The farmer and mechanic., 1912-02-27
NORTH CAROLINA
FROM THE OUTSIDE
John G. Wodtey Writes on the
Prohibition Condition in the
State
HIGH TRIBUTES TO THE
CHARACTER OF PEOPLE

Saloon League, and Tells Of the
Efforts Being Made to Rid the
State of its Great Curse.-De-
clares Superintendent Davis "a
Steam Roller for Downright
Work"-The Daily Press Almost
Unanimously for Law Enforce
ment.
Hon. John G. Woolley. Of Chica go
once the ollr.tion candid>tg for
President, now the National Lee
turer Of the Anti-Saloon League Of
America, after a visit to many parts
OF North Carolina, has prepared for
publication in the National organ OF
the mt Saloon League the follow
| ing article which Will be read with
interest, as it gives a view of affairs
in North Carolina as seen from the
outside.
| have just finished line Of in
| teresting meetings in North Carolina
/ Interesting to me, Yet | who, to be
sure shouldn't. am not afraid to say
| that the people too were interested.
| 1ney let me know it in many pleas
ant Southern ways Indeed | think
NY one small note of craftsmanship,
unvarying through quarter Of a
century, that the Christian voter must
make good, was clearly in the Tar
Heel key Of public thinking.
The population is practically pure
Anglo-Saxon, strongly marked with
fthree great virtues, simplicity. piety
and chivalry. They are probably not
actually better citizens than the blend
we have in colder, buster States, but
| naively committed to the fine IDEAS
that are taught in shione
Christian homes and Sunday schools
to which we. who breathe SCOT ant
soap grease in Chicago, hold shyly
if at all.
They are leisurely. attentive to each
other and considerate. They speal
freely Of God, as if they were suls
OF Him and knew Him. They go t
church-their own church-and are
very ready with a reason. SectS ant
parties show a sharp cleavage.
Editors are bold and peppery, pu
the grosser vices of Northern newspa
pers are little in evidence. | mad
twenty-three speeches, covering th'
whole length and breadth Of th'
State and while by no means all tn
, papers agreed to my argument
every one that I saw showed clearl,
t that the reporter understood the Ian
guaCe, in great contrast TO his bretll
5 rem in the North, who almost eel
: tainly miss the meaning of prohiDl
; ton speaker
2 Another very striking thing to m
was the common participation c
prominent officials in our meeting!
> Members of Congress, and of the Stat
! Legislature, as Well as SheriffS, alder
! men and chiefs of police We're con
: spicuously interested and active.
: l find myself writing as Of a forei &
: country, and in fact there was nov
- city about the tour that gave me
I sensation of Scotland or New Zee
: land The oaths, coarse jests and th
monotonous money dialect of smok
ing car companies Of men in II
Northwest, are utterly absent. Cor
versation runs on friends and polite
e and religion in decorous terms | too
r. strongly to North Carolina.
II The Anti-Saloon League stands Vel
-! high Its board comprises men of II
first rank in al professions, and ii
churches line up behind it like a Wa
q The work in North Carolina IS the q
: story Of Il prohibition victory folloWt
hv a too great reliance on mere e.
actment and a long nap Of the fore
of administration. The liquor sell
80 South and North IS a fixed type a
ways q guerilla and traitor to Il
law that opposes him. And while II
good man slept the enemy came al
-, sowed tares.
e Drug stores. clubs. and boot-legge
inaugurattd the usual reign Of la7
lessness. Defeat Of the law by Su
NJ criminals III this State would he rel
o. lively nsisniflcant bat for the c
operation Of the Federal goNernme
with the law breakers. under the inte
state commerce Law, which in gre
I: measure ties the hands of honest
nc fcials This intolerahle insult to t
states Will be wiped out by this 90
re gress, and then the operation Of I
prohihitOry system viii be as mean
perfect, IN North Carolina, as 81
LEGISLATION can be. The State is natl
r: ally law abiding. The courts are ho
re est The constabulary is exceptiona
DO upright.
NV The Anti-SaIoon League is pushi
IL the Lincoln Legion in the Sund
schools, and temperance instruct