The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-03-15

DelnB Hldue W pSCuiO 6ohe 49,
pliance with the law that requires
tie teaching of agriculture in the
public schools.
Reelfoot Lake.
We repeat our former platform
declaration that all private claims
to Reelfoot Lake should be extin
guished by the state, that no grant
or private rights therein to individu
ais should be allowed, and that II
should DO held by the public as
game and fish preserve.
The Divorce Evil.
Quoting from legislative mes
sage of the governor "One of the
greatest evils in Tennessee today is
the lax administration of liberal di-
vorce laws. This condition Is under
mining the social morals of the STATE
and converting marriage intoa mock
ely of temporary convenience
There is growing public senti-
nent in favor of the enactment Of
laws to diminish the divorce evil,
and we commend this vitality impor-
tant subject to the coreful consider
alton of the legislature.
We favor Q uniform divorce law
for all the states and the co-opera-
ton Of our state to this end.
Agriculture.
The agricultural interests Of Ten
nessee should receive intelligent aid
and encouragement from the state.
The present administration Is 10 be
congratulated upon the notable I'M
provement of the department of agri-
culture. The elimination Of super
Auous officials, the lesening of expen-
ditures. the increase of revenues, the
placing Of trained veterinarian in
stead of a politician in charge Of live
stock inspection, the establishment
of county demonstration farms and
the bringing of the department clos
er to the people by various methods
are all evidences Of progress.
indeterminate Sentence and Parole
System.
The indeterminate sentence law and
general parole system, so strongly
advocated by Governor Hooper
should be enacted by the next gener-
al assembly. This legislation is in
line with the best modern thought
on this subject, and Tennessee should
not continue to lag behind other en-
lightened states in the matter of pen
III reform.
We also endorse the plan advocat-
cd By the governor of devoting part
Of the earnings of the convicts to
the care and maintenance of those
dependent upon them, to the emf that
they may not become charges upon
public charity or be driven into
crime as the result of poverty and
neglect.
The Anti-SaIon Laws.
We declare our opposition to the
taking of any backward step in the
matter Of aLtisaloon legislation. We
favor the retention on the statute
books of the temperance laws now
written there as result of a thirty
year struggle between the people of
Tennessee and the whisky power.
The fact that these laws have been
by the weak and unfaithful
officials of three or four counties out
Of ninety-six affords no cause for dis
or despair to the strong
If heart and resolute of will The
man who would acknowledge defeat
Ind favor tie repeal of a righteous
law because of the temporary tri- |
unph of tie forces of vice and crime
n a few communities is either a pu-
ny Weakiing now or was a hypocrite |
when he favored the law.
We favor the enactment by the |
iext general assembly of such legis-
alton as will enable the state to as
'ert her sovereignty by preventing
lie operation of saloons in open vio-
alton of the state law.
A legal commission composed of
ome of the ablest lawyers of the
tate has declared the constitution
llity of such legislation and the COM
non sense and justice of it need the
upport OF no argument.
We call upon the United States
congress- for the enactment of law
orbidding the Interstate shipment OF
liquors into dry terrific
les.