The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-07-22
i GmperanCG.
AN EARNEST APPEAL IN BEHALF
OF TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION.
To the People OF Humanity and Temper
Rnce Throughout the State.

were UNANIMOUSLY Y passed III favor q
the suppression Of the liquor traffic b,
/ prOhlbitOry laws, or, that impossible
by Local Option laws. Able an,
earnest speeches to that effect wer,
made by representative and leading
gentlemen Of the city, and a society
was formed to canvass the county fol
/ signatures to a memorial to the mex
Legislature praying for the passag ge OF
prohibitory, or, that impossible, Eocal
Option laws, to allow the people tc
decide by vote whether they will have
Intoxicating liquors sold within their
counties, districts and towns. Such
canvass, with most gratifying success,
is nearly completed in this city, and is
being conducted in the county. The
movement is endorsed by every paper
published in the city-the Chronicle,
Tribune, Dispatch, Republican, Hols-
ton Methodist, Baptist Beacon and
Golden Cross. The clergy of Knox
vile are heartily in favor of it. The
people that represent the Christianity,
moral and social welfare, and the
character and leadership of the city are
almost a unit in this matter. They
believe moral suasiOn must be supple
mented and supported by law.
And now to the people of East Ten
nessee and the whole State, We the un-
dersigned, their representative, and in
their behalf, appeal for your co-opera-
ton and endorsement in this move
ment. We can not succeed alone.
We must have your alliance and sup
port. Has not the time come in the
providence of God for some united and
determined action ?
lntemperance costs our State at
least S13, 100000 every year in direct
expenditure, ut least another SI3 ,O0O,-
600 Is consumed in indirect waste and
expenditure, making an aggregate of
at least S26, ,000,0 900 annually lost to
our people. Intemperance produces
two-thirds Of our criminal and paupcr
classes, Il large per ccntagc Of our
vice, ignorance, insanity, and spreads
disease and suffering and woe and gen
eral demOralization everywhere in its
track. Its entire history Is one of
ruin and poverty and crime and sor-
row-brOken hearts, and blighted
homes and hopeless graves. And our
State to-day legalizes a traffic which is
at the bottom Of it ala traffic which
Is diametrically opposed to morality
and religion, and the greatest enemy
on earth to-day Of good. government,
education, public order, peaceful and
happy homes progress and civilization
There is not a principal Of political
economy, nor Il single interest Of
Church or State, of earth or Heaven,
that the liquor traffic is not marshaled
against, as darkness against light. So
unjustiiiable Is the business, and so
destructivly wicked and cruel i'll all its
operations and results that were it not
legalized by the State it would be in
dictable at common law.
We can not exaggerate the evils Of
intemperance and we can not over.
state the moral criminality and mex
cusablencss Of th8 liquor traffic, and
as long as the business is entrenched
in law we are powerless to stop or sup
press 1t. We advocate and employ
suasiOn to the utmost to save the
youth of our State and the drinking
classes, but as long as liquor saloons
are open all about US, what can we
hOpe-what headway can we make?
We therefore appeal TO the people of
the whole State to cooperate with us
in securing the passage by the next
Legislature of prohibition laws, or
that impossible, Of Local Option laws.
AS ministers and churches we appeal
to the christians of the State ,as fathers
and mothers, and children growing up
to be exposed to temptation we appear
to the parents. of the State, and as
friends of humanity, good govern
ment, virtue and the public good, we
appeal to the philanthropist and citi-
Zen-vOters, and the women of the
State, to unite with us in sending
memorial to the coming Legislature so
large, and respectful and commanding
that it shall be needed and its petition
allowed.
Several States of the Union are un-
der Prohibitory laws, and some az New
Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina,
Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas and in
modified form, Wisconsin, Illinois and
others are under Local Option laws.
Great Britain has has passed this last
month (June) through the House of
Commons by majority Of 81 votes, a
Local Option law, for which the peo-
pie have been long struggling, and
shall not we in Tennessee, if will have
similar privilege OF defense and Sc
curity by law Of the State?
We believe the sentiment of East
/ Tennessee and many other sections is
in favor OF such protective Legislation
/ but that sentiment must be organized
united and effectively expressed
/ through public meetings, resolutions
and representations 10 the coming leg
islature.
We therefore earnestly urge and
entreat the formation Of the societies
in the various cities and communitie;
Of the State for purpose Of agitating
/ the matter and canvassing the coun
ties for signers Of men and women and
young people Of suitable age and un
/ dCrstandiHg to Il memorial to he sent
to the Legislature praying for tn,
passage OF prohibi,ory, or that Iuposs'
bic, then local option laws And W,
. earnest urge the people Of the State g
p lis fheir Influence To secure taC
election Of men a- representatives WAl
VIII favor such enaCjmeu.-.
r. our Legislature meets In Decem
her, whatever j. dose ir 1hls direction
musa he undertaken and acconPli,le,