The gold leaf., 1910-03-03
THE GOLD LEAF.
THURSDAY, MARCH >, 1910.
For Local Option.
CONTINUED from first page }


nrinciDle of Democracy is local SELF
Government. The prohibitionis is
claim that we should let the matter
alone and let the law stand as 1T is.
Let us have peace is the cry. ] say
that if / was right in my views in
1908 | am right today and we will
not have peace as long as it is detrl-
mental to morals.
Mr.. Self then read extracts from
the Democratic State platform OF
1904 and 1906, in which the state
ments are made that the State is or
was ENJOYING prosperity under the
Democratic rule and policies and that
the people were satisfied with the
Temperance laws as laid down by the
Watts and Ward liquor laws and that
the State was bounding forward Ill
prosperity. "In the face OF that
statement" said the speaker, they
have turned around and changed the
law and thrust upon US the present
conditions after saying iii the plat
form, we congratulate the people
upon the success Of temperance under
the Watts and Ward laws Our pro-
hibition friends tell us that the plat
form was not right, that these laws
we're not the best solution OF the
liquor problem. They repudiated
these laws after making the state
ment that the people were satisfied
with them.
NATTER NOT CLOSED.
'In the platform of 1908 not a
word is said of the success of prohi
bitiOn. In the Democratic handbook
of 100 pages one entire page is de-
voted to the good work of prOhibi
tion. They intimate that any man
who dOvOcates q movement OF this
kind is doing so far political reasons
and is a traitor to his party. Pat
rick Henry talked little once and
there were those then that cried
treason The ones that cried are
forgotten, and the man that talked
is immortal. The $4,000 men in
North Carolina that voted against
this prohibition movement in 1908
will not down; they are not the kind
that will squelch. They say that
the matter is closed. | say that it is
opened wider now that it has ever
been before.
"Numbers of men voted for the
measure in 1908 without knowing
what was in the bill and without
really caring what was in it. | talk
ed with q minister a short time alter
the election who stated that he was
sorry that | had seen fit to take the
stand took in the matter, | asked
lr oil
were embodied in the bill. He stated
that he did not. asked if he had
ever read the bill He scratched his
head and replied that he did not
really believe he did. That man was
as much embarrassed as the mayor
Of Raleigh would be if unaccOmpanied
by his chaperone he should meet
The Girl From Rector's. "
PEOPLE WINK AT LAW.
The speaker compared the people
of North Carolina to a jury. He sta
ted that they were called upon to per-
form the same duty as q Jury. He
stated if Il Jury in a case between two
citizens were to be visited during
their deliberations by a committee of
women who wept and implored
decision favorable to one side,
should render a verdict in favor of
such person that the verdict would
be set aside no sooner than the
Judge could be informed of such ac-
tiOn.
ut was the same principle" the
speaker declared" that governed the
verdict of the people in regard to the
prohibition verdict in the State cleo
ton. 1t was not an untrammelled
verdict, it was kind Ofrevival spirit
that swept over the State-the kind
OF spirit that must inevitably react
1t was never necessary to organize
law and order leagues to see that
laws were enfOrced-that people be-
have-but this is law that people
wink at and what kind of people are
the ones that wink at it? They are
the kind of people that would not
tolerate the violation of any one
law"
Towards the end of his speech, Mr..
Self was interrupted by Mr. 7. Z.
Hicks, q Henderson attorney, with
the statement that the Judge was ap-
preaching and that the meeting would
have to come to q close. 81 want to
ask one question, Mr. Self" said Mr..
Hicks, "do you want open saloons?"
OPEN SALOONS PREFERABLE.
Il don't really comprehend the
question" said Mr.. Self. 81 am only
advocating local option
"Do you want the open saloon?"
insisted Mr.. Hicks.
81 would thousand times rather
have the open saloon,' replied Mr..
Self, "than your so-called legalized
medical depository
The rejOinder elected an uproar OF
applause from the audience that last
ed several minutes and told the SEN
timent stronger than words of the
crowd present.
So am msOrry you didn't speak SOON
er, said Mr.. Self. Il would be pleas
ed to divide time with you on this
question"
The meeting adjourned at 2:45. 1t
is stated on the streets here that an
other meeting will be held some time
in May when a local option league
will he organized and committee of
three men from each township in the
county will be appointed and an or
gained campaign waged. Those in
favor Of the movement state that no
man shall 60 to the Legislaturefrom
Vance county who will not first
pledge himself to do all in his power
to expunge from the statutes thepro-
hibition law as it now stands.
WILLIAM LYON.