The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-03-11
"IF | WERE
AN ALDERMAN. !"
"CaladOny" Tells What She
Would Do.
An Appeal for Right and Morality and
the Continuance of the Ten
O'Clock Law.
'tAll Honor to John Latta! Would That
Columbia Could Boast of More
Such Faithful Officers as
He."

If I aUere an alderman! If
were an Alderman, should, in the
first place, being a candidate for
said office, electioneer. Oh, Yes!
I'd electioneer; and among other
things, l should recall to the minds
of the people what an honest and
upright citizen I'd always striven to
be. I would also impress on their
minds the fact that was an HON
est M a. n, and would hold up for
law and duty so long as breath re-
NAMED, making their interest al
ways my first consideration. Yes,
indeed! I'd certainly spread it on
to the very best of my ability, and
duly impress on their minds that If
elected to this high and honorable
Office I should always be found
honest, faithful and true.
Thus, you see, 1 should not only
look longingly into the promise
land" but eventually enter into all
its joys. Being duly installed and
looked up to as one of the "City
Fathers"-a loving father too-one
who "pitieth his children you know;
and in my pity l should cast my eye
around to find a plague to send up
on them. And knowing a good
thing when | saw it, l would i'm
mediately realize that the 10 O'Clock
law was their best armor, and |
would begin to fight it fiercely, and
with a will. II could not repeal 1t
altogether, / should compromise
with his Satanic Majesty and ex-
tend the time. 1t would be too
good a lawsto stand, being natural
enemy to the poor down trodden
whiskey man; whom / should feel
called upon to release from bondage.
Yes, would do IL too, and place
him on a higher pinnacle, where
he could sway the poor drunken
wretches at his own sweet will.
Oh, yes! being an Alderman |
should feel that every man should
have his liberty. What right has a
corporation to put any obstacle or
restraining power over this mighty
creature? Yes, should ask myself
this question, and should deadeu
my conscience until | should be
able to shout with the loudest Of
them, "giveus our personal liberty"
Man, you know, is lordly Great
ure, and we, the learned ones, with
in the past few weeks have with
grave faces and determined looks
bitterly fought the law that woulC
shield them from their own de-
bauchery. We have also, after due
consideration come to the conclu
sion that after all, such a law is {
most pernicious one to our city, and
especially to the travelling public
and If bad men persist in making
brutes of themselves, why shoulC
we provide penalties that woult
deter them from such debauchery
Besides, such a law does not d.
away with the evil altogether, ant
why should we help to lessen /
when we do so at the expense o
licensed men, who pay their none.
in order that all such men might b
turned over to them to be devoured
Again, ii were an Alderman,
should be a very determined one
and when 1 Set my foot down t
vote for a certain thing, l woul
certainly do it. Nothing should dc
ter me from my purpose. Bein
self-opinionated and egotistical i
: the extreme, i should make it
p0iut never to allow myself to
made to think that 1 could ever b
in the wrong. No, no, I'd hav
1t nothing like that. And even thong
$ some good mother should pleaC
: with tears running down her cheeks
70 that / should not vote to have th
y time extended, her pleadings shoul
n fall on deaf ears and like the ro C
q of-Gibralta I'd stand, even thoug
stood alone; for wouldn'tI I be a
t Alderman? And shouldn't m
o words stand as did the laws of til
l. Medes and Persians?
Yes, Sireel I'd vote for an eXtel
o tion of the 10 O'clock law at eveI
!? meeting, and on the evening whe
the last vote should be cast I'd ca
,r my son to me-that is If God hs
blessed me with a son-and I'd sa
n to that bov-yes, I'd say these vel
:. words-"Son, look upon your fathe
9r he has been a good father to yO
"a and he would not have you go astrf
N for the world bat your father is {
Alderman, and has some very in
portant work to do tonight, and
may be possible, my child, that
casting his vote some mother
son will be eternally lost, wreck,
{, and ruined. The destiny Of sou
e, That is a serious thought my bo
n but trust your father to make tract
o. that he desires you to step in by al
s. by. He will press them hard al
S, firm, so that they can be plain
ry seen, and as the years roll by p
n your little feet one after the other
ne those tracks; father made thel
s. therefore be not afraid, for he wou
of not have you go wrong. Trust 70
Of father my boy"
he Yes, and while Waiting there,
ar paint for that boy q picture. L wOu
he indeed A picture that had its b
I urfnufunr lone rsnnwa 1n-o L,