The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1904-01-14
Communicated

The article in the Stalfby "YeTitas'
has excited from those who read it
many funny remarks. There is ne de-
sire on the part of the reading public,
we should say, to know the name of
the writer, as it is very evident that
the writer belongs to very peculiar
class Of people,
From reading the article one would
decide that the writer had a twofold
purpose in writing the said article,
One purpose, no doubt, was to inform
the public just how awful board
OF mayor and alderman we have, aud
just how awful a thing that board has
done. The board, we would take it,
considered that the article did the
members of the board n good service
in that it acquainted the public with
what the board had donoin the matter
1t does not appear that the board did
such an awfully wrong something. In
fact, to all except the class of people to
which "Veritas" belongs, it seemed |
that the board did exactly what it |
ought to have done. The board didre- !
quest, by resolution, the city attorney
to order the recorder to dismiss the
warrants against Phillips ~ Walters,
Phillips & Walters did test The law and
that is all they did. They are not ma
licious criminals. There can be no
doubt that Mr.. Walters has as many
friends in the town of johnson City as
does "Yeritas" At any rate his con-
duct in testing the law and abiding by
its terms after twas decided good and
valid has been commendable. Mr..
Walters is not shipping whiskoy into
our towns for our minor children to
drink and to become drunkards on; but
he is ON his farm molesting none.
Neither of tkese men are trying to
evade the law. They tested the law
r as they had a right to do. | presume
. there is not sensible, unpreJudiced
man in the town who is not glad that
they did test the law Then if they
did do something and we are glad they
did it why should we want to collect
+ from them fine Of $500?
!. The second purpose was undoubted
ly to help the temperance cause? Ii
this we must say that "Veritas" signal
u ly failed. What in that article is there
l. to help the temperance cause? Doe
"Veritas" desire to open up a discus
sion of the temperance cause through
the public columns? If he should G,
10 into public discussion he certainl,
20 would change his argument. We in
fer that "Veritas" is one of those VIII
were so afraid that they would b
ID counted on the whiskoy side, in th
of "viva voce" election knowing the con
lie fidence the people had in their hon
is esty and morality rushed to have thei
n. name one of the first recorded agains
saloons. Yes, some would endoayor t
o. deceive the public and have the publ
j., believe they are mighty good" by re
VI cording their name first.
Do you notice he says we need tbs
$500 to help pay our taxes. "Veritas
he said when he was advocating the "yiy
:. voce" election that we do not want IL
saloon men to help pay our taxes; thu
we did not need their taxes; that "
OF could we'll do without the $4,000
To- taxes. But now he says $500 woul
" be help to the poor tax payers
!. Johnson City who are sorely presse
~ for taxes"
OF "Veritas" wanted them fined 81,
he for each ofense. The honorable sta
90 court fined them $40 for each olfeus
q, The ordinance provided that they wi
. committed violation should be fine
- $40 to 800. The wide scope Of fro
ET $40 to 800 is given in order that Il
ext court may take into consideration Il
aggrayation of the od'ense. "Veritai
does not know for court to show
is prejudice and predetermino q case b
NV fore the trial of the accused wou
cause the suit to fail Yet he would
40 that.
- Some people act as though they b
ian lieyed the Only sin was the saloo
M They lose sight of the fact that it
rec wrong to defraud their fellow me
. :, that it is wrong to gossip; that it
wicked and sinful TO deprive them
"'' their just dues and that it is coward
me and mean to try to crush men W
the have their honest views and would da
bv to express them.
" 1t looks to DO very poor judgme
for one claiming TO be great support
0n- of the temperance cause and write ar
the cles, every word of which tends to e.
ion bitter the opposite side the more
AN. Some one else asks the editor of t
:. Staff to give some information, a
- the writer is honest and religio
ac' enough to admit that he is a wood
lie, headed numbskull. One could right
ur- have inferred that it seems so, anywa