The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-04-19
LAW v|OLATORS IN
WEST TENNESSEE
feel LAWS HAND
suPr. HAMILTON, OF ANTLsA-
LOON LEAGUE Is BACK
FROM TRIP.
SAYS OFFICIALS ARE BUSY
Judges, Attorneys General and All
Court OFFICIALS Pushing Bootiegvers
to the WaIi-Wealthy Men Con-
victed in Some Instances.


ilton, state superintendent of the
Tennessee anti-saloon league, has
Just returned from trip to West
Tennessee, where he has been look
ing over the temperance situation.
He states that he Is well pleased with
the action of the county officials, and
thai the Jaw violators are being hard
hit. In speaking Of his trip, Superin-
tendent Hamilton said Thursday.
"Since the great anti-saloon league
day at Jackson on Sunday, March "a.
and the organization Of determined
law enforcement legue in that city.
the 80 called soft drink stands and
liquor dealers are being hard hit. A
number of arrests have followed, and
the dealers are being tried in magis-
trates courts and bound over under
bond to await the Sction of the May
term of the criminal court. Some Of
the dealers for whom warrants were
sworn out have taken flight.
1.-THE Jackson Sun reports that ar
res,s for drunkenness have fallen of
rs per cent since this law enforce
ment campaign was inaugurated. In
many sections of West Tennessee the
judges and attorneys general are TAX
ing hold of the matter Of enforcing
the four mile law with renewed vigor
and determination.
Judge Joseph E. Jone and Attor-
ney general d. J. Caldwell are max
ing it hard on the violators in their
district. At Dyersburg at the recent
term of the court it was reported that
they mad the Jail full of bootleggers.
At Brownsville, Haywood county,
Judge HARDWOOD and Attorney General
Rye have convicted the violators Of
the tour mile law to such an extent
that it has revolutionized the whole
county. Men reported to be worth
many thousands of dollars have been
convicted and put on the road. II the
judges and attorneys general in the
entire state would do their sworn du-
ty within twelve months the cry that
tae law cannot be enforced would be
no longer heard
How long will the people of Ten
nesseo stand for the condition that
exists in the criminal court at Nash
vile is one of the burning questions.
The people of the state are beginning
to understand why the four mile law
Is not being enforced in the large
cities and that officials whose sworn
duty 1t is to enforce the law are using
theii official positions to protect law
yiOiators rather than to punish them
A prominent high court official re-
marked few days ago that IL the
pastors of the leading churches of
Nashville were found drunk on the
streets of Nashville that it would not
have more demoralizing effect on
the community than the action of
some of the judges of our courts in
their failure to do their sworn duty
in upholding the majesty of the law.
THE question before the people of
Tennessee now is, shall law be SUI
prelle and rule, or shall the liquor
interests and other law yiolators con-
irol our courts and continue to tram
pie law underfoot? The war is on
and the law abiding people of the
state are being thoroughly aroused
to the Importance of driving this law
less element from our cities"