The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-09-07


a brief and imperfect review of Mr..
Hughes speech.
He said that the issue now present
cd as to whether or not the people
OF Maury County would longer endure
the evils of the liquor traflc, was not
one which We could escape, but was
an issue forced upon us by way Of pre-
vious demands upon the Legislature
of the State, and our insistance that all
the people Of Maury County wanted
was an opportunity to express their
sovereign will upon the proposition;
that by the action of both political par
ties in their recent conventions the
beneficial effects of the Adams Law
had been recognized, and the perma-
nency of those statutes already enacted
had been guaranteed, and each of the
parties had declared in favor of an ex-
tension Of this legislation to every
community in the State where the peo-
pie of that community expressed a
desire for such legislation. That it
was therefore with the people of
Maury County to make good now their
previous assertions in regard to this
matter, and to move forward to the
accomplishment of this purpose, or to
abandon the issue and confess that
the sentiment of our people was OPP
posed to such temperance legislation.
He said that the result of this action
of the two political parties would
have the effect of Withdrawing the at
tention of the public from the coun-
ties in which such laws had been en-
acted, and centering it upon the elev-
en- counties in the State in which the
liquor traffic was under license. And
that on account of the previous agita-
tion of this question in this county the
attention of the whole State was d.
rected to Maury County to ascertain
what action would be taken in this
county, and that in view Of this fact
that we need not delude ourselves
with the hope that the victory, If one
at ALL would be a bloodless one; it
would require the sacrifice of time,
and patience, and thought in order to
achieve triumph at the polls in the
November election. That the Anti
Saloon League had but one purpose in
view and that was the purpose of Sc
curing the abolition Of the saloon in
Maury County. 1t had no candidates,
but simply demanded that the men Sc
lected to represent Maury County in
the next Legislature should be men
whose characters and previous life,
and whose former actions in public
matters would stand as a guarantee of
their faithfulness to the principles
which we advocated.
Mr.. Hughes then reviewed the re-
lation of the saloon to the law making
and the law enforcing powers Of the
He said that the right
to dispense intoxicants to the people
at large had always been regard
ed as one which required espec-
ial oversight and regulation by the
That from all time in all
governments the right and the duty
of government to control and to regu-
late such business had been acknowl-
edged and acted upon. That among
the very first statutes placed upon the
Statute Books in Tennessee were those
this traffic. That the Stat
tute to prohibit the sale of whisky on
the Sabbath was not enacted for the
purpose of keeping that day holy, nor
with view of determining what man
should drink or eat; that it was not
legislation. 1t was found
BY experience that men let loose
rom their labors on this day would
gather around these places for the
sale of Whistles, drink to excess, re-
;ulting in turbulence and violence and
distraction to the whole neighborhood;
renee the law was passed for the pres
,rvation of peace and good order and
o prevent the commission of other
,rimes.
The law prohibiting the sale of
whisky to minors and persons Of IN
ound mind was not sumptuary leg
station, but it was legislation intend
ID to protect the weak, who by rea-
on either of their infirmity of mind or
heir youthfulness could not resist the
lluring temptations Of the saloon and
trong drink. The same principle
which makes a Government educate
Is young, influenced the Legislature
n protecting them from, the disastrous
fleets of the habit SO fatal to life and
haracter as is the drink habit.
1t was found from experience that
he saloon is hot bed in which the
amber is reared and nurtured, and
A. oh