Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1909-05-19

ton election June .. between now
and June II ten such elections will
be held In Texas-iiye covering coun,
ties. five In precincts.
These are sklrmishes preliminary Ia
the general conflict that viii be .wag,
ed all along the line In the state pr.
mary OF July. 1910. when the pros Will,
they say. try TO carry every precinct
for every man on their ticket. from
constable TO governor.
Leaders OF both factions OF the
Texas democracy look forward 10 the
Smith county election with .isyp inter.
est Smith county has been dry for
eight years. II Is the home Of Cone
Johnson. the foremost leader OF the
pros.
The story OF this Smith county To-
cal option election. as II comes TO the
Farmer. Is a remarkable one II is
stated that the petition was drawn By
Tyler tailor. and that he got 1900
names on II without having 10 leave
his shop. Most OF the signers. II is
said. are farmers. molly a few city
men having put down their names.
As one Of the interested spectators
phases II. the farmers OF Smith ooun.
~ have petitioned for an election 10
legalize the sale OF liquor In Smith
county"
The antIs. the Former Is informed.
did not instigate the petition. and
would be as we'll satisfied II the cleo.
ton had not been called. But now
that II has been called. they have IN.
vestigated the situation and find sen.
timent IN favor Of a new deal so strong
that they believe they can carry the
county.
The pros are equally confident. Il
Is going to BE- a hot fight.
A factor In the fight will be the
feeling widely prevalent in the small
towns and cities. that they are the
sufferers. In business way. by being
dry while the large cities OF the
state are wet.
II comes TO the Farmer. from many
sources that a great many business
men in these small dry towns and cit.
les. who do not favor prohibition as a
state policy. yet feel that II Is the only
way they can protec themselves
against loss Of trade as long as the
biz towns have open saloons.
They say that many OF their custc.
mers. when they wish 20 buy good
prefer 20 visit the stores In the large
cities. where they can get liquor with.
out violating the law. and that. as a
consequence. the merchants OF small
cities and towns anywhere near the
biz cities lose much patronage.
The ants. on the other hand. use
this feeling 10 influence business sen.
tlment in the small cities and towns
In opposition 20 local prohibition IN
such communities They tell small
town merchants that statewide prohi.
bIjion Is out OF the question and that
their only way TO prevent loss OF pat
ronage 10 TIE larger cities that have
open saloons is "a defeat county pro.
hibitiou at home.
Another factor In the Smith county
contest whose effect no man can fore.
cast Is the recent lynching OF a Me-
gro, accused OF having attacked a
white girl, and the subsequent arrest
Of some OF the alleged leaders OF
the mob that did the lynching.
II is reported from flyer that over
1900 men were present and partici.
pated when the mob took the negro
out and executed him. OF the mere
handful Of men that were subsequently
arrested and indicted some were held
without bail. and others were released
under heavy bond
At Tyler no one pretends to believe
that any Smith county jury will ever
convict one OF these men, yet the az
fair has created much bitterness thru.
ont the county.
The early talk about the mob hay.
ing killed an innocent man Is not
heard today Il IS the general belief
that the lynchers got the right man.
In proof OF this the fact is cited that
the sheriff is making no effort TO ar.
rest anyone else for the crime that
was charged against the negro that
was lynched. His Identification as the
guilty party was sufficiently clear 10
satisfy public sentiment In Tyler.
Cone Johnson Is acting as chief az.
torney OF the men under arrest for the
lynching.
Observers on the ground say Il Is
apparent the lynohlng and the crime