Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-06
overnor Of Tennessee does not pos


UeSs.
1.-The law IA not enforced I'm Georgia.
where the governor approved a pro
hibition bill, or I'm Kansas. Iowa or
In Maine, where for fifty years II has
been tried and proved failure and
curse to the people for all that time.
or anywhere else.
"In most II not all Of these states
the people either directly or Indirect
~ voted for prohibition. but In Ten.
nessee the people have three times
voted against 1t. once when the con
situtional amendment was proposed
and twice In the last three years.
III II 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 It?
THE reason for fits failure must be
attributed to a 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.
MY countrymen. call upon you to
say whether this destructive and un-
democratic legislation was either
right or expedient
II call upon you to answer II every
objection I made to these laws was
not well founded and II every evil
has not followed of which I warned
the legislature and the people.
Have they not invited evasion and
deceit I'm the people7
NuouA thay not hrou-t~S H.
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 pro-
hibition law is without the consent of
the people, 1t is not so bad as the evil
spirit Of intolerance which It raises
and the fres Of fanaticism which 1t
kindles.
"From the hour It became an is.
sue in Tennessee until now it has agi-
tated and 30 obscured the mind of the
people that 1t has been impossible to
view other questions upon their merits
or in Just proportion.
"It has bred and spawned hysteria.
| hypocrisy and hate.
LAS for me, stand as I'm the cam
paign OF 1905, in that of 1908. as
| stood in the Legislative session and as
will stand until the sacred right of
local self government Is reaffirmed and
restored to the people
The temperance question has been
lealt with in an Incorporate way. We,
have killed the patient to cure the dis
ease. We have destroyed enormous
property values in our own state 10 en-.
rich the people Of other states
| 1--WE have exchanged the lawful sale
Of liquor for all the evils OF lawlessness
I'VE have decreased our revenues
badly needed to meet the expenses of
| government and have received no
benefit I'm return.
| I'VE have driven reason from her
temple and enthroned blind passion
striking with club Of vengeance.
| "The time has como to take an ap.
peal to tho people,"
From this 1t may BIO seen that the
day is not far distant when Tennessee
may be expected to join with other
states or the south in n Reputation OF
state wide prohibition and county op-
non enactments and establish the
more sane way of dealing with the
hQuor question upon the lines sug-
gested In the resolutions of the Ma
tional Wholesale Liquor Dealers as-
ISOLATION. adopted at fits convention at
Cincinnati in May.
THOSE resolutions read as follows:
We take our stand for the enact
ment OF laws providing for license
regulation and control along with that
large and overwhelming majority OF
the people who realize the failure of
prohibitive laws to prohibit and who
are Disguised with the conflict beino
waged between those who asitats ouch
laws and those who want the unrsau.
lated. and unlicensed saloon.
As an evidence of our good faith
we pledge our earnest sndeavor to &c.
cure the enactment Of such laws or
constitutional provisions PERMITTING
such laws in all Of those states where
ensetments of that character are not
now in force.
For such laws IL may be urged that
tho character of the person soekina the
license - given paramount considera-
ton.
at takes the liquor question out OF
politics and keeps IL out.
"lt frees tho public. from that strife
and misunderstanding into which il is
plunged by any agitation having for
rs purpose the sbridgnent Of the per.
sonal rights Of the citizen.
W limits the number Of saloons TO
the necessity Of tho public.
I'm general II tends to regulate the
sale OF liquor at retail, while it assures