The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1910-04-15
". {. 7. U.
Shall Prohibition Laws Be Re
pealed Because Violated
sILENA MooRE HoLMAN.


ly been full OF exposures Of graft on a
big scale in some Of our American cit
les. Pittsburg is the most recent ex-
ample, where a majority OF the city
council, some Of them standing high in
the social life Of that city, are confessed
bribe takers. Chicago, Albany, San
Francisco, furnish other examples Of
the same kind, In San Francisco des-
perate efforts we're made to put the
criminals in prison. A city election
was held on the question, Shall San
Francisco continue the graft prosecu-
tions?" The result was in the negative.
The men elected were opposed to fur
ther prosecuting the criminals. A ma
iority of those voting in the city thus
declared for theft
| / am wondering why the newspapers
in San Francisco and out Of it do not
lead crusade in favor OF repeating the
laws against them and bribery in that
city. Evidently majority of those
voting in that city election were in favor
of those crimes and opposed to the pun
ishment OF the criminals. A majority
ought to rule, whether they are in favor
OF good measures or bad, they tell us;
and that a law that cannot be enforced
ought to be repealed Ought not theft
and bribery to be licensed in those cities
so that they could be regulated and con-
trolled?
At least that is what they tell us in
regard to the laws prohibiting the sale
and manufacture OF liquor in the cities.
They say that majority Of the people
are opposed to them; therefore they
should be repealed. And the coming
campaign in this State for the election
of Governor and Legislature is to be
fought on that issue.
With us who worked and fought for
these laws through the long years be-
fore we secured them, the questions to
be considered are Is the liquor traffic
good or an evil thingP Does it add to
or diminish the sum total of the wealth
of the State2 Does it bring most hap
piness or misery to mankind?" And
the answers to these questions should
determine whether or not these laws
should be repealed.
The Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, which ! represent, together with |
tens of thousands of other good women
in the State and the best manhood of
the State, stand eternally opposed to Ii
censing, legalizing and protecting vice
OF any kind by law, or of States
drawing revenue from the vice Of its
citizens.
II these laws are not enforced it is
not because the officials cannot enforce
them, but because they will not enforce
them. do not believe for moment
that a majority of the white citizens of
any city in Tennessee are opposed to
our prohibitory laws That the laws
are not enforced to-day does not mean
that they will not be enforced to-mor-
row. New officials will be elected and
law enforcement will be the issue on
which they will be elected. Then they
will be enforced as other laws are en-
forced just as sure as civilization is NOV
ing forward and not backward.
No great battle was ever won by cap
,uring one outpost of the enemy. One
S captured here, another there, until |
he entire ground has been won. In I
securing our prohibitory law we cap
ured one outpost of the enemy. The !
next step is not to give up what we have [
Won because we failed to capture the [
whole field with one assault, but rather
o move forward another step by elect /
ng themen to Office who are in favor i
II our laws and will see that they are a
The question of Prohibition is not a J
lew one. 1t has passed beyond the ex- l
,crimental stage, The work began in j
he rural communities many years ago !
md so well has it been done that the ]
crossroads bar is scarcely known now in j