The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-11-02
THE ORIGINAL
-FOUR MILE LAW
OPEN LETTER BY HON. T. A..
WRIGHT, WHO DRAFTED THE
TEMPERANCE PLANK IN
THE REPUBLICAN PLAT
FORM.

Tennessee Anti-Saloon Journal.)
Rev. S. w Tidwell,
Editor Anti-Saloon Journal,
Hartman, Tenn.
Dear Sir:-I have your favors of
recent date, asking Tor an expression
of nv views in reference to the ex-
tension of the four mile law, and ex-
messing myself briefly, I will say that
in my judgment we have reached a
noint in Tennessee where we can we'll
afford to extend the provisions of the
four mile law to every part of the
state. am aware that this, in effect,
amounts to prohibition, and while,
ordinarily, | would not advocate pro
hibition in any state as matter of
beginning in its temperance legisla-
ton it is, after all, the ultimate re-
suit sought, and in our case we have
proceeded with it, FIRST applying the
suppression of the saloons to rural
communities, or to all of the state not
included in some municipality; then
TO towns of two thousand population
incorporated after the passage of the
Act of 1899, and then to towns OF five
thousand population Incorporated after
the passage of the Act of 1903. So that
we have builded up sentiment In ia
vor Of the adjustment Of the saloons
in all these dry territories that, in
nv Judgment, is strong enough and
powerful enough that the enforcement
of such provisions in the remaining
cities of the state can and will be
more effectual than would have been
the adoption of the prohibition amend
ment in 1887.
think may say also that we have
progressed in Tennessee to a point
where it is no longer necessary to dis
cuss the desirability of the applica-
ton of the four-mile law to all parts
of the state, and that the only ques-
ton left for debate Is one of expedi-
ency at this time and the mode of
making such extension. A very little
reflection by the sensible men of the
larger municipalities of the state will
convince them that the saloon is not !
matter of benefit, but one of positive |
hndrance to the material develop |
ment of their towns. To those of us
who have tried the experiment of |
abolishing the saloons from towns in |
the state it seems almost foolish to |
have the question asked of us as to |
whether our towns have been bene-
fitted or not, and especially whether !
We have found that we can get along |
without the revenue derived from the !,
saloons | mention these two ques-
tions because they are, perhaps, the
ones most frequently asked by those /
who contemplate getting rid of the
saloons in the cities where they now
exist
1t is manifest, however, that If we
expect the larger municipalities to get
the benefit of the provisions of the
four mile law, we must not pre-
sent to them the Act of 1899 amended
by striking out the word two" and
substituting fifty-one hundred or any
other number. In other words, we
must not present them with the OPP
portunity of getting the benefit of the
four-mile law by any bill providing
that it shall apply to municipalities
hereafter Incorporated. We must not
lose sight of the fact that when we
present bill of this kind all the mu-
inequalities in existence in the state
previous to the amendatory act of
1899 Except the city of Harriman)
may and will continue to have the sa-
looms until thov curropdor thoiP char |