The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-10-22
TIE ISSUE.

In the interest of good government
we desire TO call the attention OF the
public to the fact that the so-called
Peoples Party is nothing more nor
less than the old whisky party
which having become ashamed of
its name, or afraid of its record, is
now posing under more euphoni-
Gus nom de plume.
Does any thinking man doubt this?
If so, let him investigate the facts
which called into being this strange
hybrid, born amidst the wild huzzas
of breaths reaking with the fumes of
liquor.
Who called for this meeting) of
citizens who saw proper to call
themselves "The Peoples Party?"
Was it the quiet, orde: loving, God
fearing people of the town, or rather
was it those who love the midnight
revelry of the saloon aud gambling
hell?
Some one, we know not whom,
issued circular calling for this
meeting; and somebody made the
arrangements necessary for its con-
summation.
AnlOnkoN AlOEO ilO oNNNndCA NiIC
meeting and who took part in its
actions, there were some who are
good citizens, in the main, and who
honestly desire good government;
but who were the leading spirits in
its deliberations, and what one class
of our citizens were represented in
full therein? Let's see. First, there
was a certain distillery agent and
wholesale dealer in liquors, who at
one time posed as an exponent Of
} Reform, who took leading part in
!. this Peoples Party meeting. There
was also another who by that craft
has had his living, though now old
and somewhat retired from the ac-
tive service, but whose heart yet
signs for the unrestrained license Of
the liquor traffic as his fathers of old
= sighed for the flesh pots of Egypt.
| There was the old man from the
/ north corner, who is counted a
the mighty. There was the tall
young willow from the south side,
who has been before the City Court
for violations of the law against sell
ing liquor on Sunday, and also his
handsome, good natured and lOqua-
r clous brother, There was the thrifty
dealer who runs the three story
= building IN the corner, where liquors
. in abundance are served on the low
er floor, and something more sub
stantial on the second, while beo
rooms welcome weary travellers on
the third. There were representa-
F.. tives from the saloons on the west
e side and also from the east side,
! while Garden street also furnished
' its representatives. From every
side and every corner they, with
their followers came, and with an
enthusiasm born of good or bad
spirits they wildly cheered every
b. thrust at the Reform Party.
d 1t was said by the gentleman who
t posed as its leader and who received
4 its endorsement for Mayor, that il
o was not IA cut and dried affair
+ We know not whether this be true
. 1t certainly was not dry. This crowd
rarely ever is. But from bis further
statements it did appear strange
to say the least of it, that before
!, these words had gotten cold this
t same gentleman proceeded to take
>. from his pocket a list nf names who
had consented to run, when 10 lik
j Ben Adams name, his lead all the
rest.
With whom, had these gentlemen
: consented to run? Who made the
e agreement with them2 Who so.
= licited them and to whom did they
{ give their consent? Furnish the
: names of those who were present
! when the gentlemen consented
. The public would like to know
Why was there such unanimity in
: the action of this meeting, and how
d was it that no other names were pre-
t sented, save only those who had
!, consented to run" Who obtained
= their consent, and who induced 9TH
t ers, 'tor the sake of harmony" not
, to run?
Is it not an open and potent fact
to everybody that the saloon men
are constantly holding conferences
. and discussing this matter, and that
they are all, without exception,
;. against the Reform Board? Why
5 need they band themselves together?
Are their interests at stake?
Now we maintain that it was the
whiskey party who dominated and
controlled that meeting and named
e that ticket, although they parade it
5 before the public as 1.-The Peoples"
. ticket. And we maintain further.
that the whole fight organized
against the present Board, is not
against the men who are the repre-
l sentatives o: the Reform movement,
but fight against the movement
l itself. 1t is an effort to get rid of
= the 10 o'clock law and the Sunday
law, and to restore again that in
competent and inefficient city gov
, eminent which will allow gambling
rooms to run in every corner of the
square, if needs be, while the police
quietly close one eye as they pass
e for fear of seeing something.
Who has ever seen this town so
quiet and orderly as it is at present,
aud especially at night? Who has
, ever known less whiskey sold on
Sunday in Columbia, than is now,
and why are these things true? 1t
is because the men who have con-
troll of the city government are God
: fearing, order loving citizens, who
4 are determined to maintain the law /;
I and because the police and city
: officials are determined to execute
the laws made by these same men.
And this is the reason why every
saloon man In town feels q personal