The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-17

Gals who are vigorous in behalf OF
law enforcement, and must bring indi-
vidual and organized pressure to bear
upon officials who deal lightly with
the oaths they have taken.
1t was not to have been expected
that perfect machinery for the en-
7orcement of our prohibition laws
would be Immediately d~eveloped; it
vas not to be expected that the enc
mics of prohibition ouId Immediately
acknowledge the hopelessness of their
cause and cease attacking the aw. The
fact that North Carolina is largely ru-
raj. and that the rural sections have
been dry for years, and that our cities
are not only composed largely of ma
tive-born, law-loving North Carolina
people, but had also adopted local pro-
hibitfon laws in nearly every case
these things have made the enforce
ment of prohibition in North Carolina
much easier than in some other States.
We should not be true to our trust.
however, if we did not swarm our peo-
ple-the churches, the advocates OF
temperance, and good citizens of all
classes who recognize the Importance
of law enforcement-of the necessity
for caution in dealing with the near
beer sellers. If license is to be grant
ed at all, there should be most care
full scrutiny Of applicants, and most
careful inquiry into their conduct. 1t
should be remembered that the board
of aid rmen in granting such licenses
are not proceeding as a court and
should consider the general reputa-
ton Of every applicant regardless Of
whether legal proof that he has Vlo-
lated the law is in evidence or not, and
grant license only to men of absolute
ly good character, renewing license
only to such as have not only escaped
conviction. but who are above suspi-
cion in the general opinion of the
public. That the men who formerly
sold liquor and who were moving
heaven and earth to defeat prohibition
only twelve months ago, are not tO~be
profoundly interested in seeing that
the prohibition law is now enforced
and made popular is a truism so plain
as to require no elaboration whatever.
The old miracle of Romulus and Re-
mus sucked by the wolf would have
to be repeated in ord er to bring about
a favorable outcome of sue a propO-
sition. No express statute is needed,
but considerations of public policy
should prevent n city from
exposing an eX-saloon keeper to the
temptations which a near-beer shop
provides for him to fall into-and GER
tainly consideration for the supreme
law of the State and the expressed will
of the people should prevent our trust
ing our prohibition law to such peo-
pie for s~afe-keeping.
No license to sell near-beer should
be granted to any man unless he has
recomm endatiOns as to his character
from the best citizens Of the town,
and after thirty days public notice.;
certainly no license should ever be
granted to ANY man who has govern
ment license to sell intOXicants; license
to sell near-beer should especially pro-
vide that no ~intoxicants should be
drunk upon the premises, and any
conviction for selling anV iOtOYic2nf
or allowing any intoxicant to be drunk
upon the premises should work i'm
mediate forfeiture of %license; and
once a month (WithOut notice and not
at stated i~ntervals) inspection Of stock
should be made by city officials.
We make these recommendations
simply for such cities as are willing to
permit near-beer establishments. The
experience of other States indicate
that it is desperately difficult to con-
troll it, and if the Whiskey element
thinks to use the near-beer proposition
as a cover for fragrant violation of our
general prohibition law, our people
will be left but one course-that of
prohibiting near-beer establishments
entirely.
We again warn our people to be on
their guard INCREASINGLY during the
next eighteen months. If this is done
we shall clinch the prohibition law
beyond all future questioning in this
State, developing the machinery and
the public sentiment which will keep
it forever intact. Old officers in the
counties and cities should hold their
organization intact, and every man
who voted in the campaign a year
ago should count himself as not pa
rolled until the last active opposition
to the State law subsidies.
BY order Of the executive commit
tee Of the North Carolina A~nti-Saloon
League, in session in Raleigh, August
18th, 1909.
CLARENCE T.. POE.
Chairman.