col
lege president: Matters in our town
are such that detection may not be so
easy, since the principal offender is Of
counters; moreover. he is brother-in-
law to our mayor" From d letter,
written by the mayor, August 21st, we
quote: 1T seems hat we have at
least two blind-tigers in our little
town" From a merchant in Eastern
Carolina, letter Of September 9Th:
There is quite a lot of blind-tigering
going or here. Our sheriff and mayor
! a no attention to it. If we get them,
it would be no use to take them be-
fore our mayor, for there is a strong
belief that he is in the business.
Please let me hear from you in regard
to this matter" Letter from post
master and merchant in central North
Cardinal: W. are sadly lacking in
this county, our sheriff being a man
that winks at illicit distilling. and the
magistrates are drinking men; get
drunk A letter from a deputy sheriff
reads: 1T is reported to me that
there is a blockade distillery in opera
ton in this section; now, how do I
proceed in this matter? Please let me
hear from you fully A Southern
Express agent writes: Blind tigers
ara furnishing q md 9rp hpP0njnO more
bold. I deliver from two hundred to
eight ndre pounds Of whiSkey to
men at a time, who are running these
places. and every body knows it. No
attempt has been made, to my knowl-
edge, to stop it. l feel sure that
two miles Of me- A Methodist
preacher from eastern Carolina writes:
I'VE need a detective here. One man
got five barrels of beer this morning."
A well-to-do farmer in the east writes:
two barrels of whiskey came to our
town last week. seven are in the
depot; saw nine drunken men after
five o'clock Monday OF the street; was
away the balance of the day. The
policemen are in full sympathy with
the business. No effort is made by
them OF the mayor to enforce the law.
All the magistrates of the town are
men of strong drink. Now, if you
know of any way this can be checked
will be glad if you could furnish in
formation. I cannot believe that the
Great State of North Carolina will
allow this evil to go un-checked:'
I give these extracts to inform our
people Of our present conditions, and
to shoW them the necessity of work.
All must understand that the law is
destroy one mOonshine still or send
one blind tiger to the roads The