The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-06-05
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
JUDGE WEBB

JULIE "EoD
There is no iurist in this country of higher in
tegrity than Judge E. Yates Webb, of the United
States district court in North Carolina. he is a
man of great ability and long experience IN public
life. both state and national.
We are sure our readers will be Interested in
what Judge Webb has to say about vital issue
now confronting the people of North Carolina, and
gladly turn over to him the following space:
"It would be better to turn loose a thousand
rattesnakes in North Carolina than TO bring back
the legal sale of liquor.
"a group of millionaircS who see way to es~
cape income taxes have formed an association to
bring back liquor and let the little man pay the
revenue of the government. They are aided by
the manufacturers of beer and whisky. The only
real argument that can possibly be advanced for
the legalized sale of liquor is that of revenue
eff we are willing to sell our souls and our
bodies-and that is what the presence of legahzed
alcohol does-I can tell you way to raise revenue
that beats whisky all hollow.
owe can raise revenue enough with the sale Of
narcotics to pay all our taxes and probably all
our public debt within a short time, but when We
got through we would have community of shad'
ows, ptiful addicts to the drug habit
eff it is question of revenue at any price,
there are plenty of ways to get that revenue. We
can get it by permitting houses Of i'll fame TO
operate in every block. We get it by allow
ing gambling establishments to open up on every
corner.
alcohol is deadly poison. Solomon said. ut
biteth like serpent, and stngeth like adder
Alcohol is crazy 1t doesn't know the difference
hofy u how nd
obeyed the law and it never will. Alcohol is a
natural outlaw and will always be an outlaw Lc-
CALLING the sale of liquor does not stop bootleg
gng 1t did not do it before. 1t does not do it
now in Canada and will not do it in North Caro-
lima if it is brought back again.
"Men and women have been fighting alcohol
through the ages because alcohol is the deadlest
poison known to chemistry. 1t is used to kill the
living and preserve the dead 1t destroys the mind,
body and morals
"The alcohol taken from twenty bottles of beer
if administered to a child or a man not accus-
toned to taking liquor would produce death
"Any beverage containing more than 80 per
cent alcohol violates the law and as long as it is
the law l intend to enforce it.
''WilHam f. Gladstone, the great British states
man, SAID CndI lluuOT HdS Nd"9"" ''''N 'NN
suffering than all the wars and pestiences that
have been visited upon mankind. Abraham Lin
coin said that liquor was not thing to be con-
troIled but that lit was a cancer that should be
eradicated.
"There are those who contend that prohibition
does not prohibit. The law has been on the statute
books only thirteen years. We have had laws
against stealing and fighting and murder for 2,ooo
wears. end the courts are filled with people charged
with larceny, assault and killing.
"Here is what prohibition has done in thirteen
wears. 1t has decreased insanity in this country
sixty-six per cent; it has reduced crime due to
liquor ffty-four per cent; it has reduced the aver
age death rate twenty per cent and drunkenness
has decreased seventy per cent.
"The injury caused by alcohol is not confined
to the person offending. It is visited upon limo
cent women and helpless children.
"There are several classes of people who want
liquor brought back. First there are the con
ffrmed drunkards; they don't count much, because
they won't be here long anyway; they Just want
to be able to get it little easier. Then there is
group who would like to have the company OF
congenial drunkards who would gather in the sa-
looms. There is another group of those who would
like to make money out of handling liquor And
lastly. there is rich class who see in the sale OF
liquor chance to make the poor men pay the
taxes that are now taken from blOated incomes"
kings Mountain Herald.