The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-05-30

He sholy am de ablest man
To beat him you'll hab trouble,
Bekaze he's preachin' through the land
Good Jordan good ole Debbil
A Good Law Nevertheless
Joseph NJ. Brown, governor of Geor-
gia, has this to say about prohibitions:
TT is a law that is evaded a good
deal, but it trends in the right direc-
ton. 1t is better enforced in the coun-
try districts than in the city Prohibit
ton reduces the amount Of drunken
ness and fighting and has a tendency
to reduce crime. There is no doubt
that it has made an Improvement in
Georgia in these respects. All men
who are determined to get whiskey
and have the means .can get it. The
negro element, however is not able
to store it up, and hence the law does
lessen the chances of their getting It.
Georgia has been working along this
line for years. Some counties went
dry years ago and since then the
number gradually increased until when
the state wide law came into effect
there were only 20 counties or out
of the 1877 that were still wet The
statewide measure was to an extent
a shock to the large cities and l do
not think that much is gained by
shocks of that kind. 1t is a matter Of
education The law here is not per-
feet. Nobody claims that 1t is perfect,
but I believe that it is a step in the
right direction. To sum up, there has
been a gradual uplift by means Of pro-
hibition. The movement has accom-
plished more good than it has lost
ground the basis of conserving
public morals and protecting the pub
lie peace. One of the effects Of the law
is to keep good negroes good negroes.
The great majority of the negroes are
not naturally bad, and many of them
are only bad when they go to excess In
drinking stuff which makes them
crazy. There is no doubt that prohibi-
ton has benefited the state in what it
has done for the negro alone"
Well, you can't help the negro with
out benefiting the white man. More
than any other cause. 1t has inflamed
| prejudice.
Some Facts Stated
l. 1t has no natural right to exist.
J 1
rights of man is found in the Ten
Commandments. Not a single princi-
pie there discovered allows standing
room for such an institution as the
saloon.
2. 1t has no moral defense. An In
stitution that has no moral function in
a world built and sustained by moral
governor is an outlaw. 1t is an an
archiStic importatiOn
| 3. 1t is not susceptible of reform
You can not reform anything material
whose nature is evil in every element
any more than you. can reform a pois-
onous plant. The last drop is of the
same nature as the whole barrel.
| 4. 1t is inherently lawless. 1t has
ever shown a disposition to be viola
tor, and not a keeper, Of regulating
laws. 1t is branded with an eternal
indelible mark.
Some Bible Principles Applied
i l. Its past record. see Exodus 21:
I2S,29. This OK has been wont to gore
in the past, and must therefore be
stoned.
| 2. Its present work. See Exodus
1926. 1t is a fire that burns in the
blood, fires the worst passions and
lights countless flames of destruction
8. The prosperity built on it is
cursed See Joshua 6:26. 1t has con-
sumed in its prosperity the oldest and
the youngest alike among the sons
of men. Men are more than money
children are more than cash.
4. 1t is an ever-present danger
See Exodus 21:33. 1t is an open pit
for the feet of every human being, {
pit whose owners do not seek to cover
5. People are responsible for crime:
growing out Of condition in their owl
territory. See Exodus p. Men are
partners in crime that grows out o.
conditions they created.
Some Objections Answered
l. Prohibition interferes with per
sonal liberty. One mans liberty end:
right where the other mans right:
begin. a man has the right to use hi:
liberty only far he does not in
fringe the rights or impair the welfare
Of others by such use.
2. Prohibition can not be enforced
That principle carried out would re
Quire the repeal of every criminal Law
on the statute books. The statemen
is no more true of prohibition law
than Of any other law.
3. Prohibition does not prohibi;
Ask the Liquor Associations whethe
the prohibition waves have limite'
their sales or not. They assert tina
the movement threatens their bushes
with destruction.
4. Prohibition will injure business
This is not true. 1t Injuries the liquo
business, but not business in general
Some yerdicts on Drink
In a Judgment of the Supreme Cour
, of the United States: BY the genera
concurrence Of opinion OF every civil
Il liked and Christian community, Their
are few sources of crime and miser
to society equal to the dram-shoI
7 where intoxicating liquors in smal
quantities, to be drunk at the time, ar
sold Unfortunately to all parties ap
plying. The statistics Of every Stat
show a greater amount Of crime an
misery. attributable to the use Of ar
dent spirits obtained at these retat
liquor saloons than to any othe