The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-06-26

Side Park that day. There will be
other attractions there that day, but
Governor Taylor will be the at
traction.
PUBLIC MEN AND PUBLIC OFFICES.
During the last several months the
HERALD has had good deal to say
about the character of men the Demo-
Gratis of this county should offer for
office. OF course any character of
man may offer himself, but when it
comes to great political party-a
party purporting to represent the
morals and virtue and intelligence of
community-endorsing him as
their candidate, their nominee, they
should be careful and require that
he measure up at least to the stand
ard of an average representative
man.
The HERALD has written and will
continue to write on this question for
double purpose. First, with the
hope of elevating the standard of
public officials, and thereby improv-
ing public morals. Second, to pre-
serve in tact the Democratic party
in this county. For we say now and
here that unless the moral element
in the party asserts itself; unless
that element, which in fact is in the
majority and has the power, asserts
itself, it will not be many more cleo
tions before the Democratic party in
Maury County goes all to pieces.
The stay at home vote in this
county is large enough already,
and is growing larger with each cleo
ton. Men who believe in good NOR
ais; men who oppose drunkenness;
men who earnestly desire a pure
ballot and the impartial enforce
ment of law, will not stultify them
selves much longer by voting for
political pap suckers and profess
SlOlldl bAiOO
bear the stamp of Democracy or not.
The HERALD hopes that this moral
element, instead of leaving the Dem
ocratic party, will control it. 1t is
theirs; it is the house of their faith
ers and instead of abandoning it to
the filthy orgies of drunken boodlers,
they should drive them out, reno
vate it and bring it back to its pris-
tine purity.
They can do this if they will, and
they should. They should bring out
their candidates for the Legislature
and nominate them. They should
act as we'll as talk. If half of those
who are talking and who really
mean what they say, would go to
work to find available candidates
and induce them to run, the legisla-
tive ticket would be announced and
virtually elected with hardly enough
opposition to make it interesting.
The whiskey men are always in an
insidious way attacking the four
mile law. Instead of curtailing that,
we want men who will enlarge it's
scope.
The Centennial Adventures Will
lobby as never men lobbied before,
to force through the next legisla-
ture bill to appropriate funds to
their little scheme. This county
should send men who will not only
vote against but actively work
against any such measure.
A Constitutional convention and a
Railroad Commission or railroad
legislation of some sort have grown
to be imperative necessities, and we
should send men of intelligence and
integrity, who will properly repre-
sent our people upon these great is
sues.
The people have the matter in their
hands now. When the legislature
convenes, the representatives elect,
whoever they may be, will be bosses
of the situation. Now, before the
nominations are made, is the time
for the people to protect themselves.
With all the sad experiences they
have had, if they wont arouse them
selves, if they will leave the tran
saction of this important business
to the same old gang of boodlers,
whose only platform plank is self
protection, then their future misfor-
tunes are but just punishment for
their sins of omission.