The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1940-02-15
Through
Hazel
Eyes

The legislators are expected to acl
on a measure appointing an instruc-
tor in the public schools to teach
the Ill effects of alcohol TO the school
children.
All a child has to do IL come to
town on Saturday to see the i'll
effects Of alcohol on men. We don't
have to teach It to them In the
schools. They see 1t every day W
the week and Sunday, too. In fact,
IL they have the money they can go
and buy 1t most anywhere In the
state for themselves.
State-owned liquor stores would
not sell liquor to minors.
Teaching children about alcohol is
alright for general education. But
1t GEMS to us that 1t is akin to o
preacher preaching about the Ill eff
fects Of whiskey, gambling, etc. to
hts flock on Sunday morning. when
n folks he's preaching about are
at home with a hangover.
III a preacher really wants to do
any good he ought to go and talk
to the persons who are being harm
ID by liquor instead OF speaking to
them from the pulpit, or get someone
that has same influence over them
to do so.
And IL we want our children to
know the Ill effects Of whiskey be-
sides teaching them in the schools
we can take Vt out of their reach by
taking the selling Of It from the boot
ieggers and disreputable ~roadhousss
and putting it under strict govern
ment supervision.
Reports indicate that there may
be $4,000 persons in Mississippi who
do not care enough about the privi-
iege OF voting to have paid two dol
lars by February 1 for same.
Those persons who do not care
enough about good government t.
take the time and trouble to qualify
themselves nave no business voting
anyway. II a man doesn't appreciate
his freedom and rights that much
then we are of the opinion that he
shouldn't have any.
Two dollars is not 100 much for
any citizen 90 contribute to the free
schools of Mississippi.
The House of Representatives has
passed a bill repeating the state priv
ilege license on sales of oleomarg
arine, making 1t possible for state
grocers to handle the product and
provide their customers with a cheap
err substs ute for butter.
incidentally, a good deal of cot.
tonseed oil Is used in manufacturing
oieo.
But dairymen need not be discour-
aged with this legislation. All fam
lies able to buy butter will continue
TO do so and many families will now
be able to spread oleo on the bread
when they have been eating it dry.
Jimmy Arlington. lawyer-mayor-
editor. Of Collins went up to Virginia
recently to address a bankers con
vention. On his return he wrote in
his News-Commercial:
ITO vd,e in Virginia you have to
have paid your poll tax for three
years and 1t is against the law for
a member of the legislature to be
appointed to another public office III
the state. Whiskey is legalized and
In ghe past two years the state has
collected % miIIio, JnlIaru in fayas
from whiskey sales. We were gone
from home six days and didn't see
A drunk until we got off the train
at Hattiesburg."
Many of us have wondered If the
discovery of oil in Mississippi will
possibly have the effect OF reducing
taxes. The Columbus Commercial
Dispa' CHI says the answer is mega
tive. That is, II the experience of
other states can be taken as a cri-
terion.
The State of Oklahoma collects
$35, 900 900 from the oil industry
just about what Mississippi spends
for all purposes.
But the Oklahoma State budget
Ia around 500, o00, Oo0-a state Of
about the same population as Missis-
sippi.
More mean more money
to spend.
INSTEAD of additional revenues
from sources like oil bringing re-
het to taxpayers it only brings more
money for the taxing authorities to
spend.
Mississippi definitely has an oil
field and there is IN insis;ent de-
mand for more State government
spending.
II the oil Industry yields any APP
preciabie amount Of tax revenue,
every cen OF It and more will be
needed to meet the growing and in
creasing demands Of the government.
The taxpayer gets It In the neck as
nHtal