Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1910-06-30

Of all the powers OF the federal gov
eminent for more than a quarter OF a
century together with similar viola
tons Of law-made temperance in other
states, admonish Texans not to surren-
der the wise system of local option
under which every precinct or county
that desires prohibition may have It
without the consent of any other pre-
cinct or county, and under which prac-
tically four-fifths OF the territory OF
this state is free from the liquor
traffic. We confidently declare that
Texas today is more temperate,
more lawabiding and more moral than
any commonwealth that is attempting
to enforce statewide prohibition, and
we appeal to the people to hold fast to
this sane and progressive system of
controlling the liquor traffic. We APP
peal especially to precincts and coun-
ties that now enjoy prohibition under
local option, not to surrender this
status for the questionable method of
statewide prohibition, and we submit
to them In all fairness that they ought
not to seek to impose upon the people
Of other pl ecincts and counties a pro-
hibition status which they do not APP
prove.
other Issues.
Mr.. Colquitt stands for political rest
and peace. He does not believe that
the people can prosper in a normal
way or enjoy the happiness to which
they are entitled under constant pollt-
ical agitation. He holds that their
happiness and their prosperity can
best be promoted by letting them pur-
sue their vocations, trades and profess
sions free from Unnecessary agitation
over imaginary or incurable evils, To
| develop the state, capital should be in
vited under wholesome laws, the build
ing of railroads and factories should
be encouraged and more opportunities
should be given to the promotion of
drainage, irrigation, agriculture, stock
raising, commerce and industry. Mr..
Colquitt stands for all constructive
measures to these ends within the con-
stitutional power of the legislature
Profoundly appreciative of the fact
that an enlightened and educated citi-
zenship is at once the glory and the
safety of the state, he favors greater
efficiency longer terms and an extern
sion of the scope of our public schools;
liberal appropriations for the present
necessities and future development of
the University Of Texas, the Agricul-
tural and Mechanical College, the Col
lege of Industrial Arts and the normal
schools and especially desires to re-
move from the the stigma i'm
posed by the ~ ATsglect of the
insane ard thaf N of penl-
ltantiasy ~ --.--
1t is chaft ,.t " of Mr..
Colquitt that heV LOO respect the
will of the majorlx Or the people. We
declare that he isvthe one and only
candidate for governor who respects
the will of the majority in that the
only expression of the people upon
how the constitution should be amend
ed is made in the constitution itself,
which is, that an amendment shall be
proposed, not by a political party, but
by two-thirds of the members of the
legislature. The contention of the
other candidates that plurality of
votes in party primary is sufficient
to requi an amendment of the con-
stitution to be submitted is in conflict
with the plain mandate of the majority
of the people, solemnly expressed by
the doption of the constitution itself
wherein the majority deliberately
placed a limitation upon their own
power to change the organic law.
We declare the firm purpose of Mr..
Colquitt, if nominated and elected, to
maintain the present local option sys.
TEN in all its efficiency and to employ
every official power and influence to
prevent any legislation that would in
the slightest degree weaken the laws
or hinder their enfocement.
We repel the suggestion that Mr..
Colquitt is the candidate of the saloon,
and in this connection we call atten-
ton to the fact that during the entire
progress of this campaign he has not
appealed to the saloon element for
support. On the contrary, he advocates
the strictest form of regulation in the
counties where the saloon is licensed
and the strictest enforcement of the
law in the counties where the saloon
has been abolished.
And we rurther repel the intimation
that his supporters are Influenced by
the so-called liquor interests" We cite
the experience of Texas under local
option as evidence that our contention
is justified in practice as 1t is in
Fundamental in principle and we de-
clare it is temperance in, the truest
sense which we seek to promote as 1t
is Democracy in the broadcast sense