Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-01-12
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
LAW NOT GUILTY

Editor News:
Many good men see only one side O
a question If l am correct in IN,
judgement, "Uncle Tom" is one O.
those men. ] am not going to tax,
issue with him on the matter of pro
hibition, but on the manner of enforc
ing it.
Penalties should be proportionate t,
crimes committed. To say that a maj
should serve a term in the penitentia
ry for either buying or selling a bot
tie of whiskey is in my judgement ex
tremely radical. Let him be punished,
but let us make the penalty about $5C
and 30 days in Jail. "Uncle Tom"
don't you think that is enough.
L fail to see why "Uncle Tom, car
say that red liquor would have been
scarce in Tennessee if it had not been
for the interstate commerce law,
when, if reports be true, open saloons
have been running in Memphis anG
other cities of Tennessee in direct vio-
lation of the state commerce law.
Why don't the state enforce the law
If they violate state law, is it ..not
reasonable to suppose they would vio-
late one of Uncle Sans laws'
You have recently had great cam.
paign in Tennessee, and the leading
issue was the enforcement of the law.
The preachers took an active part
in that campaign, and, to their cred.
it, they joined hands with the crowd
that favored the enforcement of the
law. Where was ''Uncle TomP" In
the language of poet:
''Then came burst of thunder sound,
Our Bob, no your Bob, where was he
Ask of the winds that far around
With fragments strewed the sea.
1'Uncle Tom," the interstate com
meroe law is rather deep, and involves
many other questions besides the liq.
uor traffic. 1t forces one state to re-
spect the rights of another state rather
than to trample on them. While in
the matter of the liquor traffic it may
work to the injury of neighbor states,
yet, if it should be done away with,
we would suffer many rights to be
trampled on in other matters too num-
erous to mention here. If Uncle Sam
were an extremist, he might afford to
come into this matter and interfere
with our right of local self-govern-
ment bv not allowing liquor shipped
anywhere in his territory, but in his
wisdom, he has decided that he will
give his children, the states, right to
govern themselves in this particular, a
coveted right, which "Uncle Tom"
in his letter of last week is pleased to
demand.
The argument that prohibition can
not be enforced in state began with
a crowd that don't want it enforced.
1 believe it can be enforced just as
other laws of a state are enforced.
True, it may always be occasionally
just as the laws against
theft, robbery and murder are violat-
ed. Public sentiment in great meas
ure controls the enforcement of all
laws.
The editor struck the key note in
the last issue when he said it must
come through the channels of educs-
tion.
In my letter did not refer to the
school system of Tennessee, of which
"Uncle Tom writes, and so far as
know, he may be right in his opinion
Of that, yet it is law enacted by the
Legislature of Tennessee under demo-
cratic rule. If it works a hardship
on the people, it should be repealed.
I see from "Uncle Toms" letters
that he takes an active part in Sunday
schools, and I doubt not is Bible
reader. I would like to refer him to
the 18th chapter of 1st Corinthians,
and ask him to read it before he
writes his next letter.
Perhaps it will serve to soften his
1arsh judgement Of preachers and 9TH
BIS who differ from his opinions. The
preachers have sin and the devil to
light and should not have to spend
heir time battling with good men.
Best wishes to all your correspond
ants. Twas much interested in Gun
,le TOMS account of his Sunday
school prize list. Your scribe was at
, successful Xmas tree entertainment.