The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1908-10-29
WILL BE DONE
BY DEMOCRATS.
EDITOR c. 7. CRAWFORD,
In Lawrence Democrat, Says Why
Pfohibitionists Should Vote the
Foil Democratic Ticket.

l have asked myself that question.
Let me give you the answer that has
come to me. In the first place, as a
prohibitionist, | want, by my vote, to
help and not hinder the complete and
final abolition of all saloons in Tennes-
see. How can do this ? The answer
comes at once from both democrat and
republican: ''The best and only way in
this government by parties is to bend
my energies and efforts to control for
prohibition that party which can and
will enact my desire into law" What
party can enact prohibition into law, if
it wants to? The democratic party.
That is beyond question. Even if the
republicans were to elect the governor,
with the legislature overwhelmingly
democratic, there is no chance for the
republican party to enact or cause to
be enacted any sort of legislation what
ever. 1t is therefore clear that / can
not help prohibition legislation by
casting my vote for Tillman, even if
the republican party could be depended
upon to try to carry out its platform
promise of this issue. But they can't
be depended upon. They have taken
every side of this question as the ext
gencies of the particular campaign
seemed to make opportune.
Four years ago, when Frazier was
the democratic candidate, and favored
prohibition, the republicans took the
other side and put out Littleton, the
most radical anti-prohibitionist per-
haps in the state. Two years ago they
put out a whisky candidate on a
straightout prohibition platform. Fail
ing both times to impress the people
that they were really for anything ex-
cept the office, they have this year pro-
mulgated a prohibition platform, and
put out candidate who so earnestly
processes his fealty to prohibition as to
convince the Union, that extreme anti
prohibition paper, that he is all right,
if it were not for his platform. And in
my years of legislature experience l re-
call that the bitterest antagonists / ev
er had in my own fight for prohibition
were republicans, who are now leading
that party of opportunism and pre-
tense.
Noman, therefore, with brains enough
to come out of the rain, if he stops t
think, can ever hope to help the caus'
of prohibition in Tennessee by votin,
for Tllman. His party could not Civ
us prohibition if it would, and its rec
ord speaks in thunder tones that i
would not if it could, My vote TO
Tillman, even if he was elected, by it
aid, and those of other prohibition
democrats, would only serve to give II
republican governor and a democrat
ic legislature, sore at the desertion G
prohibition democrats whom the,
must hereafter count as their enemies
and little disposed to court our favor Q
grant our desire. We could not appes
with any grace to party the head {
whose ticket we had betrayed. w
would not only have hurt the cause {
prohibition now, but placed ourselve
in such a position that we could nC
help it hereafter.
If every prohibitionist in Tennessee
had been entitled to vote in the CUBE
material democratic primary last sprin
they would have won their fight hanC
down and the law would have bee
passed as soon as the legislature meet
If they come in now and vote for Pa
terson and prohibition legislator
they will then be able TO control Il
next election and win easily. If the
vote for Tillman they will only put d
mocracy and prohibition in sharp
defined antagonism, and put ther
selves out of the democratic council
and deny themselves any voice
shaping its policies, On the 9th
hand, what may prohibitionists expe
for prohibition if we vote for Patterso
and elect him? We have elected
democratic governor who is not
prohibition, but who has no power, e
cept to advise the legislature, which
for prohibition and is democratic, Il
legislature, holding our delegated so
ereignty, will voice our desire. Th'
know that we are behind them al