The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-05-03
MUNICIPAL MATTERS.


tomorrow night. They will have
up for consideration again the |
Eight O'Clock law, and the new
depot question.
They will not waste very much |
time considering" the aforesaid
law, we take it. They have already
considered it. With no hesitancy
and with little argument they will
pass the law on its first reading and
let it's enemies do the talking.
There is no reason why they
: should not. The men who passed
this law over the Mayors veto had
already given the question serious
conscientious consideration, and
they are not made of such weak and
himsy stuff as to desert their colors
or change their convictions because
the selfish interests of the whiskey
class threaten and fume and fret.
The advocates of the law are in
stronger position before the law and
the public, than they were before
the injunction proceedings were
had. Ia these proceedings the
Chancellor decided In favor of
the law all the points raised except
one, and decided that wrong. But,
for the sake of argument, accepting
the Chancellor's opinion as the law,
then the error complained of can be
cured by the passage of the law at
three several meetings, which the
Board will now proceed to DO.
The HERALD is not afraid of the
effect the passage of the law will
have upon the next municipal cleo.
ton. We believe 1t will strengthen
the Reform part =, because it will
give them something worth con-
tending for. But il we knew that it
would bring defeat, we would still
favor its passage and strict enforce
ment. For, to nit where we are; to
stop the onward march of temper
ance reform, and content ourselves
with the present deplorable condi-
tion of things, is ridiculous nonsense
The true friends of temperance
have not the least notion of stopping
at a 10 o'clock law; or an O'Clock
law; or even a "sunset to sun-up'
law. These are but stepping stones
to the end in view. Their ultimate
purpose is to drive the saloon out o.
existence. And those who are no
with us are against us, and that il
all there is to it.
This is a moral question. The sec
ond question for the Board to con
slider is business question, and thu
lines are not so clearly drawn. TIL
Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co
will come before the Board with al
amended proposition. 1t may be
good one for the taxpayers of Co
lumbia, or it may be bad one. TIL
chances are it will be bad one
We say that without prejudice, Blu
from the general reputation of th
aforesaid company.
The Board, we hope, will tax
plenty of time to consider. Not onl
time to consider before taking an
official action, but before commit
ting themselves by any individua
expression of opinion.
In discussing this question a goo
many misleading expressions ar
used. The proposed change o
South Main street is poeticall
called an "underpass;" it is nothin
more nor less than tunnel. An
we are told how beautiful tn
private yards Whereabouts will loo
after they are terlaced. But TIL
aforesaid company, mind you, doe
not propose to pay for the terracins
They talk of building new dept
"for Columbia" That is altOgetht
mistake. 1t will be built-if bui
at all-for the occupancy and vi
and business, of the Louisville
Nashville Railroad Co. And, v
submit, should be built and paid 70
by them.
A larger depot than the Compar
now has, is a legal necessity. A
ornamental depot is something to
desired, but an extravaganza I'll
city of Columbia cannot afford.
the Company will build one out
their own plethoric treasury, we
and good; but the tax payers of &
lumbia ought not to pay one doll
towards 1t.
From no point of view is there al
good reason why Columbia tax pa
ers should contribute one fart
ing towards building new passe
ger station for the Louisville
Nashville Railroad Company.
the first place they cannot affo
TO. In the second place It wou
not pay them TO. In third pls
they ought not TO be asked TO. II