The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-07-27
The Four Mile Law.

WHICH 1llbJ III NHSHy he On tue ZOlH. !
inst, Endorsed the platform and can
didatc Of the state credit wing Of the
democratic party, ard as misrepre :
sensations have been published in
partisan papers calculated to mis-
lead the public, it is well to state
tho facts,
Last winter the liquor men of this
state organized themselves into d So
ciety known as the Liquor Dealers
Association of Tennessee" and they
sent forth a circular which has been
printed in nearly all the pape S Of the
state though l think it has not been
published in the Memphis papers. In
that circular thoy say they are banded
together because 1.-THE church and
press are hostile to their interests;
that the pulpit, press and forum are
used against their business, and that
this hostility has caused prohibitory
legislation known as "the four mile
law" Now they are determined to
stop this opposition, and demand that
these obnoxious laws be repealed, and
that the liquor trade be untrammel-
ed as any other legitimate business;
and they go ON to say that they pledge
themselves to use their combined m
ffuence and means to elect only such
men to state offices as are in favor Of
the repeal of all restrictive laws.
This threat to repeal tie laws which
control aud license the sale Of intox-
icuting liquors caused the temperance
societies to call convention to meet
in Nashville on the 2lst Of April last.
!, When that convention m It a commit
tee was appointed to wait on the re-
, publican and democratic conventions
to ask them to insert plank favor
ing the exist ing temperance law Of the
! state.
The republican convention refused,
through their committee on platform,
to do 50.
When the June democratic conven-
ton met the same committee wai,eo
upon the committee Oh platform and
: presented the same claim, which WAS
not only refused them, but they bold
ly bid for the vote Of the liquor inter
ests Of the state by giving them all
they asked for, for there is an adroit
ly worded plank III their platform
that strikes at every temperance law
on our statute books, and is known
all over The state as the '.Whisky
plank" 1t is the latter part of the
fifth section, which reads, "and that
we are opposed TO all unequal taxa
ton upon the mercantile and manu-
featuring interests of the state" This
was so interpreted ny the liquor deal
ers association that they met and for
maIly indorsed platform and candi-
date.
This slyly worded plank removes
from the liquor dealers and saloon
keepers all discriminating laws and
taxes, amt places them ON an equal
footing with honorable and reputable
callmgs and Professions. Now, as Il
Ematter Of fact, this was more distaste
full to the democrats Of the state than
any other feature of the platform, aud
had as much to do with the bolt as
anything else, as the low tax party
Will find to their cost next Novem-
ber-
When the Temperance committee
waited on the state credit party Il ey
met with Il respectful eccption. They
not only we're listened to, but their
cause heartily espoused, for half the
men who cemposed that convention
were God fearing, sober men, and in
preparing their platform they had Il e
courage to recognize The benign in
huence of the four-mile law, ard Piled
god themselves to support it. In Sc
Letting Hon. J. H. Fussell they selec-
ted man who is something more
than the pinus Sunday school ira s
suce1ngIy stated by the Egyptian
Arab Bey (ie) press of the state
for he is one Of The strongest men on
| the stump il he state, as Mr. Bate
viii fud out to his cost before Noven-
| Der.
The issue is clear cut; the people
of Tennessee will decide the following
questions next Nc1ember. Shall the
police and restrictive laws that coz.
troll the sale OF Intoxicating liquors
be stricken from our statute books?
Shall society be protected from the
awful demon OF intelnperance? Or
shall ali restraint be removed, and Il
loose rein lie given to the unbridlcd
passions and avarice Of men who are
engaged la calling that is doing
more to impoverish the state, destroy
the morals OF our youfh, break the
/ peace and parity of hones, destroy
The souls and bodies al n.cn, than ali
other evils conlbinc,l2 This Is the IS
sue before The people Of this state to
day, and 100, 900 voters of T,nHessee
will say, BY their ballots, 10 the h