The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-10-22
Circulation Double That Of Any
Other South Mississippi Paper
THE COCAINE HABIT.

he COCRlN6 FIAplt.
Congressman Collier of the Jackson
district, says he will introduce in the
next Congress bill to regulate or pre-
vent the sale of cocaine. Il have not
framed the measure yet" he says, bur
l am convinced that there is a chan
mel through which the Federal gov
eminent can give assistance in sur
pressing the alarming growth of the
cocaine habit"
1t is easy enough to find the chan
mel. All that needs be done is for
the Federal government to say thou
shalt not" and the cocaine habit
will pass away.
1t is one of the deadliest habits
known to civilization; and of course
congress and all the states ought to
outlaw it. 1t Is outlawed in nearly
all the states; but, as Mr.. Collier says.
1.-THE state laws are not obeyed."
And, when you come to think of 1t,
that is a worse habit" than the CO.
caine habit" Non-enforcement of
the laws of the land will more surely
undermine the fabric of government,
than any one 'habit" the people can
form. Law Enforcement is the key TO
the whole situation. Without Law
Enforcement all the laws that may be
written will not correct the tendency
of humanity to downward and degrad
ing habits.
The Jackson negro, who accidental
ly killed lady on one of the public
streets of Jackson, was wild, having
taken an overdose of cocaine Who
sold him the cocaine? Some white
man. 1t is a ten to one guess that
he bought the drug from over the
counter of a drug store. owned and
presided over by white men. VIII
they be punished? No. And ther,
is where the trouble is
A negro boot-legger is arrested, fin
ed and punished. He originally goi
his whiskey from a white man. Is the
white man punished? No. The negro
sells 1t to a white man; and the white
man knows he is aiding and abettin-
the negro in an unlawful act. Is the
white man punished? No. There's
the trouble.
No use throwing up our hands il
holy horror every time black cocaine
fiend or a crazy drunk negro commits
some brutal outrage so long as white
men help him to his degradation. I'm
til white men are wiling to obey the
law themselves it is hardly fair Il
expect the negroes to do so. Unit
communities make Law Enforcement
their chief concern in electing theil
officers; until officers of the law fine
it as convenient to raid white blind
tigers as black ones; until there is ,
public awakening to the truth. tha
there is no safety or preservation fol
society without fair, honest, impair
thai enforcement of the laws of the
land, there is no reasonable hope fol
better conditions.
When Mr.. Collier introduces his
bill. who will be the directors? The
whiskey lobby. Why? Because they
fear the precedent. If the Federal
government may regulate or control
the sale or use of cocaine. why not
alcohol? The whiskey lobby, the
hired attorneys of the whiskey inter
ests, with old Joe Cannon in the chair
win see the point before the question
Is asked, and they will seek to avoid
IT, 1--WE must kill the Collier cocaine
bilrs they will say Why? because
It will establish precedent that will
undermine our liquor traffic" "How
must we kill it, they will ask each
other. by not letting it come to a
vote" old Joe Cannon will answer,