Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-10-24
"some Of the Independent Democrats

arranged that these national matters
should be disposed OF without commit
ting or obligating anybody as to State
matters. The work of the national CON
vention is now ended, and we are ready
to turn our attention To state issues,
and wage vigorous and uncompromis'
ing fight in the interest Of the sanctity
OF law and common deceney in public
life.
In matters pertaining to State issues
we recommend that all necessary steps
be taken to bring about the election OF
men to the Legislature who are known
for their character and integrity, and
who stand first for the sanetity OF the
law ana it's enforcement.
I'VE believe that no surrender should
be made to the liquor interests of the
larger cities, and that men should be
elected to the Legislature who will stand
by the platforms ana follow the instrue-
tions of their constituency
THE liquor interests have not waited
to find out what the platform Is to be
before filling the field with candidates
for the Senate and House pledged to
the repeal of the statewide law. They
either know in advance what the plat
form will be, or else expect to disre-
gard it.
Unless we desire to take a backward
step, the question of law enforcement
and honest elections is the paramount
issue in Tennessee this year. There
should be no politics involved in this
question, and will not unless some party
tacitly or expressly stanus for the null
LITIGATION of the law.
Every citizen of the state should
stand for law enforcement and the pur-
ity of the ballot.
"There are thousands of Independent
Democrats IN the State who could not
be induced to enter the August primary.
With the entire machinery OF the prim-
airy in the hands of those who are I'M
friendly to the four-mile law and the
election laws, and with no candidate
running before the said primary who is
in accord with Independent Democrats
on these questions, it is not strange that
our friends should refrain from entering
the primary. At the time the primary is
to be held, the platform is yet to be
made, and it is foregone conclusion
that this platform when made will be
dictated by the enemies of the four-mlle
law and honest elections.
in the selection of candidates for
the Legislature, the conditions prevail
ing in the various counties and districts
are best understood by those living in
the respective county or district affected.
There should, in our opinion, be local
organization in each county, or district,
to deal with usch conditions as are found
to exist there.
"Some of the Democratic candidates
for the office of governor who are offer
ing for the nomination in the August
PRIMARIES have declafed their policies on
the liquor question SO far as reported,
with one exception, they are in favor OF
repeating the four-mile law as applied to
the large cities.
I'VE take the position that all the
voters of the State, white and black,
have already settled this question in so
far as legislation is concerned A white
Legislature, elected by all the voters,
passed what is known as the four.mile
law in 1909. 1t was passed by major
ity of both the Senate and House, and
it was supported by majority of the
Democrats in both houses.
This question was also passed upon
by the voters of the State in the cleo
ton of Governor in November, 1910.
We insist, therefore that the voters of
the State have already settled this ques-
ton, and, in spite of the liquor interest
and their friends, both black and white,
the voters of Tennessee will prove that
1T can be enforced.
"The objection to the enforcement of
the four-mile law on the part of the
liquor dealers and the public officials
who serve them is not that it was passed
by the colored voters of the State, but
that it was forced upon the large cities
by the State at large, and to have the
white ovters of the State at large pass
on it the unwilling cities would not an
swer the only objection urged by those
who violate the law, and those who pro-
tect the violators of the law.
"The impracticability of this PROPOSE
ton is further apparent when it is con-
sidered that there is not the remotest
possibility of it's adoption by the con-
vention of August IS, ana, therefore, no
possibility of such an act of submission
being passed by the Legislature. 1t must
also be remembered that the colored vote
sought to be excluded by this proposition
would participate in the election of mem
oers Of the Legislature. But, towering
above all these insuperable objections,
the most fatal one is this: The whisky
people would have everything to gain
and nothing to lose by such proceeding,
except the corruption funds they would
spend in such an election. If they won,
the legalized saloon would be restored
if they lost, the Illegal saloon would still
exist, and we would be compelled then,
as now, to devise and enact additional
legislation to secure the enforcement of
the four-mile law in the cities.
SurrenGering to Saloon.
"In other words, we must either en-
force the law or surrender to the saloons.
This question should not be further
agitatcd, nor shouldn't be referred to
the white voters of the State, forI they
have already spoken. The work before
us now is to elect Legislature that
will give us sucn additional legislation
as will enable the State to enforce its
laws in the cities.
''The order to secure the election of
such Legislature as will remain the
same kind of Democrats throughout the
entire term, we recommend the estab-
lishment and maintenance of headquar-
tiers at Nashville, and the selection of