davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30

can sky for the rainbow of promise,
and according to program the face of
Newell Sanders appeared.
What a brave and honorable act
1t was, how noble and self-sacrifcing.
My countrymen, when these gentle
men speak of free judiciary as rea-
son for their course they pay scant
compliment to your intelligence and
at the same time pronounce their own
unworthiness.
The Constitution OF Tennessee
makes the Supreme Court free and in,
dependent. Within itself and of itself
It possesses absolute freedom and in
dependence, and a Governor has no
more power to invade it than the
humblest citizen in the land. The de.
cislons of the court and the enforce.
ment of its DEGREES, and the power to
protect its dignity from contempt, are
complete, separate and distinct from
any other authority whatsoever.
The Supreme Court has its dignity
and independence in its own keeping,
and if it needs preservation it needs
it from within and not from without.
It cannot be lost or endangered If the
judges themselves measure up to the
standard of their exalted positions. 1t
is gone when they cease to be judges
and become political traders, or 9TH
erwise place the court in questiona-
BILE situations.
When the three judges charged that
attempted to coerce and intimidate
them in a cause pending before them
for decision, and used it for their own
political advantage, they at that mo-
ment ceased to be free and untram-
meled, but became the servitors of
their own ambition-trammeled In the
net of their own intrigue and folly.
, l have noticed that the man who
suspects the honor of womanhood has
long since lost his own, and the Judge
who believes that any one can influ-
ence his opinion confesses that he
has placed himself where that opinion
can be influenced
The judges base their charges of
intimidation on the act of the COM
mittee in ordering a primary which
they say interpreted by my attitude to-
ward the Cooper case, constituted a
menace to the court, and that in the
event the decision was not favorable
that they would become the objects of
my displeasure.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30
BoLTING JUDGES; DEMOCRATIC
NOMINEES.

Calm and Dispassionate, Yet None the
Less Caustic and Searching Review
of the Present Judicial Situation
Growing Out of the Coalition of
State-Widers and Republicans in the
Last Legislature-Position of the
Three Boiling Judges-Unfounded
Cry of Coercion in the Cooper Case.
Democratic Candidates Championed.
The coalition with the Republicans
formed by the unfaithful Democrats
in the last Legislature did not stop
with the enactment of the prohibition
laws. A general primary and election
the rights of the majority of the Dem
ocrats of Tennessee.
Acting for the best interests of the
people I vetoed these measures, and
the same combination which passed
them made them laws over my pro-
test Is it any wonder that those who
sympathized and were aiders and abet-
tors in this conspiracy to defraud the
Democratic party and to control the
State by corrupt election laws, should
now be found in another conspiracy
to bolt the action of the duly selected
and regular State Executive Commit
tee, and ask for the same aid from
the Republicans in the August election
which they obtained in the Legisla-
ture?
The price which the Republicans in
the Legislature demanded for their
votes in organizing the House and
Senate and passing the prohibition
laws were the election laws, and the
conspirators paid the price.
The price which the Republicans
are now demanding to support the in
dependent judicial ticket is the cleo
tion of Governor in November, and
the conspirators have agreed to pay
this.
The bargain and sale to betray the
Democratic party has been made, and
it is the most brazen and shameless
political deal for ONCE which has ever
insulted the pride and patriotism OF
honest Tennesseans.
Will Democrats allow it to be con-
summated? Will they permit their
birthright to be hawked about the pu-
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30
Others coerced.

Four other gentlemen, independent
candidates for the Court of Civil APP
peals, also discovered it and joined
with the others.
The people are still in doubt as to
the mental status of the fifth candi
date on the subject of coercion, as he
was not announced, and therefore did
not sign the statement. 1t is very
safe to assume, however, chat he was
equally as much coerced as the other
nine gentlemen who did sign. When
these candidates, who were both off
and on the bench, who had both some
thing and nothing to do with the
Cooper case, made this startling dis
covery, they rose in wrath, judicial
and unjudicial, and-i in order to pre-.
serve their integrity, and assert the
independence of both the Supreme
Court and the Court of Civil Appeals,
they Immediately deserted the Demo
cratic party, loudly proclaiming with
one voice as they left the house of
their fathers, that they stood for a
free and untrammeled judiciary.
Before leaving, however, they took
the precaution to look to the Republi-
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30

Of nomination as offered by Mr.. Arm
istead Then, why this clamor now?
It's purpose is transparent, and no one
need be deceived who is open to rea-
son. In mock frenzy it is charged
that 1t is an act of sacrilege to drag
the judiciary into politics, when it has
always been in politics, and always
will be as long as it is elective by the
people.
The only difference is whether GER
tain judges shall go before the peo-
pie, or whether they shall be permit
ted to override the party platform,
ignore the State Executive Commit
tee and practically nominate them
selves by mass-conventions which
have ben discarded everywhere
throughout the State.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30

sound? Apparently it is, but in fact
logic reduces it to absurdity.
Murder, arson, larceny and kindred
crimes are by all civilized mankind
looked upon with horror and aversion.
They are acts wrongful in them
selves; invade the right of others to
life and to the enjoyment Of property,
and are inhibited by divine law. But
to sell or drink liquor has never been
considered in itself crime in any age
of the world, or in any land, unless
made so by statute; it does not proxi-
mately involve the rights of others.
and it is not inhibited by divine law.
These are distinctions which ought
to satisfy every man who is open to
conviction and in full possession of
his faculty to reason.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30
Violation of Pledges.

A prohibition bill was soon passed,
which was in deliberate violation of
the platform-without the consent
and over the protest of the represen-
tatives of the people who were imme-
diately affected by it.
I vetoed this measure, as was my
duty to do, and it became law over
my protest.
Following this the bill forbidding
the manufacture of liquor in Tennes-
see was also passed, and this, too, be-
came a law over my objection.
A search and seizure measure was
then passed which promptly vetoed,
and the Legislature in lucid interval
sustained this veto, possibly after re-
Election that search might become
personal and prove embarrassing to
some who posed as prohibitiouists.
My countrymen, I call upon you to
say whether this destructive and I'M
democratic legislation was either right
or expedient.
/ call upon you to answer If every
objection l made to these laws was
not well founded, and If every evil
has not followed of which warned
the Legislature and the people.
Have they not invited evasion and
deceit in the people2
Have they not brought the saloon
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30
Result of Prohibition.

This was also a reasonable provi-
sion, but when prohibition was forced
upon the people all safeguards around
the liquor traffic were broken down
and the result was increased sale and
consumption without dollar of rev.
enue.
In Memphis, where the sentiment
of the people was almost unanimous
against prohibition, not the slightest
attention has been paid to the law and
illicit selling, l am told, has spread
from the city all over the county.
The newspapers who are largely re-
sponsible for present conditions will
charge that the failure of the law is
not due to prohibition, but to the Gov
ernor, who is not in sympathy with it.
This is easy to charge, but is 1t
true?
have no power to find indictments,
to enter verdicts, or to call out the
militia to enforce this law. The Con-
stitution clothes me with no such au-
thority.
The law has never been enforced In
Alabama, where the Governor is an
extreme prohibitionist, and has the
power even to remove officers for fail
ure to execute the law, power the
Governor of Tennessee does not pos
sess.
The law is not enforced in Georgia,
where the Governor approved prohl-
bition bill, or in Kansas, Iowa, or IN
Maine, where for fifty years it has
been tried and proven failure and
curse to the people for all that time,
or anywhere else.
In most, if not all, of these States
the people either directly or indirect
ly voted for prohibition, but in Ten
nessee the people have three times
voted against it, once when the
Constitutional Amendment was pro-
posed, and twice in the last three
years.
If it cannot be enforced where the
people want it, who will be so unwise
as to say that it can be where the
people do not want 1t?
The reason for it's failure must be
attributed to q deeper and profounder
cause, and it is found in the vital and
controlling power of public sentiment,
without this not only the prohibition
law, but all others are failures.
Why is the law against usury not
enforced, and yet every banking in
stitution and money lender in the
State is subject to it's penalties?
Why the personal tax law-why the
law against carrying on any vocation
on Sunday-which includes railroads,
street cars and all other means OF
transportation?
Why the law against pistol and
cartridge selling? Why against raf-
fies and lotteries, cardtplaying for
money and prizes, why against the al
most endless list which under our
statutes are classed as misdemean-
ors?
Sometimes we hear 1t advanced
that the laws against larceny, arson
and murder are not always enforced,
but as this does not furnish an argu-
ment against the necessity of those
laws, it is said that the non-enforce-
ment of a prohibition law is no rea-
son for its repeal. Is this reasoning
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30

TO the home and are not immature
boys the sufferers and helpless wives
and mothers often the victims?
Have they not taught lessons OF
lawlessness, weakened the moral fiber
of men and impeded the progress OF
the State? Inherently wrong as a
prohibition law is without the consent
of the people, it is not so bad as the
evil spirit of intolerance which it
raises and the fires of fanaticism
which it kindles.
From the hour it became an issue
in Tennessee until now it has agitated
and so obscured the mind of the peo-
pie that it has been impossible to
view other questions upon their mer-
it's or in just proportion.
1t has bred and spawned hysteria,
hypocrisy and hate. 1t has turned
loose the foul dogs of rabid journal
ism to bark and show their teeth at
public servants who have the courage
to cross their paths.
AS. for me, l stand as in the cam
paign of 1906, in that of 1908, as
stood in the legislative session, and as
l viii stand until the sacred right of
local self-government is reaffirmed
and restored to the people.
The temperance question has been
dealt with in an Incorporate way.
We have killed the patient to cure
the disease. We have destroyed enor-
nous property values in our own
State to enrich the people of other
States.
We have exchanged the lawful sale
of liquor for all the evils of lawless-
ness.
We have decreased our revenues
badly needed to meet the expenses
of government, and have received no
benefit in return.
We have driven reason from her
temple and enthroned blind passion
striking with a club of vengeance.
The time has come to take an ap-
peal to the people.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30

policy which will meet the approval
of right thinking and patriotic men
it will continue to be disturbing fac
tor in our affairs.
The fatal mistake was made when
we abandoned the rule Of consent as
applied to towns and cities of the
State and substituted the rule of
force.
1t came about when the excess of
honest, but mistaken zeal on the part
of those who really believed a prohi-
bition law would prove effective, was
used by designing demagogues for
their own advancement and as fur
nishing an easy road to power and
control of the State government. do
not wish to use the language of harsh
ness to the thousands who were in
good faith misled into this crusade,
for their opinions are entitled to re-
spect.
But I would ask them to lay aside
whatever prejudice they may have
and in the light of experience ask
themselves what it was all about and
what good has been accomplished.
Are conditions better or worse than
before compulsory prohibition became
law in Tennessee?
My own record has been consistent
and it has also been correct.
It is the true temperance doctrine,
for it regards the powers of govern
ment in dealing with the ordinary and
acknowledged rights of men.
1t deals with the liquor question
upon the proven and ancient principle
of local self-government, and allows
the people of the towns and cities to
settle it for themselves.
This idea was embodied in the Dem
ocratic platform upon which l have
been twice elected Governor of Ten
nessee, and l have faithfully obeyed
it. During my first administration
the votes of the people of nine towns
and cities were recorded as against
the sale of liquor, and without hesita-
ton l signed the bills abolishing their
charters.
Four hundred saloons went out of
existence as a result of this legisla-
ton and there was no excitement, but
ready acquiesence even by the liquor
men themselves, for the people had
acted and the principle of consent
had been recognized.
You will recall that I recommended
an increase in the liquor tax and 1t
was doubled by the Legislature, and
while in 1906 the total liquor tax was
$270, 827,S7, it had increased in 1907 to
1894 ,232.14, although 400 saloons had
quit business and were paying no
taxes.
Under a general prohibition law
there is now not one dollar of rev
enue collected and the consumption OF
liquor has certainly not decreased.
= AS Governor l also signed segrega-
tion law for Nashville which restrict
ed the area in which liquor could be
sold, and this law was reasonable and
was obeyed because it was. There
was then in Nashville about 140
places which paid liquor tax and
the business was conducted in accord
ance with the law. Now under COM
pulsory prohibition, which the people
know is unjust and which they do not
want, there is said to be more than
300 places where liquor is sold-not
one of which is paying dollar tax.
l signed the excise law for Chatta-
nooga, most wise and excellent one,
and under it the sale of liquor was adj
mirably controlled, and the dealers
paying their taxes and obeying the
law.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-06-30
Manufacturers Laws.


The law which the Legislature
passed forbidding the manufacture of
liquor in Tennessee does not deserve
any less characterization than Wanton
destruction. 1t does not possess an
element of common sense, or of ordi-
nary fairness. / favor the absolute re-
peal of the manufacturers law. l fav-
or also the repeal of so much of the
Statewide prohibition law as will re-
store the right of Memphis, Nashville,
Chattanooga and Lafollette, communi-
ties which opposed the law, to exer-
else the power of local self-govern-
ment and decide the question for
themselves. If the right to sell liquor
in those places is restored l shall favor
high license, strict regulation and con-
troll of the traffic and forfeiture of
privilege for violations of the law.
This will prove far more satisfactory,
morally, and in every other way, than
the unlicensed, uncontrolled and I'M
regulated traffic which now prevails.
So far as relates to those communi-
ties which have voted liquor out, |
do not think it advisable to interfere
with the expressed will of the people.
They were given the opportunity to
vote and the Legislature should not
attempt to force the sale of liquor
upon them without their consent.
Men who have never believed in
prohibition, have never practiced it,
but daily assisted in the violation of
the law since it was passed, have been
loudest in their denunciation of me
because l have opposed it, They
have found in some pulpits ready as
sistance, and men l have never seen
or known have prostituted their sa-
cred calling and loaned themselves to
shameless abuse. Then, too, these
same political hypocrites have played
on the sentiment of good women,
taught them to believe l was a mon
ster, and easily led them into politi-
cal intrigues from which honorable
men would have saved them. When
ministers, who are sometimes prone
to take positions which may not be
practical, and to view questions as
moral on the surface which may, in
fact, be intensely immoral, involve
themselves and their congregations
in political agitations; when some
women forget their relationship to
society and plunge headlong into cru
sades, led by false reformers when
the whole is leavened with the lump
of selfish demagogues, it is little won
der that we have fallen upon evil |
days.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-26
DINNER FOR Mr.. DICKINSON
Innovations at Chinese Students
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

Picking. Sept 25.-The visit Of Jacob n
Dickinson. the American Secretary Of War,
Brigaoier General Clarence r. Edwards
Chief Of she Bureau Of Insular Affairs and
their party 10 Picking Viii end tomorrow
u has been marked by a round Of enter
tainments and 3 display Of Western inno-
vations never before known in China.
The Prince Regent. on learning that
neither Secretary Dickinson nor General
Edwards was able 10 accept decorations,
sent 10 Mrs. Dickinson p pair of cloisonne
vases Of the Chien-lunE period. These are
magnificent specimens standing four feet in
height. the general effect being hlue, inlsid
with dragons Of imperial yellow. The Re
gent also sent q pair # red LACQUER boxes,
OF similar antiquity TO Mrs. Dickinson and
Mrs. Edwards
dinner was given in honor Of the Sec
Rotary and the other visitors last evening
by Chinese students who have returned
from America Many women We're present
and number Of The Chinese appeared
without queue and IN evening clothes 10
which apparently they had become accus-
TONED while living in the United States
More than a hundred Of the guests had
come from the various cities Of North
China REPRESENTATIVES Of these slaCes said
that the government. which originally per
secuted them, was NOW giving them the
highest Offices. Toasts were drunk 10 their
alma matters
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-26
CoRsAlR WAITS FOR BALTIC
Morgan Goes Down Bay Early TO
Meet Ship Bringing Wife.

J. Pierpont 1IoTgan's ocean going yacht
Corsair, with Mr. Morgan. his two daugh-
ters, Mrs Herbert L Sattsrlee and Mrs
William Pierson Hamilton. and q number
Of grandchildren aboard. was at Quarantine
at O'Clock yesterday morning TO meet re
White Star steamship Baltic, on which
Mrs J. Pierpont Morgan and J. 5. Morgan.
eldest son of J. P. Morgan, jr-, were pas
sengeTs.
The Corsair STAYED abeaul OF the Baltlc
until nearly off the Battery, where she shot
ahead to land her passengers on the pier III
time to watch the big ship warped into
her dock
Mrs Morgan and her grandson were
among the last passengers 70 land frorn
the Baltic. Mr.. Morgan had made arrange
uents with the assistant baggage master
n the line 10 see that the luggage got of
the ship without delay. He then went 10
the COrsair where he sat on deck more
than an hour while his wife and grandson
remained on the upper deck Of the pier
urtil the customs men had finished an m
spect1on OF the twenty-stx trunks and bows
which they brought
As soon as the exanina ticn was com
pleted the effects were transferred 70 the
Corsair. which then steamed up the Hud-
son
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-26
BOYS HELD AS BURGLARS
Oldest of Five Arrested in Corona
Only Seventeen.

Five boys. the oldest of whom is only
seventeen, were arrested last night in CO.
roma, Long Island, on charges of burglary.
Three of the number were held in LOCO
bail for examination in the Flushing police
court, and the other two were sent to the
Children's Society. The boys were stand
ing on a street corner when arrested and
one of them confessed to the police. ii is
said, that they entered a grocery store
in Elmhurst and stole So and some articles
found living on the floor
For many weeks there has been an cpl
and adjacent towns, and the police of the
Newtown precinct have been on the look
out for the housebreakers. P2trolman
O'Gorman was standing at the corner IF
Sycamore and Corona avenues. Corona last
night, when he saw the boys in the door
way of a grocery store. He placed them
under arrest, and took them to the station
house, where they gave their names as
Christopher Allen, of No. 139 Corona ave
nue.; George Dohagny. of No 10Y Bine
street: Frank and George Barnett. of No.
81 Elm street, and Frederick Fanhahn, of
No. 80 Sycamore avenue, all of Corona
The first named bow made the confession
and when he repeated it in the police court
he, George Barnett and Fenhahn were held
for examination. Dohagny and the
younger Barnett were sent to the Chill
dFens Society.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-26
RELIC OF WASHINGTON
Old Book Throws New Light on
First President.

Kalamazoo. Mich. Sept. 25.-In the
stockroom of a local paper mill where he
IS superintendent Bernard Benson to-
dax found a little book which is be
ifeyed 10 be a rare and valuable relic.
The volume. which is memorial OF
Washington, was printed in 1900 by
sherman. Mershon G. Thomas at Tren-
ton. Y. J. 1t ,Dntains an unknown but
supposedly authentic steel engraving of
Washington, distinctive from the first
Presidents known portraits. The quaint
title OF the book is "Legacies of Wash
ington: A Collection Of the Most APP
proved Writings of the Late General
Y Washington. with an Appendix Contain
ing a Sketch Of the Life of This Illus
trious Patriot, Etc. Etc
The author of the book is unknown.
no name appearing on the title page.
The preface says: 1T has ever been
the laudable custom of nations to pre-
serve, with pious fidelity, the opinions
and doctrines of men eminent for virtue,
for wisdom. for meritorious services.
The Americans, if they are not
guilty Of the blacklist ingratitude, will
cherish with an anxious solicitude the
precious legacies of their Washington"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-26
HALTs BROOKLYN STRONG MEN
Patrolman Arrests Two Carrying 400
Pound Propeller Along a Street.

Patrolman McManus found Charles
Campbell, OF No. 32S 18th street. BROOKLYN
and George Prime. of No. seq Third avenue
that borough, about 3 O'Clock yesterday
morning carrying a heavy brass propeller
down Fourth avenue The men dropped il
with thud. and IL sank into the grass OF
a vacant lot. McManus tried to get the
men TO carry the brass piece, which
weighed four hundred pounds, back along
the route they had taken, but they re-
fused.
At the Fourth avenue police station the
men declined to tell where they got the
propeller. Later I'm the day Edward Luck
enback. who runs a foundry and yacht
Quitting establishment Mt East 18th street
complained To Magistrate Geismar that the
men lad solen the propeller from him. He
valued II at $500. They were held.
Patrolman McManus, assisted by i've long
shoremen. tried TO move Il, but they could
not duplicate the feat of Campbell and
Prime. who are both boilermakers II was
a hard job for a horse to drag the propeller
back to Luckenbacks foundry