The Cairo bulletin., 1909-02-21
W is an impossibility-an empty


| in spite of stringent laws to eradicate
it, so will the selling of liquor go on
in spite of prohibition laws
With the knowledge that liquor
can be bought and shipped from other
States, that it will be drunk and sold
illegally, the question which ought ID
i occur to the wise and conservative
| legislator, and the only one which
whether 1t is better to have it sold
openly or secretly-to have it under
the control and sanction of the law
or whether it should be outlawed to
live and thrive beyond control
in my opinion the choice which is
| logically and inevitably presented is
bet ween regulation itld control OF
the liquor traffic. and secret or open
violation OF the law.
ut is the choice between openness
and evasion, between fairness and by,
pocrisy, between real temperance and
its counterfeit.
Amy law that will not be respect
ed and cannot be enforced ought not
to be placed upon the statute books
No. Temperance Measure.
"A law that will brew lying and de-
ceit in the people is not a temperance
measure but. an intemperance meas
ur'
"A man who buys liquor in a pub.
lie place recognized by law, may be
doing, himself and family an injustice,
but if he obtains it in the illegal club,
or from the express agent under a tic-
titious name or from a bootlegger
he certainly does the same amount
Of damage. and has the added load to
bear that he has been a partner in
deceit and the laws evasion.
Convinced, as | have always been,
and now more than ever, that prohi-
bition laws are a failure and breed
more evil than they cure, and firm in
the belief that regulation and control
is the very best solution of difficult
problem, | am at the same time not
ers in liquor have defied and broken
he laws, and that both State and Mu
licipal authorities have been too Lag
in the enforcement of existing laws
that there has not been enough Wig
orous treatment of the situation in
the past to limit the number of liquor
dealers or to compel obedience to
the law.
Il am also not unmindful of the fact
that there are at this time fewer sa-
looms in Tennessee than in the last
twenty-five years, and those that re.
main are more under the control of
the law than they have ever been
and that there is less real ground of
complaint against them than ever in
the States history.
Il recommend that no general pre-
hibton law be passed abolishing the
manufacture and sale of liquor, be-
lieving, as | always have done and
for the reasons stated, that such law
will prove a failure and "a detriment
to the State.
Il do recommend, however high
license, strict regulation and forfeit
ure of license for violation of law.
In my opinion. if these recommen-
dations were carried into law, the
liquor question would be at rest in
our State and the people would APP
prove your course.
las genuine temperance measures
and real reforms they are infinitely
to be preferred to ill-considered and
drastic legislation which provoke IN
temperance under the guise of prohi-
bition.
1T will be seen that what is now
attempted constitutes complete re-
yersaI of the rule heretofore applied,
to allow the people of each commu-
lity to settle this question for them
selve,
My own position has always been
hat to force prohibition laws upon
he people without their consent is
wholly wrong. This has been the po-
sition of the people OF the State as
expressed by their votes; Ii has been
the principle upon which the Legisla-
lures have heretofore acted: II is thu
principle of the Democratic party.
The majority of the people of Ten.
nessee are not demanding a State.
wide prohibition law.
There are thousands of temper.
ance men In Tennessee, Republicans
and Democrats, who are vastly more
temperate. both in their speech and
habits, than some of the professional
agitators of the question. who believe
that The cause of temperance is best
subserved by fair dealing. and under
the rule of consent
IF your action shall be to destroy
property of millions in value, is it no,
right TO proceed with caution before
this be done? II il shall deprive
many persons of a livelihood. should
you not pause to be sure you are
right,
If It should force upon an unwill-