The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-03-14
WITNESSES FOR
DETERIORATION
Good Results Have Fol-
lowed From That Law
PROPERTY HAS INCREASED

PHUpthII mo IUUnlR1[U
The temperance Spirit Grows as Wit
messed in Banquets Without IntOxi-
cants-What the Governor, the At
forncy-General and the Chief JUS
,;ce i'm Official Utterances Have to
say About 1t.
.(Wilson Times.)
Two of the worst tragedies that eVerl
happened in Wilson was the murder
IF Percy Jones and brave Georget
Mumford, one at the hands of al
drunken mob, and the other at the
hands Of a band of desperadoes. There
has been d law against murder longer
than l can remember, yet it does not
prohibit murder or these two men
might be living today. 1 have yet to
hear Of any one wanting the law
against murder repealed because, al
though we AVE a law against it and
the penalty of death, murder is. still
tO1fl11iIleu. MOI Only Have llSS d1tcI
hundreds Of years Of prohibiting muir
der, failed to prevent murder, but they
offer large rewards for the apprehen-
sion of murderers and still criminal
murder.
The prohibition law of North Caro-
lima has been in force for only two
years, yet every time a jug Of whis-
key is shipped here or a blind tiger
discovered, the saloon men throw up
their hands in holy horror and say
the prohibition laws Of North Caro-
lima are being violated, it does not
prohibit; let us do away with it.
There has been q. law against theft
for centuries, yet there were more
convictions for theft at our last term
Of court than for violating the pro-
addition law. Why not repeal the
law against stealing, if it has not stop
ped stealing?
Witness No. /: Hon. w. W. Kitchin,
Governor Of North Carolina, in his
message to the Legislature. says:
%Prohibitlon has now been in force
throughout the state for two years.
This is a short period with which
to measure the effects Of a reform
movement. We have done little more
than planted the seed whose full fruit
age will be gathered by coming gen
erations.% And yet, already the re-
suits fully justify it's adoption. There
has been, it appears from the At
torney-Generals report based upon
superior Court statistics, a marked di-
minution in crime, even in the crime
Of violating the prohibition law. Bust
ness has experienced increased rather
than diminished prosperity. Morality.
industry and frugality have increased
ana politics and government have
been to a great extent relieved Of one
OF their most c~orrupting influences
Witness No. 2: Mr.. T.. w. Beckett
Acknowledgement, in his biennial re
port submitted to the Legislature, says,
"fhe law requires every criminal case
tried Or in any way disposed Of in the
Superior Courts of the State, to bt
reported to this office. The. repor"
for the year ending July /, 1909, show:
a grand total of 12,149 cases; forth
year ending July /, 1910, a grand to
tai of $500 cases. a decrease of 2,644
This must be gratifying to every citi
zen of the State.'
Witness No. 8: Chief Justice Wal
ter Clark, of the State Supreme Court
gives this information: Since the Law
went into effect two years ago, Grim
d pteH reduced 3U per cent; mufdel
IN the first degree has declined 3.
per cent; burglary, 20 per cent
attacks with deadly so PEI
cent larceny, 40 per cent man
slaughter, 50 per cent; murder il
second degree, p per cent; minol
crimes from rs to SIS per cent; an,
d decrease of the violations of the anti
ilquor laws of Is per cent"
Witness No. 4: The State Corpora
hon Commission, which was create
4 State tax commission by the Legis
iature OF 1901. just ten years ago, il
us report for 1901 gives the valuatio
81 all property in the State at $500,
'o9,30O, and in it's report for 1910 70
All property a valuation of s613,OOO,
ooo. tThese ten years have bee