The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1905-11-11
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{ ". c. I. U. COLUMN. }
The w. G. 7. T. will meet at
the Presbyterian church Thursday,
Nov. 10Th, at $50 p. m.
HON. DAVE cuLBERsoN WITH PROHIBITION
Concluded from last week.
g edlted BY MRS. n. A. BENEFlELp. et


HON. DAVE CULBERSoN WITH PROHIBITION, |
Concluded from last week.
Prohibition is simple exercise of
police power. inherent and abiding with
the people. The courts, state and fed
eral, have so declared and abjudicated.
No question arising out of our form of
government has been more definitely
settled and adjvdicated. The question
is mot one of power, but the sole and
only question before the people of Tex
az is: "Are the evils which attend the
manufacture and sale of alcoholic liq-
uors as a beverage 80 hurtful to the
welfare of the public as to authorize the
prohibition of both?"
conclude that persons do, and very
properly, differ as to the extent of the
injury inflicted upon the public by
these injuries, and this, together with
prevalent doubt in the minds of many
that prohibition cannot be enforced,
presents the only debatable ground in
controversy. The assumption that any
principle of democratic faith denies to
majority of the people of state the
right and power of the people to en-
ploy prohibition in the suppression of
an evil, which, in the judgment of such
majority is destructive of the public
welfore, assails the most cherished
principle ofour theory of government.
take great pleasure in making the
statement that the democratic party is
the devoted friend of the people. In
this respect, in deed. it partakes large
ly OF, the personal characteristics of its
founder. Mr.. Jefferson. The party is
thoroughly committed to that system
of laws which secures to the citizen the
largest liberty consistent with the
welfare of the public. 1t regards that
government as a simple repository of
right surrendered by the people upon
trust, and regards that government best
which governs least. Influenced and
inspired by such principles the demo-
cratic party has, from time to time, re-
sisted the abridgement of personal lib
be exercised and enjoyed without in
f1icting such evils upon the public as
endangered good government and the
general welfare Of the people. You have
been pleased to allude to the position
of Mr., Jefferson upon sumptuary legis
lation. His position on that character
of legislation is often used by the ad
vocates Of the liquor traffic against pro
hibition, notwithstanding the fact thai
no law writer Of this day and time
classed prohibition with sumptuary
legislation, in order that the traffic il
liquors, regardless of the public wei
fare, might be shielded from assault by
the opinion of Mr.. Jefferson. 1t may
be tn at had prohibition been submit
ted to the people of Virginia in his day
and time he would have voted agains
it, not upon the grounds, however
that the people did not possess thu
power and the right to protect them
selves from evil destructive of good or
der, bnt rather for the reason that tn,
evils of the traffic had not then assum
ed such magnitude as to seriously en-
danger the welfare of the public. TIL
question before the people of Texas il
wolves existing conditions which ma,
have existed near century ago. TIL
evils of the liquor traffic, in Mr.. Jeffer
sons time, pale into.utter insignifcenc
beside the monumental horrors tina
stalk through the land today, hand il
hand with this traffic. The feeble an
insignificant power for harm exerted b.
the saloon in the earlier days of the re
public has grown to be an overshadoW
ing despotism. 1t assumes to contrC
q the franchise of freemen. ct sets a
g defiance the laws enacted to preserv
% the good order of society. 1t enter tn
J. high and the low places of authority
e and stamps its will over the will of tn
10 people. The wreck of manhood whic
n fill the land; the distress add bankrupt
# cy wrought by it's power; the onorou
burdens of taxation imposed upon hoI
e est industry to defray the expenses {
l. crime. the legitimate offspring of il
l. power, all show how deeply the publ
T. welfare is involved in the evils OF til
IS liquor traffic For one | believe I'll
time has arrived when this despotisl
should be broken and overthrow, an
en- the welfare of the people emancipate
Is from it's thraldom.
IS, Very respectfully,