The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-01-13
As to the Whiskey Business.
Aebane Leader.

AeDdne Leader
The whiskey business seems to
have had it's full sway in North Car
olina during the Christmas holidays.
We do not think it would be any ex-
aggeration to say that there was
more whiskey in North Carolina dur
ing the Christmas holidays in the
hands of the consumers than had
ever been In their hands in a like
period before in the States history.
The reports from every shipping
point indicate this to be the case.
Towns in which no whiskey was
sold even in the days of license were
piled with packages OF shipped in,
but they say there was not so much
public drunkenness; but how about
the private kind?
The Winston papers boast the fact
that there was only one arrest for
drunkenness during Christmas, but
they go on to say there was enough
whiskey shipped into the city to
make the entire population drunk,
and it was quite evident that there
was more than one person drunk,
the drunks were pulled off at the pri-
vate residences where the wives and
daughters could get the benefit OF
them. A great quantity of whiskey
was evidently drunk where they
could give the home folks a plenty OF
trouble.
The State has been literally del
uged with whiskey, and of the mean
est and vilest quality Prohibition
does not paohibit, and it is foolish
to close ones eyes to the fact. There
has been more whiskey drunk in
North Carolina during the last 80
days than if every bar room had
been open, running full blast, and
the trouble is, Virginia people are
growing rich through the States
purchases, while North Carolina is
not deriving one penny's tax from
it's sale.
AS an illustration of how the ching
works, we learn that one little town
of 800 population in the Eastern
part of the State sent through the
postofficp $4,000 worth of money
orders for whiskey. A fellow in Snow
Hill. Greene county. ordered two bar
rels of whiskey, just to retail without
license, quite evident; and SO the mat
ter goes while the great mOralists
are closing their eyes to practical
facts, refusing to see the truth.
State wide prohibition is proven
to be farce, and humbug. because
the law is not enforced, nor will be
enforced People are lying, cheating,
and stealing to evade the law. 1t is
disreputable business and thousands
are engaged in it. We do not advO-
cate a repeal of the law, but We do
say that the law should be enforced
or some other law passed that would
modify the temptation to evade, and
violate the prohibition law. The
licensing of beer would, in our opin,
ion, offer a more satisfactory solu-
ton than anything else. 1t is an
utter impossibility to enforce pro.
hibition, (get this in your head
will your and to be fakering with
the question is no credit to sensible
people, because we are getting all the
evils of the whiskey business, and
none of the tax as a revenue. People
do not get drunk on beer, it is not
SO demoralizing, and yet it is a good
stepping stone towards temperance,
and then it could be made to yield a
| good revenue. 1t is a common sense
| solution to the question, and should
find a plenty of advocates. Let each
town or city vote it's privilege for the
sale of beer under the dispensary re-
striction, and you have got the best
possible solution to the questio