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

he Salu tnat he mad stood In the
hall two years ago and begun his
campaign for Alderman. He was
elected and served, and had re-
ceived not cent for his services,
but on the other hand it had cost
him great deal. He was not al
lowed to sell the corporation a dol
lars worth of anything, and, when
the "nO screen" law and other laws
were made, a number of whiskey men
came to him and told him they would
trade with him no more. He was
willing, however, to make these per-
sonal sacrifices for his city's welfare.
Why were the whiskey men fight
ing this board? Because they had
raised their taxes 500, and by the en-
actment of the 10 o'clock law had re-
duced their revenue great deal.
The "antis" had said in their resolu-
tion at the courthouse meeting that
they were in favor of raising the
wages of the day laborers. This
board had raised their wages already,
in this way; that instead of paying
them in deprecated warrants, they
were paid in cash for VIII at work they
did. The way to save money was to
spend it rightly, and this is the way
this board has saved money.
Mr.. Ritter's Speech.
Mr.. Eugene Ritter, of the First
Ward, came next. He stated that
he was for the Public School system,
good morals, and just and econO-
mical administration of public
affairs. He would serve the people
faithfully if elected.
Mr.. Payne's Speech.
Mr.. S. p. Payne, of the Third
Ward, then spoke. He said that some
days ago an anonymous circular had
been issued, calling all those op-
posed to rings, cliques, sham and
humbuggery" tn meet in the court
house. He didn't know who wrote
the circular, as the writer had for
gotten to sign his name; but, as they
had selected a ticket in opposition
to the Reform ticket, he supposed
he must belong to the "rings and
cliques." He never opposed public
education, but was opposed to hog
law, and was in favor of the poor
man raising all the hogs he wanted
One of the peoples party" had
come to him and asked him to pass
hog law. Cries of "Name him!''
Name him!" were made, and Mr..
Payne said that his name was ID.
Lazarus. The issue in this cam
paign, however, is morals--the main
tenance and enforcement OF the 10
O'Clock and Sunday laws.
Mr.. POwell's Speech.
Mr.. A. H. Powell, of the Fourth
Ward, was then called for. He said
that if he was elected alderman he
would do his best to serve the peo-
Pile. He was for free schools and
the strict observance of the Sabbath
day, and would give whiskey a
black eye every time the opportunity
was afforded him.
Mr.. Smiser's Speech.
Mr.. j. A. Smiser was not billed as
one of the speakers, but being pres
ent and called for, came forward
and made rousing address for re-
form. He said there were various
tales being told against the reformers
to attract the attention OF the voter
from the true issue. One man will
tell about Il bill being carried before
the Legislature, another about some
thing else the reformers did, but the
real issue was morality. Before the
Reform Board was elected, men who
never did a days work in their
lives, strutted about the streets with
their lily-white hands, while tC
everybody except the then police
force, their gambling dens were as
we'll known as any mans business
house and were left quite as undis-
turbed. Where were they DOwf
They had faded away like the mists
of the morning; they had been
driven to other places or made tC
seek other emplOyment-it is to be
hoped-and live better lives. Under
the old administration, while the
police would leave the white gamb-
lers unmOlested, they were industrI-
Gus enough in raiding negro crap
games, and parading twenty OF
thirty negro boys through the
streets, making a big racket and
hullabaloo. What have the police
elected by this board done? Not
only have they raided the little negro
crap-shooters, as is their sworn duty
to do, but they have also arrested
impartially and indiscriminately
white gamblers, and brought them
to justice. His address was pune
tuated with frequent shouts of ap-
plause and "amensn from the col
ored people.
Mr.. Rutledge. secretary of the
campaign committee, then made 8
few remarks and announcements
ana the meeting adjourned.