Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-31

sought and obtained the law through
its representatives in the Legislature
when a majority of the people to be
affected demanded it. The principle
of "Home Rule" or local self-govern-
ment, was applied to it throughout.
1t was through this principle in the
earlier stages of the four-mile law
that the small counties excluded whis-
key from their borders, even when a
majority of the counties opposed ex-
GLIDING it. Eminent success attend
ed it. From ninety-two of the ninety
six counties the sale of intoxicants
was excluded. The people were con-
tent and the enforcement of the law
an eminent success.
Then jealous advocates came for
ward and urged the extension of pro-
hibition to those four cities that did
not want it and had not applied for it.
They succeeded. believe it 9Oil not
be disputed that since that the 10orst
conditions knOlOn in large cities thus
affected haze eriSted. 1t is q con-
dition that requires to be remedied.
Omen ViOldtion of the LdlO is seen on
every hand. Segregation and control
haze fallen before it. High license
has been succeeded in many cases By
no revenue, but the sales haze gone on.
Over the question political dissen-
sions arose. From a non-political it
was made a political question, and the
Democratic party divided on it, which
resulted in delivering the State over
to the Republican party and a Re-
r,Yh1ioop Enyya1noI. Fpron ond
United States Senator. liter three
fOurths of Coz. Hooper's term has er-
pired 1Ue find that he, like his prede-
cessor, has been unable to control the
traffic and enforce the LGU.
At last the warning factions of the
Democratic party saw nothing was to
be gained by further dissensions. The
two committees held a number of
meetings to harmonic differences,
and finally succeeded. Both wings
agreed to dispense with their exec
utive committees, and on Aug. l lay
the foundation for selecting a new
one in their stead, which should rep
resent the reunited party. In the
same primary the people themselves
elected delegates to a Democratic
State Convention, who made the plat
form for the party on this and all
other questions.
The rule adopted at the Baltimore
Convention prevailed here-nominat-
ing the candidate first and then max
ing the platform. 1t is the first time
in the history of any party in the
State that the people have taken the
matter entirely into their own hands
by electing all of the delegates by
popular vote. The agitation, discus
sion, pickering, strife and discussions
have gone on long enough to enable
the people to know what they want
and what is best for the State. Six
years of such strife as we have had
should shed light on it.
Whatever others may do, abide
their decision and settlement and stand
on the platform they have adopt
ed. l believe that after years of re-
Election and discussion, the aggregate
wisdom of all is greater than that
of any one man, and that their de-
cisions should be accepted as final. |
Discussions in the State should cease;
chickering's should end; strife should
give place to concord.
We have had one Democratic and
one Republican administration deal
ing with this question in the large
cities for the last four years, and each
has failed under the present law.
Therefore, it cannot be attributed to
partisanship or to want of disposition
on account of partisanship to enforce
the law. 1t having thus failed in the
large cities during all the years these
laws have existed, and the situation
continually growing worse, it be-
hOoves US to look for some means of
law enforcement more efficient than
the present. There is no doubt in my
mind but that the sale of whisky can
and should be more effectually con-
trolled than it is now.
There has mever been in the State,
since the Four-Mile LaW 1Uas passed,
such q state of affairs as aUe haze to-
day. As long as we adhered steadily
to the principle of local control or
"home rule" which allowed each COM
munity to dispense with whisky when
it wished, the cause of temperance
flourished. Under this, traffic in
spirits was dispensed with in ninety
three of the ninety-six counties, and
in all the territory in the remaining
four counties except about thirty
square miles. And in these counties
segregation was applied and whisky
sales curtailed. Then, not satisfied
with the marvellous success that had
been achieved, this policy was aban-
doned and statutory prohibition SUBJ
stituted for it. l ask any fair
minded man to answer, what has been
the result of the change? Has it been
satisfactory? Are you content that
this condition shall continue? Is this
the goal for which you have strug-
gled? If so, you are easily satisfied.
Instead of segregated cities, where
sales can be made only in a small
area, as was the case formerly, what
do you behold? In the cities more
open saloons than ever seen before. !
In the smaller cities and towns more {
bootlegging than ever before. Through ,
out the State more government Ii
censes than ever. One of the Ten
nessee papers recently published list
of licenses issued by the Government
now in force outside the cities. 1t is
in the States history.