The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1912-08-23

Although there was no regular meet
ing of the convention at the auditorium
during the afternoon, there was no
dearth of excitement, nd oratory
flowed in abundance. The particular
features of the afternoon were the ap-
pearance of and address of Ex-Governor
Malcom r. Patterson, the two-hour
speech of Frank P. Bond and the mas
terful address of Judge Joseph E. Jones,
of Union City, in the defense Of clean
government and law enforcement. The
latter's speech was an impromptu one,
and was called forth by the speech of
Mr.. Bond, who wanted liquor plank
in the platform. Judge Jones said that
like Governor Wilson, he believed that
the liquor question was social and a
moral one, and that it should have moth
ing to do with Democratic platform.
He said that unlike the other speakers
of the day who hailed from the larger
cities he came from the country.
The people up my way" !" said Judge
Jones, are not willing to have Frank
P. Bond, attorney for the liquor inter
ests, or any other person shove whis-
key plank down their throats They
have been taught the evils of liquor
since their childhood, and no argument
on the top side of the earth can change
their conscientious views on the sub
ject.
Two years ago" said Judge Jones,
the Democratic platform held that this
question was a moral and not political
one, and had no place in party plat
form. This was good enough for the
followers of Bob Taylor at this time.
What meat has Caesar eaten since then
to make him change his mind?"
Judge Jones did not mince his words
in arraigning the lawless conditions ex-
isting in the large cities of the State.
when county and city officials hold
up their right hands and swear to en-
force every law on the statute books re-
gardless of their likes and dislikes, and
then never lift hand to aid in that en-
forcement, they are hypocrites indeed
to come into the presence of decent men
and say that the laws ought to be re-
pealed because, forsooth, lot of bull
necked, white-aproned bartenders, who
respect no law, want them repealed. If,
as they argue, the law ought not to be
enforced because it was passed by a
fusion Legislature, then we are bound
to drift into anarchy, because in time
citizens might, with equal consistency,
refuse to obey any laws, no matter how
legally placed on the statute books,
simply because Republican or Demo-
cratic Legislature passed them. And
the Republicans in their turn might
refuse to obey any laws passed by a
Democratic Legislature. l tell you, gen.
tlemen, no matter how bad law is,
there is no excuse for officials who have
sworn to enforce them to throw up their
hands and make no attempt to do so.
The speech of Judge Jones took the
by storm. 1t was a nervy {
step for him to take, following, as he {
did, Gov. Patterson, Mr.. Bond and
Frank Garden, all advocating local s
option plank. AT first it appeared that
he delegates were not with him, but as i
ne struck blow after blow straight from c
he shoulder, and the plain, common a
sense of his remarks struck home, the
delegates gave him great demonstra t
ion. Towards the last of his speech Z
ome of the opposition delegates who S
we're wincing under the singing words,
tarted to hoot the speaker down. Just
me more word," said Judge Jones, in i.
answer to the jeers. The King of :,
England once had some jackasses who
,rayed so loud that the people couldn't :,
lear the king speak. I will now turn !,
his convention over to the jackasses. /" : :.
Laughter and applause.) :
NATIONAL PLATFORM INDoRsED. ii
The following is the platform: a
The duly elected representatives of b
be Democracy of Tennessee, in State te
assembled, hereby heartily St
atify and indorse the great national RI
latform promulgated by our party at b
le national convention in Baltimore; al
nd we hereby heartily pledge to our N
ominees, Woodrow Wilson and Thos. er
:. Marshall, our sincere, enthusiastic IL
nd unqualified support. tr
''The forces of organized greed and Ell
,lfishness SO long pent up in the Re- a
nblican party have burst their bonds Ell
'under, and the so-ealled grand old to
-. - - :. A. <1.,ss...7.....iA u - Ia .