The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-09-21

has been kept on the statute books ever
since, by the Democratic party of the NState
OF tennessee, and | suppose that | hsk
nothing III saying that there is no party
IN the State of Tennessee that would dare
20 touch any law which has carried itself
50 well IN the course of its operation 20
inc general interests of the citizens OF this
State but in addition to that, that con.
ventIon of non-partisan temperance men
determined also to take active steps for the
purpose of securing, if possible the pass
age OF local option law for Incorporated
towns, and appointed me to wait upon tbis
convention and ask you to incorporate into
your platform promise to give us such
law We do not ask you to make any
announcement in regard to prohibition.
We do not ask you to make any
dehverance even in favor of temperance.
out we do come and ask of YOU as a party
tnat IS always against Capitalization and
IN favor OF local self-government. to piye
Us law IN tennessee that will enable every
community to determine for itself whether
It shall be subject to the continued don;-
nancy OF the saloon or not. (Applause \
IT that is not Democracy. then | don't
Know what Democracy is although | have
read all the authorities from Thomas Ief-
terson John c. Calhoun and Andrew Tack-
son down
NOW, Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen OF
the convention that is all / have 70 cav
hey have appointed a Republican to wait
upon the Republican convention to make
similar request | thank YOU again for
Your attention and having listened to me
50 kindly"
he request was, on motion, referred to
the committee on platform, and while il did
not contain in terms a direct reference to
the sale of liquor, yet the principle of local
self-government on all subjects was dis
tnctly announced
It will be observed that Bishop Hoss did
not az any time advocate compulsory pro-
hipltion plank, but he distinctly recognized
ana stood upon the Democratic principle
q local self-government, as the only sure
ana safe guide for temperance legislation.
0n this doctrine the Democratic party
nov 80 Asfa.nds, aud tt -'zbA&ald .strenpfs III
its position cannot BIZ weakened I'M ill.,.
present attempt Of the Republican party ~
masquerade N the livery Of righteousness. \
10 show further the attitude OF its can
didate Tor Governor and to emphasize the
TACT before the people Of Tennessee thai
the declaration made by the Republican
party IS insincere and unreliable, | now
can your attention to the platform adopted
IN 1894, when Mr.. Evans was its candidate.
ne following facts in regard to that con-
vention appear in the Nashville American
OF tuesday, Aug. 20, 1894, so far as they
relate to the temperance question. The
platform was reported to the convention
by the committee, consisting Of nine men,
bers, and among the declarations was the
following plank on the subject Of temper
ance:
we favor the enactment Of statute
that Will enable municipalities in Tennes-
see, either by petition or vote, to regulate
the sale OF intoxicating liquors, or prevent
the sale OF the same within their corporate
UNITS, and still maintain their corporate
powers"
This, it will be seen, was a distinct rec-
ignition of the principle Of local self-pov-
and if tie Republican convention
1ad adopted this plank it would have put
Itself and candidate on record but IN
stead of adopting it, it was eliminated from
ne platform entirely. The following is
aiken from the Nashville American.
The local option plank brought forth
considerable discussion. Mr.. John Rule
bought the introduction Of the liauor
''ank was mistake, and moved that Il be
truck out. He said that plank involved
ne Republican party with the question Of
ocal option. Tennessee had witnessed !
trugge on prohibition amendment. TAX
ng it. fortunately, out of politics. Let u.s..
e said, not saddle the old skeleton upon
he Republican party in Tennessee /"
Mr.. Rule moved to recommt that sec
ION to the committee on platform Car
led by an overwhelming vote MIR. Rule
1en moved the adoption Of the platform
$ It stood after recommitment Of this sec
on, and the platform was adopted
Mr.. Evans accepted the nomination on
&c platform with this temperance plank
minated, and in no single speech in Ten
essee, so far as | am able to learn did
e raise his voice in favor Of temperance
temperance legislation. When how
yer, ne is again a candidate in 1906. the
epublican party, insincere in its preten-
ons and always subservient after the
emocrats had made a pronouncenent.
hich is wise, progressive and right, has
cleared in favor of arbitrary prohibition
the hope of enlisting the support Of those
HON It expects to deceive
In 1894 Mr.. Evans confined his elo-
fence to the tariff rather than prohibition.
ID was busy denouncing the poll tax law,
c registration law, and urging the plea of
anhood suffrage
Tn t1<1E AZ.