Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-06
TENME: SsE:E|:
failure or
Mayor Howse Of Nashville
Says Agitation Has Re-
tarded Growth and De-
vslopment Of State Of
Tennessee.

son warned them against tho passage
of such n law.
He told them that such a law was
fundamentally and profoundly wrong
as governmental policy" and that
1.-THE only law the state could enact
which could properly be called a pro-
hibition law or that could possibly
reach the end said to be desired
namely, 10 prevent the use OF liquor
would be one which would make the
use n crime" and that III such q law
should be proposed, however absurd
1t might be, 1t would bring the ques-
ton up directly to the people"
The most powerful part Of Governor
Patterson's message was as follows:
with the knowledge that liquor can
be bought and shipped from other
states, that It will be drunk and sold
illegally. the question which ought ia
occur to the wise and conservative
legislator and the only one which
should practically concern him is
whether 1t is. better to have 1t sold
openly or secretly-to have It under
the control and sanction of the law or
whether It should be outlawed to live
and thrive beyond control
I'm my opinion, the choice which is
logically and inevitably presented Is
between regulation and control by law
of the liquor traffic and secret or open
violation of the law.
1T Is the choice between openncss
and evasion, between fairness and n.y.
pocrisy, between real temperance and
its counterfeit
ANY law that Will not be respected
and cannot be enforced ought not 10
be placed upon the statute books.
"a law that Will brew lying and dc
ceit I'm the people is not temperance
measure. but an intemperance meas,
ure.
/. "A man who buys liquor I'm pubic
place recognized by law may be doing
himself and family an injustice. but If
he obtains 1T in the Illegal club or from
the express agent under a fictitious
name or from n bootlegger he certain
ly does the same amount of damage
and has the added load to bear that nc
has been a partner I'm deceit and the
laws evasion. a.
Convinced. as l have always been,
and now more than ever. that prohibit
ton laws are failure and breed more
evil than they cure and firm in the be-
lief that regulation and control is the
very best solution of difficult prob
lem, / am at the same time not un-
mindful Of the fact that some dealers
In liquor have defied and broken the
laws and that both state and munich
pal authorities have been too lax I'm
the enforcement OF existing laws; that
there has not been enough vigorous
treatment of the situation I'm the past
to limit the number of liquor dealers
or to compel obedience to the law.
81 nm also not unmindful of the fact
that there are at this time fewer sa-
looms I'm Tennessee than I'm the last
twenty-five years. and those that re-
main are more under the control of
the law than they have ever been and
that there is less real ground of COM
plant against them than ever In the
states history.
Il recommend that no general pro.
hibition law be passed abolishing the
manufacture and sale Of liquor. believ-
Ing. as have always done and for the
reasons stated. that such law will
prove a failure and be detriment to
the state
II do recommend. however, high II.
cense. strict regulation and forfeiture
Of license for violation OF law.
lin my opinion, If these recommen.
dations were carried into law the liq.
uor question would be at rest in our
state and the people as a whole would
approve your course.
"As genuine temperance measures
and real reforms they are Infinitely TO
be preferred 20 ill considered and dras
tic legislation which provokes intcm.
pcrance under the guiso OF prohlb
ton.
1T VIII be seen that what IS now
attempted constitutes complete re-.
versal Of the rule heretofore applied
TO allow the people Of each commu
nifty TO settle this question for them
selves.
my own position has always bcen
that 10 force prohibition law upon the
people without their consent is whOl
Iy wrong. This has been the position
OF the people OF the state as expressed
by their votes; 81 has been the prin
ciple upon which legislatures have
heretofore acted: 81 IS the principle OF
the Democratic party.
The majority OF tho people Of Ten
ncssec arc not demanding a state wide
prohibition law
There are thousands of tcmirr
an"e men iD Tennessee. Republicans
and Democrats. who are vastly more
temperate. both iu their speech rnd
habits. than some OF the profoesiouai
acitators Of the question who believe
that the cause OF temperance is bcgf
subservcd by fair dealing md hndcr
the rule Of consent
"lT IL should fpVoo trrCp ar tty.-ffft....