Evening star., 1909-04-26
WILL Be A DRY STATE
Tennessee Legislature Pro-
videS for Prohibition.
OVER GOVERNORS VETO
Law Designed to Apply Especially to
the Negro Population.
SEPARATION OF THE HoUsToNs
Another Explanation Of the Mys-
terry Given-Monument to John
n. Morgan Proposed.
RY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.


the sale Of alcoholic drink within four
miles of a schoolhouse in the state OF
Tennessee and forbidding the manufac-
ture of all intoxicants was passed over
the veto Of Gov. Patterson February 8
last. The first prohibition is effective.
July 1. 1909. and the second January l,
1910, a few months probation having
been given the brewers and distillers to
enable them to dispose of their property.
In the lower house the vote stood 81 to
SO: in the senate 1t was 20 to 13. Both
the democratic and republican parties
were divided, so that neither can claim
the credit of the law. The governor We
toed the act the day after its passage
for the following reasons. as explained
in his message:
eff the legislature shall destroy all the
distilleries and breweries. why cannot the
next forbid the raising or selling OF the
grains or the cultivation of the grape out
of which spirituous, malt or vinous
liquors are made?
.Shall this or some future legislature
prevent the farmer from raising or selling
tobacco or the manufacturer from plac-
ing it on the market?
'.In the exercise of my constitutional
powers as governor. l veto this measure
and ask for it's reconsideration.
"First-Because it ruthlessly deprives
the state of revenue without any sort OF
corresponding benefit.
'Second-It discriminates against our
own people in favor of the people of other
states.
"Third-It confscates and destroys the
property Of the citizen without compensa-
ton.
"Fourth-It makes dangerous prece-
dent, humiliates Tennessee and lowers
the place of dignity she has occupied as
one of the proVdest and most conserva-
tive states of the Union.
"Fifth-It violates the will of the people
twice expressed at the ballot box, offends
their sense Of justice and, under the plea
of civic righteousness, sacrifices great
moral principle of government at the
very altar where it should be guarded and
defended
The ink with which the above reasons
for the veto were written was not dry
when both houses, one after another
and without debate, voted by two-thirds
of the governor to the contrary notwith-
standing. Seldom has there been such
prompt action on any subject by any
Legislative body. But 1t was not unex-
pected and the "wets'' made no attempt
to stop 1t. There is no anti-prohibition
organization in Tennessee any more than
in the other southern states There are
no committees or headquarters or bu-
reaus of publicity The "wets" collect
no statistics, issue no printed matter and
do not conduct their campaigns as is
customary with political parties anywhere
in the south. The opposition to pro-
hibition law advocated local option and
the regulation of the liquor trade under
an attempt to carry the democratic pr1-
maries and control the regular democratic
organization of the state. There was no
anti-prohibition party. but the leading
opponents of prohibition were the lead
ers of the Patterson wing of the demo-
cratic party.
Success of the Prohibitionists.
On the prohibition side the religious
people of the state, particularly the Meth
odsts, were thoroughly organized and
canvassed the state with great energy
and effectiveness. There were meetings
in every church and schoolhouse. and it
was one of the most bitter and sensa-
tional campaigns in the history OF this
country, Gov. Patterson and the late Ed
ward w. Carmack being the leaders, and
the prize was the executive Office of the
state. So long as the voting was con-
fined to the democratic primaries Patter-
son won on a local option platform. He
had a large majority of the democratic
votes. But when the legislature met
twenty-five republicans in the house and
five in the senate joined the democratic
prohibitionists and made a two-thirds ma
jority in both houses, sufficient to over
ride the veto of the governor by two
thirds vote. Thus Tennessee was added
to the list of southern states which have
prohibited the manufacture and sale OF
Intoxicating liquors
Previous to this action all of the coun-
ties in the state, except Davidson. Shelby
and Hamilton, and all Of the cities, ex-
cept Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga
and Lafollette, had already gone dry"
but the vets had succeeded in pre-
venting the prohibitionists from abolish
ing the saloons in the cities named, under
the local option war against It,
Effect on the State Revenues.
It is estimated that the prohibition law
will cause falling off Of more than
million dollars in the revenues of the
state; investments exceeding ten million
dollars in breweries dstilleries, rectifying
establishments and wholesale and retail
liquor stores will become idle indefinitely,
and much of it will be lost, because no
indemnity is provided for. 1t also is
calculated that 1900 persons. of whom
seven or eight thousand are heads of
families, will be thrown out of employ
ment.
Nashville now has 131 saloons, which
pay an annual license tax of 81, 800 each,
or a total of $196.5OO. In addition to
this they pay a tax Of S15 per 81, 600 per
year upon the appraised value Of the
property occupied. the stock and fixtures.
Memphis has 600 saloons. which pay
similar tax; Chattanooga has sixty-three,
besides several wholesale liquor dealers
in each city. There are nine distilleries
in the state, two breweries in Memphis
and one each in Nashville and Chatta-
nooga All of them are now making
arrangements to go into other business.
In the city of Nashville, among the
business men, the anti-prohibition senti-
ment is very strong. and there is a gen.
eral belief that the new laws will prove
injurious to enterprise and industry, as
well as cause a large increase in taxa
ton, in order to supply the revenue
that has been derived from the saloons.
l am told that a similar sentiment exists
in other commercial and mercantile cities,
which requires no further evidence than
the fact they have always rolled up a
big ma jority against prohibition when
ever vote has been taken. There is
easy way Of evading the provision which
prevents the manufacture of liquor. but
l do not suppose the law which prohibits
here than it is in other communities
where public sentiment is the other way.
To Check Vicious Negroes.
People explain here, they explain
everywhere in the south, that the prohibi-
ton law is intended particularly to re-
strain the appetites and passions of the
negroes. who commit the crimes that are
punished by lynching almost invariably
while under the influence of the vilest
kind of alcoholic drink. The enforce
ment of the law against the colored
population, therefore. may be expected.
Gov. Patterson is uncompromising in his
opposition to prohibition. but he is man
of conscience and high sense of duty
and will undoubtedly perform his duty