The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-01-22

deprive the people of their own COM
munities of voice in their own af-
fairs?
Convinced as | am that your action
is unfair and precipitate, harmful to
the State and destructive of the prin-
cipal of local self-government, l shall
ask a reconsideration with the hope
that you may agree with me, and if
you do not with the knowledge that l
have exhausted all my constitutional
power to prevent unwise and undem.
ocratic legislation.
81 therefore return Senate Bill No.
l with my disapproval and assign the
reasons which follow:
REASONS FOR VETO.
Il. AS Democratic Governor l feel
it duty and sacred obligation to
sustain the platform of the Democrat
ic party which distinctly states the
doctrine Of local self-government, and
this measure directly opposes, defies
and destroys it.
20. AS the Governor of all the peo-
pie, holding my mission from the ma
an act which will set aside and hold
for naught their recorded will.
80. veto this bill because expert
ence has taught the lesson, without
single exception, that no arbitrary pro-
hibition law was ever obeyed, and that
it's enaction brings no settlement of
the question, but rather leaves it like
burr on the body polite to irritate
and inflame.
Such has been the case in Maine,
where after test of more than fifty
years under a prohibition law, noto-
riously evaded and defied for all that
time, it still remains an active politi-
cal question to vex and harass the
people.
I'm Kansas, Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi we are to-day witnessing
the same disastrous and distressing
results, and there is nothing in the
situation in Tennessee which will lead
us to hope that conditions will be
different.
e. | will not approve a law, by
whatever name it may be called or
whatever mistaken notions of morali-
ty may have influenced it, which will
destroy property reduce the revenues
of the State, increase taxation, take the
money of our people and send it a.
broad, foment discord instead of pro
noting peace, and impair the dignity
of the Commonwealth.
WILL FOSTER HYPOCRISY.
20. In the name of temperance
refuse assent to an Incorporate meas
ure which will cause more evils than
it pretends to cure, and in the name
of morality l will not sanction law
that will foster hypocrisy and invite
evasion and deceit in the people.
&c. For the manhood Of Tennessee,
proven on every field of war, and ex-
emplified in all her glorious history
Of peace, l do not approve a legisla-
tive guardianship which would make
weaklings Of her men instead of leav-
ing them unhampered and unfettered
by onerous and sumptuary laws inter
fering with their personal rights and
privileges.
~. For the youth who will bear our
burdens when we are gone, whose
bodies, minds and souls should be ro-
bust with the hardy virtues of the
race from which they sprung, l would
forbid law which would teach and
set before them daily lessons Of du4
plicity and evasion.
"S. In the name of our women,
whose true and heavenly mission is
to bless the home and teach honor,
courage and truth to their children,
who are the strength. the inspiration
and the saving grace of man, con-
denim any measure which will bring
! even part Of them into the heated