The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-10-29

At Gholston's hall last Saturday
night, according to announcement,
the candidates of the Reform Party
made addresses, and branded some
of the numerous campaign lies that
are being circulated to the detri-
ment of their cause. Gholston's
ball is an out t-of-the-way place, and
Saturday night is bad time to get
a crowd; but, nevertheless, good
sized audience-numbering more
than hundred-was in attendance.
Mr.. Yoest, aspirant for the may
orality under the "Peepul's" cOlors,
had through Mr.. Figuers not only
being given an opportunity but had
been extended pressing invitation
to be present and defend his side Of
the question; but he refused to toe
the mark. .At
All the Reform candidates. except
Messrs. Cameron, Oakes and Cant,
who were necessarily detained, were
there and made short addresses.
Mr.. Figuers' Speech.
Mr.. H. P. Figuers, nominee for
Mayor, opened the meeting. He
stated that two years before be had
stood in this same hall, as a candi-
date for. Alderman, and, with the
other candidates, opened the Re-
form campaign. Then he could not,
and did not, promise to reduce the
taxes of the city, as the corporation
was burdened with debt, and the
only way he knew how to get rid of
debt was to pay it. But he did
promise that if he and the other can
didates on the Reform ticket were
elected they would give a pure and
clean city government, and put men
in office who would. dare to do their
duty. The election came off, and
the Reform ticket won. Now he
was there to give a report of his
stewardship. They had fulfilled all
their promises to the people; they
had elected police who had raided
the gambling hells and brought the
Sunday tipplers to justice, or drove
them from the town. He was there
to renew his promises and If elected
they would in like manner be full
filed.
Before the Reform Board had
come into power, Columbia had the
reputation of being one of the rot.
tenest towns in the State. Profes.
sional gamblers whose dens were as
we'll known as his office or anybody
else's place of business, paraded the
streets and enticed young boys into
their gambling hells; saloons were
open seven days in week, and law.
lessness abounded everywhere
Men who came here to locate anC
make this their home, saw this baC
state of affairs, and said they coulC
not afford to raise their children
among such surroundings, and wen
elsewhere.
A big kick had been made because
the salary of the City Marshal haC
been raised from $50 to $75 by thi.
board. The first year the "Bi.
Three" were in Power Bob Cues
was given 800 month for his ser
vices as City Marshal; the salary
was afterwards lowered to $50, anC
this Board had merely partly re
stored it. A man who does his duty
in that office earns 81 800 year.
The 10 o'clock law had also caused
much displeasure among the salool
men. This was good law, and h,
had no apology to make for it. HI
tried to make the hour of closing
o'clock instead of ten, but the BoarC
finally compromised on ten.
He then spoke of the Sunday law
He said this law had been standing
for fifteen years, but part Of the tim,
it had not been enforced. When tn,
Reform board was elected the!
simply revived it and put new lif
in it, and the merchants and whis
key men thought they had enacted
new law. This law was not estab
lished by the corporation of Colum
: bia, neither by the State, nor Con
gress. But many, many years ago
in the days of Moses, when CO.
wrote these words on the tablets o
stone-"Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy; six days shalt tho
labor and do all thy work; but th,
seventh is the Sabbath of the Lort
thy Godn-then was the law en-
acted; and when men complain
against this law they complain
against the holy laws of God, ant
not against the Board of Mayor ant
Aldermen, or the State ofTennessee
or Congress.
! This board had not only reduced