The gold leaf., 1910-03-10
Some Press Opinions

T1ave the Law Given r air
Test by Long Trial Before
Condemning and Underta-
king to Repeal it.
The Wilmington Star of Feb. 9th,
says:
Yesterday marked the opening of
the local option" campaign in
Vance county Mt Henderson,, where
Hon. w A. Self, of Catawba, started
the ball in motion. Mr. Self is n
Democrat in good standing, and
there will be none TO say that he is
not well within his rights in agita-
ting within the party for change OF
legislation which the party enacted
after referendum to the people. At
the same time we think him in this
| instance neither politically wise nor
economically sound. No one knows
better than he that he is ut this
time making a hopeless fight. Pro-
hibition has been enacted. 1t will
remain in effect until the mass of the
people have given it a thorough
trial and for themselves arrived at
the conclusion that they have made
a mistake. Even from the point
of view of the local Optionist, n
conflict at this time can have no
effect except to solidify and make
more determined the undoubted pro-
hibitiOn sentiment.
We speak, however, from the other
view point, that of political peace.
We have no fears that the Democracy
will not hold it's own, notwithstand-
ing that the Republican party will
doubtless seek to pander to anti
prohibition sentiment. To precipitate
a fight over liquor in the primaries
and elections can only mean to helI
the Republicans to the extent of the
bitterness so created. 1t can only
mean, on the other hand, to add q
demoralizing feature TO poltica
questions, to create unrest, and di
vert the minds of the people from
the trend of industry and progress
More liquor agitation can at this
time mean nothing except q sorry
diversion, the more hurtfui since it is
| eHuiFelN HOpeieSS vi result.
The announcement of the Hen der
son meeting seems representative
I e il announced that those behint
the movement are mot soaks, sots
nor drunkards, but sober, conserva
tive, thoughtful men, who are al
much opposed to intemperance a.
the most ultra prohibitionists." L
is hard to see the significance Of thii
statement. SOaks, sots and drunk
ards are too busy soaking and drink
ing to formulate campaign of thii
character. They do not have tC
look to local option for an oppor
tunity to maintain ''sosh." Ii the
movers are sober, temperate, anC
thoughtful, as is probably the case
why can they not see that they are
not following the course of such quail
ties when they seek to reopen ques
ton that calls for anything but
sObriety from either side? So emf
nent a prohibitionist as Archibald
Johnson some time ago made the
statement that some of the most in,
temperate men in the State are 'orig
inal prohibitionists." He was right
and brave at the same time. Yet not.
withstanding the presence OF a kind
of drunkard in their ranks, the Anti
Saloon League adopted the TEN.
perate course, when it declared foI
no more agitation, but for leay.
ing the law as it stands Ought not
the men who favor local option to
be at least as temperate in the face
OF the fact of law but indifferently
enforced rs are the prOhibitionists!
Here is 'peace movement" which
ought to be widely joined.
The Charlotte News says:
The News for one regrets very deep,
ly that in certain quarters there IL
an effort being made To revive the
liquor controversy. aud have the
present law repealed.
The prohibition law was ratified
by over 10000 majority, and it if
the wish Of the sovereign people Oi
the State. In our opinion it would
be manifestIy unfair to start an agi-
tatiOn for the repeal OF the law until
it has been given Il thorough test
Recently at Henderson, Mr. Self, q
well known attorney Of Hickory, de
Iivered an address in which he ad.
vocated local option, and favored
the repeal of the existing statute. II
memory fails US not Mr. Self, in the
struggle prior to passage Of the pres
ent law, fought prohibition Of any
description.
Mr.. Self dwell upon the theme ot
Democracy and urged local option as
the only true Democratic solution.
The News yields TO none in the
ardor Of its belief in Democratic
principles.
And when IA majority Of 10000 oil
its fellow citizens ordered and decreed
that North Carolina should here
after be dry State in our opinion
no true believer in popular rule
should gainsay the verdict.
! For the private views OF Mr.. Sell
or any Others on this point We have
/ the greatest respect.
Under the prohibition law North
( Carolina is fiourishing as never be-
/ fore In some sections the new Law is
being enforced more strenuously
than in others In all, however, de-
spite numerous violations, il IS our
conviction that the general situa-
ton is greatly improved.
The question has been settled and
has been settled by an overwhelming
majority of voters. To Us it seems
the only fair and JUST thing to do is
to give the law a fair CHARGE, for it is
a law passed by sovereign people.
The Winston Sentinel says:
Agitation of the whiskey question
| lust at this time will do no good