The Cairo bulletin., 1911-02-21

material welfare, and the Work tha'
has been done has established a rou-
tine easily followed in doing that
which remains to be done.
During few years past there has
been much moral reform agitation in
this city. 1t commenced with the
crusade Of the anti-saloon league for
prohibition under the local option law
This obtained considerable volume
and force and resulted in a. large pc
tition for submitting the question at
an election. The liquor interests
were aroused and effectively comba.
ed the movement They worked upon
public opinion to an extent that re
duced the prohibition vote consider
ably below the number that signed
the cumulative petition, whereas usu
ally in such cases the vote much TX.
ceeds the number of petition signers
But the liquor dealers, in order to
make sure Of carrying the election
resorted to practical politics also
not caring whether 1t was of the leg;
innate sort or that which would be
stamped by sticklers for legitimacy
'off color" Thus the anti-prohibition
vote was swelled to unnecessary pro-
portions, and unwisely so; for it gave
rise to a local ballot reform league,
the success of which precludes the
~ al in
such manner, besides casting a
measure of odium upon the liquor
organization that must be lasting In
character. This was needless and
should not have been incurred, but
will be excused on the score that the
liquor men had everything, their vocl
ton and property, involved in the
contest.
The after effect was to secure a.
most unanimous Endorsement for the
plans OF the ballot reform league.
An election by the people created a
commission which insures hereafter
as nearly as practicable. fair and pure
elections The need of this was ap-
parent before the prohibition cleo
ton, and If the crusade of the anti
saloon league was instrumental in
securing its adoption that organlza
ton can claim credit for a reform ac.
complished, although this fact be
comes apparent only as an after.
thought, not having been contemplat
ed in the plans or work of that
league.
Following came apparently gross
miscarriages Of justice in the courts
nigh and revolving crimes being IN.
punished; then lynchings and at
,empts at lynshing, accused criminals
hanged and lynchers killed or wound
ed. Then those disorders were fol-
lowed by discovery or outrageous
conduct on the part of disorderly and
vile women, in entrapping and de
moralizing young boys, also giving
them horrible diseases. Then was
formed moral purity league which
Is yet actively at work, sometimes
wisely, sometimes apparently misled
by mischief makers or people with a
grudge to satisfy.
There has been an abundance of
cause for reform agitation that has
been paramount in Cairo during the
last few years, casting in the shade
the vast public Improvement work in
progress and that seems likely to de.
'ermine the lines to be crawn In the
coming election. The reform party is
likely to be led by radicals, those
loyal to the Methodist or Presbyter.
ian standard of morals, while the OPP
position may be led by those demand
ing a wide OPEN town. Neither
Of these extremes represent the
views Of the great mass of voters.
One class knows nothing but prohi-
oltion. It would pull up by the roofs
and utterly destroy everything it
deems evil, although proof of the
impracticability of this purpose is
abundant On all sides Those of this
class know nothing of regulation of
universal evils to reduce and hold
hem to the minimum and will listen
TO no such proposition On the other
hand, the wide OPEN fellows want
regulation scarcely more than they
do prohibition.
The man for mayor of Cairo at this
time IS the one who will have the op.
position of both of these extremes
the firm man who will properly gauge
the wants Of the city and enforce the
policy that will accomplish the most
Tor its hest interests at home and 10
improve Its reputation aDroad, fear.
less man who will do all in his power
TO rid the town of criminals and
crime, making this an inhospitabe
abiding place for them, and maintain
law and order in consonance with the
general sentiment of the people. ION.
tremes should be showed to the rear
and q man chosen mayor who IS
much too ocnseryat'te 1r them. The
wide OPEN advocates are prone to
class themselves as conservatives,
whereas they are as eager To rid them