The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1912-09-06
obeyed, and it was obeyed.
AGAINST WHISKY INTERESTS.

and defiant to the law. The time has
come when the test has to be made as to
the interest that has more to
do with destroying homes, breaking
hearts and the shedding of blood and
tears; the interests that fill the jails
and the asylums and furnish to the pen
itentiaries and to the gallows a large
number of victims year in and year out, |
shall be stronger and more powerful
than the State of Tennessee and her
laws.
g seek this opportunity of speaking
a few plain words to the people of Ten
nessee from heart warmed in love for
every man, woman and child in its bor-
ders. The recent convention at Nash
vile called to make platform for the
Democratic candidate for Governor to
run upon, he having been previously
nominated by primary election, adopt
ed a platform at late hour of the
night. Before entering upon the ques-
tion dividing the members-that is, the
whisky question the committee
on platform had reported to the con-
vention, full and complete platform of
itself was presented to the convention
and adopted unanimously and without
roll call. The whisky resolution, which
was afterwards introduced, was not
part of the original platform, the origin
al platform being signed by all the
members of the committee and was
practically unobiectionable. 1t treated
of the subjects of education, labor and
railroad legislation, including the anti
fellow servant law, Confederate pensions,
express companies, parole law for prison
ers, vital statistics, public health, agri-
culture, refunding of the debt, sinking
fund, State auditor, game and fish
preserve to be carved out of Reelfoot
Lake, corrupt practices act, back taxes
and current taxes, and other State ques-
tions.
After the adoption of the platform
covering all these questions, to which
there was no objection, separate paper
signed by three of the committeeman
known as the McAlister resolution was
then presented and motion made to so
amend the platform as to make it part
thereof. The discussion then began on
this supplementary resolution and was
not closed until long after midnight
KEEP WHISKY OUT OF POLITICS.
The vote was taken with many of
the delegates gone home and in num-
Der of instances not delegate was pres
ent from good sized country counties.
Il am asked on the beginning of this
canvass as to my position on this ad-
litional or supplementary resolution. 1t
S said that the liquor resolution was no
part of and had no connection with the
platform as originally adopted. This is
rue; it was only supplementary reso-
ution, introduced, debated and passed
long after the original platform had
'een passed unanimously. | evade no
question that the public has the right to
SIX, or any interest in knowing. say {
rankly to the people of Tennessee that t
n my Judgment the liquor question is !
loral and social one and, in the Ian ,
uage of Woodrow Wilson, is not sus- |
eptibe of being made part of a party i
olitical programme. c
The convention tha nominated /
.obert L. Taylor two years ago so I
the fact and placed a plank v
the platform to the effect that it was c
moral question, concerning which S
emocrats widely differed, and leaving a
le matter for the conscience of the n
gislator, under the directions of the v
eople who had elected him. This n
lestion has to be settled by the Legis- Il
ture after all. There is no way to ii
-ade it. The Governor has no vote in b
settlement and his veto can be over
led by the same number of votes in a
e Legislature that passed the act orig Il
ally. cC
is FOR M'MILLIN. q
L voted in the primary that nomi- al
tied McMillin, the Democratic candi- I
tie for Governor. He is a man of in al
gritty, honor and ability, that has in 81
e past served the State and the nation cs
III. Ny eonception of honor and duty
quires me AInder the circumstances to at
st my vote for him for Governor; but fo
repudiate the liquor resolution as not til
nding on me or my conscience or pl
anhood, and am after every man II