Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1906-05-23
Prohibition.

l
this issue is urged forward by cor
porate interests to detract attention
from their own abuses and threaten
ed domination of the state. This
statement Is made in the face of the
fact that early after my announce
ment for governor my position was
sought publicly to be elected both
upon the question of state prohibition
and upon certain proposed changes
in the local option law. Not desiring
to conceal from the people OF Texas
my honest views upon any question
which might be OF moment to them,
unhesitatingly and explicitly gave to
the public fully my views upon the
question Of prohibiting the liquor
traffic, both in the form of state pro-
hibition and local option. Since that
time 1t has been persistently urged |
in sections Of the state, and among |
people opposed to prohibition in any
form whatever, that am the prohi- |
billion candidate for governor. At
the same time il has been urged upon
thost wha favor state prohibition, as
distinguished from prohibition In tao
form Of local option. that am a dan
gerous candidate to their interest be-
cause prefer and stand for the To-
cal option form of prohibition. This
was carried to such an extent that
certain leaders of the political prohi-
ton party advocated that their party
should go bodily into the Democratic
parry and oppose my nomination for
governor, on account of my adherence
to local option and refusal to espouse
the cause of state prohibition. So
far as my candidacy is concerned,
therefore, 1t must be manifest to
every intelligent man that this ques-
ton is an issue and Its public discus
sion not only appropriate and proper,
but necessary, that the people who
are to make their choice between
candidates shall know their honest
convictions upon the subject | do
rot believe that 1t would be fair to
the people simply to tell them how
voted in the past on this question,
for think that their concern is to
know the present convictions and pur-
poses to the candidates with reference
to the question. How a man voted
on state prohibition in 1887 and how
he has voted upon local option since,
would give very little idea as to the
manner in which he would deal with
the question II he were governor of
Texas. 1t is my purpose that all the
people of the state shall know, as far
as am capable of giving expression
} to my ideas, my position upon the i'm
portant matter OF prohibition of the
liquor traffic in this state. stand
against tile liquor traffic in Texas, and
, favor local option as the form of pro-
| hibition which was devised by the
Democracy of Texas, fixed in the con-
siitutlon Of the state under its aus
! plces made operative by statutes
, enacted from time to time by Demo
J cratic legislatures and approved by
) xDemocratic governors. This system
AZ prohibition has been demonstrated
r "a. be successful in this and other
: SIZES, and whenever the majority of
VI people of a county. or minor sub
Td4 sion, desire prohibition and
adbpt local option. there is no good
: robson why prohibition may not be
/ | effectively maintained. The San An
q tonic Express, a strong and influential
4 organ of the brewery and whisky In
Al. ferests in Texas, in an editorial direct
{ ed personally to me, called for my
D views upon the Willacy bill, accom-
panied by the statement that 1t would
t be urged upon the next legislature
! for passage. In answer to that edi-
: torial inquiry, | stated in effect,
!, through the press of this state and
a here reaffirm the statement. that |
Y was opposed to emasculating the local
& option law by the passage of any such
4 measure as the Willacy bill. and that
/ II we're governor and the legisla-
4 ture should pass such q measure, l
J., would veto It, That 1t Is the purpose
|, of the liquor interests Of this state to
l. urge Legislation on this subject at the
It next legislature friendly to their in
o terest, therefore, necessarily UNI
I, friendly to the interest of effectuai
3 prohibition under the local option
n laws, all who have read the newspa'
a pers and observed the course such In
b terests have and are taking in poll.
9 tics should know. II the local option
people of Texas even dream that the
a liquor interests of this state are con.
n tent to rest quietly under effective
d local option laws, they had better be
l. undeceived. Their organization ex.
II tends to every part Of the state, is
l. drilled to military obedience, and un-
J. stinted means in the way Of money
n Is at its command, and its tremen-
:, dous force and influence will be ex
o erted in this campaign and its thous-
# ands of ballots will be given to a
5 single name for governor. and that
o name Will not be M. M. Brooks. This
y organization, this expenditure of time
It energy and money and manifestation
of profound interest, means that they
have something of grave interest at
stake. Their choice of candidate
e does not and will not rest upon the
c positions taken by such candidate up
e on general questions of public inter
I EST, but upon the single issue of how
! he stands upon the question of the
e prV 9ibition Of the liquor traffic. Their
RI fgH win not be In the open. it will
5 NOT have brass bands and banners
!, for that character of fight would
I arouse the moral. law abiding ele
I. a. emit of nennla to action and It's de: