The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-12-19
UPON WHAT DOTH II FEED,

With all the zeal of new convert
the Nashville Banner arrogates to 1t.
self the high privilege of determining
who shall and who shall not be ad-
nitted to the holy of holes of prohi-
bition. All unconscious OF the humor
Of the situation that paper assumes
the right to cast into outer darkness
MI Of the battle SCARED veterans of
that long and bitter contest who will
not now crown it the lord of all pro-
hibitionists. 1t undertakes to decide
who is going to abandon the cause
and who is of the faithful.
From the present attitude of the
Nashville Banner, one not familiar
with the political history of Tonnes
see would at once conclude that it
was the riginal of all the prohibitions
lists, Mr.. Dow and Miss Willard and
'Sawney" Webb being comparatively
recent converts to that cause. And
yet a proper regard for the truth COM
Dels us to dispel this allusion and to
call attention to the fact that aside
from M r. Patterson the Nashville
Banner is just about the newest con-
vert to prohibition of Importance in
the state.
Until long after the prohibition
laws, the product Of the sacrifices and
the struggles Of heroic men and de-
voted women, had been written upon
the statute books of Tennessee, the
Banner never once lifted its voice in
Avor Of prohibition Never did II
encourage the battle scared veterans
Who, through long weary years Of
self-sacrifice and devotion, struggled
to make Tennessee's flag a stainless
enc. It contributed nothing to the
organization Of the great Legislature
sf 1903. the last controlled absolute
~ by the forces OF good government.
the legislature that outlawed the II
quor traffic In Tennessee and by the
enactment Of an honest election law
paved the way for the destruction OF
the most constituencies and vicious
oolitical machine that ever cursed
any state in the Union. All this
time the Banner was either silent or
swing encouragement to the enemy
BY talking about the beauties oe
segregation and high license. Only
two years ago in the Nashville NUM-
eipal campaign the owner Of the
Nashville Banner promised that he
would use his influence with the
legislature for modification OF the
prohibition laws for the cities. II the
people would only elect mayor who
would enforce the laws.
The first challenge ever delivered
to the organized liquor forces in
Tennessee by chosen leader of the
people, by one who had been elected
to high Office. was in 1906 when, In
his opening speech for reelection to
the Senate Of the United States, the
late Edward Ward Carmack, declar-
ed that II the liquor forces should
accomplish his defeat, 1t would be
his next ambition to be "the very
last man who should ever be defeat
ed In Tennessee by the liquor inter-
ests." And that ambition was real
ixed. 1t is true that he was again
defeated for Office by this interest
but no candidate for state office in
Tennessee has since been defeated
by this damnable, interest. Where
was the Banner. however, in that
contest? Did it speak one word to
encourage the man who had the
courage and the manhood and the
patriotism to challenge the interest
when its word was law: when its fat
was an imperial decree?
Again where was the Banner when
IN 1908, Edward Ward Carmack sum-
naoned the manhood OF Tennessee to
meet in one great pitched battle the
cohorts OF evil and the forces Of II.
quor and drive them from the bord-
ers Of the state? Not one word Of
encouragement did It give the veter-
ana who followed the banner Of their
great leader and wsged that; the
ncblest and the nesf unequal pods
cal eontsst ever fought IN the srssa
81 free state. Ana after his pec.
sonal defeat for governor CarmaSk
asAin rallied the forces Of good gov.
eminent for ANAL battle and under
his invincible Leadership . isgisaar
ture was elected that forever basisA,
cd the liquor trafic from the borders
Of our fair state. He paid the price
81 that victory with his life's blood,
but the bullet that ended the life Of
this matchless leader sealed the
doom of the liquor traffic In Tennes,
coo Wharo uao fha p.rnn- 49,