The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1911-01-10

fdence that the question OF whether |
f'near-beer" and similar drinks shall |
continue to be licensed to be sold in |
North Carolina is practically already |
settled in the negative, so far as this
Legislature is concerned.
Social Club Drinks May Be Yoked
With Near-Beer Joints.
Of course there will be champions
of the near-beer manufacturers in the
lobbies and on the floor of both
branches of the General Assembly.
Equally, of course, the political
demagogue will rush in and pretend
to be championing the rights" of the
poor man" and he will essay with
an eye to windward and the personal
question always) to scold the majori-
ty for taking away the poor mans
right 20 guzzle the slops called near
beer, while it is harmless and
(according to his position) does not
contain enough alcohol to intoxicate.
Brit there is another class of men
who are already rolling up their
sleeves to fight an issue that they
are determined to force showdown
willie the sale of nearbeer and other
malt liquors is receiving it's death
blow.
They are men who approve of the
minority dissenting opinions by Chief
Justice Clark and Associate Justice
social club appeal from Mecklenburg
recently, whereby majority of the
Supreme Court placed social clubs of
the Colonial stripe beyond the
reach of the State prohibition law.
The assertion will be accentuated
and emphasized upon the floors of the
Senate Chamber and the Hall of the
| House of Representatives by some of
| the best and strongest men in the
Legislature that when near-beer is
| outlawed from the sales counters in
| North Carolina the handling of Ii
| quors of all kinds (from champagne
| DOWN by she exclusive sets who
form themselves into "clubs" of any
| character and handle whiskey and
beer and champagne between them
| selves and any friends" whom any
1 ,1o1 70 h
club for the purpose-that when
| ''near-bter'' (the so-called drink of the
| favorite drink of the gent with the
| more obese pocket book shall be
made to- walk the same plank and &C
out beyond the pale of legal recogni
| ton firmly and securely yoked to
gether.
Of course the social club member
| will also be represented on the floors
of both houses-and pretty numerous
ly so, it looks just now-and unless
my judgment fails me, there are al
ready gentlemen here of like proclivi
ty who affect the lobby method Of
Influencing legislation.
While all these preparations are de
veloping man unused to methods ol
legislation and ignorant of the "pow
ers" of legislators and others officials
for whom he voted two short months
| To In S1n init fo
building with a great show of indig
nation and suppressed feeling Over
the possibility of some of his
rights" being taken away from him
and demands to know of me if what
he has just heard tell of is so.
"What?" I ask him.
81 want to know" says he, eff it is
possible that this damned Legislature
| is really going to take away from me
| the right of a free born citizen and
| forbid me from ordering drop for
[ my stomack's sake from Richmond
while them fellows at the clubs con
tinue to conduct their cooperative
bar-rooms'?"
And that man, the representative
Of class of as fine fellows as God
ever made, and who is being ruined
body and soul by drink, while into
the. home of his friends and kindred
/ the sweet and lovely face of a devot
ed daughter and the anguished coun.
tenance Of an old lady whose mother
she breathes the atmosphere Of heT
Creator, bathed in tears Of sorrow
and shame-because Of near-beer and