The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-01-07
rAwLEssMEss IN NASHVILLE.

the JAW II N01AfAH~ '--+-
chargeable to any direlection Of duty
apon his part. Attorney General zen
Mccarn has commenced prosecutions
against more than 200 liquor dealers
The course taken by the Attorney
General is unusual and somewhat
spectacular, but it was the only way
in which he could attain the desired
result. He looked in vain for assist
ance from the Sherif. the police or
the Mayor Of the city. All OF the ave
nues, save the one he took, were
closed. only by personally appearing
as prosecutor could be hope to obtain
at least a temporary lull in the reign
Of lawlessness in Nashville.
The conduct of the Attorney General
Is deserving of the very highest COM
mendation. Even should a hostile
court and a packed jury defeat the
ends of justice McCarn will have the
satisfaction OF knowing that he has
done all that he could to uphold the
majesty of the law and yindicate his
oath OF office.
Commenting on the action of Gen.
McCarn the Nashville Banner says;
1T is folly to assume that these vio-
lations are sustained by public senti-
ment. People who talk that way have
but a meagre conception Of the real
sentiment that pervades the law-lov-
ing and law-abiding community OF
Nashville" The esteemed Banner Of
fers no proof of the truth of its state
ments. On the contrary at three sep
arate elections held within the city OF
Nashville in as many months large
majority of the people did most en-
phatically and most positively declare
their opposition to law enforcement
BY an overwhelming majority in every
instance, these violations were sus-
tanned by public sentiment"
If the laws are being openly and
fiagrantly violated in Nashville, and
they are as every person familiar with
conditions there can testify, the peo-
Die ale themselves to blame. They
went open-eyed to the polls and voted
for officials whom they knew had no
sympathy whatever for the prohibit
ton laws. They voted for men who
we're the political creatures of the
liquor interests and it is asking too
much of them to expect that they
will turn upon the hand that succored
them. No sane, rational human being |
could expect Hilary Howse or Sam
Borum or Chief Curran to deal other
wise than gently and tenderly with |
the booze vendors and liquor dispen-
sers of Nashville.
The Banner is to be commended for
Its new found zeal for law enforce
ment. But it has commenced too late.
It has waited until the steed is gone
ere it locks the door.
The time to have made its campaign
was when the elections were held.
The people usually get about the
Of government they want.
rhe issue of law enforcement was
drawn in the last municipal
md county campaigns in Nashville,
nut as we now recall not single
newspaper Of that city lifted voice in
,rotest against the election of those
whom all knew could not be depended
lpon to execute the law.
The Banner should have carried its
ase to the people. It Is too late now.
is in the same predicament that the
i've virgins ere described as being in
beautiful hymn "Too Late,
100 Late"
Sentiment created for law enforce
nent after the election is much less
Elective than a sentiment which be-
,re the election demands officials
hose fidelity to their trusts is I'M
hallenged. This the Banner and 9TH
RS, who sat supinely Dy ana aiioWeu Y
ne present disgraceful conditions in p
nashville to be made possible, will t
oubtless discover. G
We do not expect any very appre- n
able improvement as the result OF p
lie Attorney Generals prosecutions. I
e must carry his cases to a court e
one too cordially disposed to his
.use; he will have neither the SYM
,thy nor the cooperation of the 9TH Il
. officials. He has, however, demon 2
rated that Davidson county has one p
ficial who has an old fashion concep- u
on Of his duties. "
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