The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-08-24
HON. WIN. J.
WEBSTER
SUGGESTS THE NEEDS OF DE-
MocRACY AND WRITES A
WORD OF WARNING.
We Need Men of Experience and Az
fairs to Serve the People.
To the Columbia Herald:

To the Columbia Herald:
In obedience to your request for an
article on the general good of the Dem.
ocratic party this fall. l write the fol-
lowing.
1t does not matter whether agree
with the Herald, or with anybody as
for that matter, but I will give my
views.
First: The Democratic Party stands
pledged in good faith to temperance
Legislation; that is that the Adams law
shall be extended wherever the people
demand it. That is short but clear
construction of the platform on that
point Understand me, this means
no dodge in the way of generalities
and is intended as clear cut definition
of what 1 understand was meant.
1t means that any town mayor
vote, make it extend to that town,
under act previously passed. This
may seem radical construction to some
people But this I understand to be
the true construction as to the ex-
tension.
Second: But here l fear we may
differ. do not want legislative
ticket elected solely with this end in
view. We want broad minded men of
undoubted integrity and courage
elected to serve the people, not only
with reference to this temperance leg
islation, but every other question that
may come before the legislature.
Third: / call your attention and
that of the public to the fact, greed
and power has greatly extended itself
over the land until the people are now
at last aroused. Not only in this state
but at the various centers, against the
in this line, and their cor
rupt means at the ballot has caused
the revolution in the minds of the
people against them. This is healthy
action but do not want, even as
against them, any radical action. They
are public servants and should be so
but properly controlled.
The corporations are headed by the
ablest set of men In the land. They
employ, at large salaries and fees, the
ablest attorneys in the land; so the
people are fighting in some measure
an unequal fight against them.
The interests of the people should
be guarded by able, broad minded and
men, and. of course, Dem
ocrats, as there are none other that
know of in the South.
So you see, Mr. Editor, it will not
10 to dwarf the considerations in the
next legislature to the simple question
Of temperance.
Third: I call your attention to the
fact that only at a recent date the
great dragon, the L. & N. r. r. Co..
and the middle dragon, the Cumber.
and Telephone Company, and the lit
lie dragon, the fertilizer trust, were
n the same camp with what was
Known as the whiskey trust. But they
'ound this against their interests be-
cause of the popularity of temperance
among the people, so they have
,rawled out of this camp and crawled
nto the camp with the temperance
people. They have no politics, and it
las been said that the corporation is
without soul.
So you see we have other things to
ook after in addition to the temper.
ance question.
The temperance people had better
beware of the coil of the serpent, for
t may in the end create revulsion OF
feeling the other way.
1t will be better to go along in
broad minded way, taking care OF all
he interests of the people, temper
ance among the other things that need
looking after.
Fourth / do not charge that the
have been corrupted df
-ectly by money. I know nothing up.
On which such a charge could be
based. do not charge that the
courts have been corrupted by money.
Far be it from me to make such
charge. Having worshipped at the
shrine Of law for thirty seven years,
It would be sad day that made such
/ charge. 1 have always understood
hat the courts were the great bull
wark Of American liberties and stood
guard over the Constitution and the
rights of the people.
The trouble is that these great cor
porations are represented by very as
tute lawyers. They win avoid any
conflict with any great lawyer and set
lie that case, until they get in contact
with some lawyer unable to properly
represent the opposite side and thea