The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1911-09-29

as they do. They are fighting a life
and death. struggle.and / expect them
to fight with every possible weapon.
cannot iustifytheir cause, Of the weap.
ons they use, nor the means to which
they resort am merely stating the
fact that their fight does not surprise me.
am willing to admit another thing:
A great many voters in Tennessee, as
honest and conscientious as claim to
be, have cast their votes on the side Of
the liquor interests. On account Of
their fear of the injury to, or loss Of
the dollar. or increase Of taxes, or in
jury to real estate, or the fact that pro-
hibitory laws are not enforced, they are
moved to support the side upon which
liquor stands. These considerations
should not, in my judgment, move men
to take such position. but / admit
that many are SO moved Therefore,
] think that such men should not be
called or considered whiskeyites and
scoundrels; and think, too, that other
men who feel and vote as / do should
not be called or considered fake reform
ers, fanatics, or holier-than-thou On
a moral issue am not good citizen
unless take a stand, and / am not
good citizen if were willing to COM
promise on such an issue. Where the
right or the wrong is not involved, / am
ready to meet half way those who do
not agree with me. In any such case
/ am glad to concede something, to give
up something; am willing to compro-
mise fairly. However, in matter Of
morals and conscience, one can not
compromise without stultifying himself.
There can be no middle ground on an
issue involving the right or wrong. |
believe that the traffic in intoxicating
liquors, in all of its forms for beverage
purposes, is inherently, morally wrong.
| believe, too, that the non-enforcement
Of prohibitory laws against the traffic
is and can be no argument i'll favor Of
return to a legalzation Of the traffic. |
In America we have many laws against
he taking Of usury, against violation
If the Sabbath, against carrying pistols,
tic. 1t is common knowledge that such |
avs are often violated, but would any
American patriot stand for measure
which would strike from the code all of
UGH statutes?
In my position as chairman of the
election Board in Chattanooga | have
10 political ambitions. / have no axes
0 grind. have but one object in view,
nd that is to be fair and just to all
bases of opinion, and, at the same
me, to promote clean politics as far as
can and give the people honest cleo
ons.
Ii | we're a newspaper in Tennessee
would stand for something like the (.
blowing:
/. l would make it plain that there [
,uld be no real harmony in Tennessee {
ntil the liquor question had been
-ought out, until one side or the other /.
nd finally given up the fight 4
2. l would, with all my power, in
st upon an enforcement Of the law. !:
3. | would insist that saloons and 4
Iuor signs upon doors and windows in 4
If cities be removed. / would no more +
such signs and advertising }
saloons than would countenance y
yns for the sale Of pistols, cigarettes G
other prohibited things. 4
4. ] would insist that liquors should ).
t be sold anywhere that there was 4
zone anywhere in the State in which y
looms could operate as long as pro- :.
bitory statute was on the books. Z
5. / would be outspoken against a 4
" men, among the hundreds of thous- 4
DIS in Tennessee, taking the law into ?
cir hands and overriding and violat- y
g the law. n
6. | would insist upon peace officers, ,
urts and all in authority doing their y
act duty under the law; and If any G
CHI official felt that he could not or 4
'uld not, would insist that he resign Z
d let some one else take his place. )
w. G. M. THOMAS. &
Sept %. q
The question Of the constitufionalitv tf