Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-15

" uc, III TIC eolIhdlioh VI SlSal idW'
yers, the only disease-breeding com.
modify that can have no restriction pu
upon 1t.
They had trouble in ancient times iI
regulating this same commodity, per.
sonified into Bacchus with such un-
usual power that ne oyercame all re-
straints by changing men that stood
in his way into fowls, fish, or animals
according to his whim. Modern SOW
ereignty, 1t seems to me, works the
same trick by changing the meaning
Of very simple words. Even statesmen
and chemists of the United States can
not tell what whisky Is. In my boy
hood, whisky had no restriction upon
1t whatever. 1t was sold at ten cents
gallon anywhere-on the public high
way, at camp meetings; and any illit-
crate plowboy could tell what whisky
was. Now that whisky Is so disguised
with Indian hemp, buckeye, mountain
ivy, poison oak, sulphuric acid, chloral
and other poisons, / do not wonder that
its definition involves problems toe
complex for great statesmen and chem
lists.
While our temperance laws in Ten
nessee are reasonably enforced in al
least eighty per cent OF the population
and ninety-five per cent Of the area,
we are greatly hampered by the action
Of the Federal government In protect
ing under the interstate commerce
law the shipment Of liquor We do not
ask the government to asst us in the
enforcement of our temperance laws
but we do ask that when the liquor
crosses the state line 1t shall become
subject to the laws Of our own COM
monwealth. We do ask that you leave
in our hands consignments Of liquor
after they come within our boundaries.
The state Of Tennessee has long passed
her majority and Is clothed and in her
right mind. She thinks she, or
ground, knows her people after more
than q century of acquaintance better
than the general government can
know them, and asks that her discre-
ton on this great question be supreme
She will be wise in the use Of this dis
cretion. She can discriminate between
a proper consignment and one that Is
designed for a lawless purpose.
Mr. President, 1t is wrong for this
great government, the strongest In the
world, to force this Pandora's box on
our people.
Tennessee's yeomanry in the days Of
the Revolution, at Kings Mountain
living on parched corn. turned the tide
Of disaster and made this great govern
ment a possibility. Our Incompatible
Andrew Jackson, with Tennessee
army at New Orleans In the War OF
1912, won imperishable glory for this
nation. In the Civil war, Tennessee
furnished great army on the side OF
the Union. The Republican party OF
our state, largely composed Of old Fed
eral soldiers and their descendants
have united hands and hearts with the
old Confederate veterans and their
descendants, who constitute the very
backbone Of Democracy. in support OF
this bill. and ask you simply to with
draw your protection from interstate
consignments Of liquor. We simply ask
you not to give your protection to that
lawless gang who, armed with your IL
cense, nullify the laws Of the great
state Of Tennessee. Andrew Jackon, OF
Tennessee, twice president Of the Unit
ed States, has some reputation on null
LITIGATION. When he was your executive
he did not allow your laws to be nulli-
fed. We ask you toCay to pass this
Kenyon Sheppard bill, that you, the
senators Of the United States, may not
by your votes nullify the laws Of the
great commonwealth OF Tennessee, the
home Of Andrew Jackson.
In reaching the conclusion that 1t was
easier for people to do right without
than with saloons, Tennesseeans were
following illustrious precedents. Many
states of this great country preceded
them in adopting this policy. North
Carolina, her mother, had set the ex-
ample. Tennesseeans, proud Of their
ancestry, love to follow where her
mother leads.
This body Of senator's, the greatest
lawgivers in history, with the cooper
oF f1a nrona1o6 nC
Every refreshment known to man, eX-
cept intoxicating beverages, can be pur-
chased in this capital. You said to the
civilized world, by excluding liquor
from the capital of this great country
1t is easier to be efficient Legislators
without than with intoxicating liquors
easily accessible to you.
you senators can do your work bet
ter without an easily accessible drink
stand, how about indiscreet youth and
the great masses Of "he plain laborers
of our country? Tennessee congratu-
lates you on this right course in the
capital, and would not force upon you
different policy II she could. Is 1t not
in good form in this chamber to quote
from Him who is the truth, the life
the way Of nations as well as individu-
ais, from Him who is the author of al
good and whose precepts lie at the very
| foundation Of all progressive civiliza
tion, on whose birth history pivots 1t.
self: do unto others as ye would
| that others do unto you?" If mankind
could only even approach this ideal. Il
would solve the most complex problems
Of modern civilization, both nationa
and individual.
Do not protect by your law of inter.
state commerce those who violate oul
laws. It is wrong to force this upon us
We are following your illustrious ex'
ample, senator's You taught us the
way to make it easier to do right. /
is wrong to thrust us back when We
are simply walking in your footsteps
| To give our state control OF consign
ments Of liquor when they cross tn
state line to within our jurisdiction l:
no precedent for other consionments o
other commodities. You yourselves
have set the example Of making liquo
different from other commodities. Yo'
have excluded liquor. and liquor alon'
from this great capital This, In you
estimation, set 1t apart as dineren
from other commodities. The produce
OF liquor is not permitted by law t
/ control or even have access to his owl
product except in the presence of you
officers. No other product of man ma
such a brand Of distrust upon 1t an
its producer. 1t Is positive wrong ant
a positive discourtesy for you by you
licenses and your protection of liquo
to nullify our laws by your method
regulating interstate commerce.
Your quarantine stations in protect
ing the people against contagious dis
eases confine the citizens themselves
regardless of their convenience, liber
ties, or comfort, and exclude then
from access to their own homes ant
loved ones to prevent disease. You ar
right in this Liquor kills more peopl
than all wars and pestilences and fam
ines and earthquakes combined. Ye
this commodity more deadly than al
diseases combined, has right Of wa.
into the heart Of sovereign state Il
spite Of the wishes Of its people.
| I am gratefully gratified today that
stand on state rights with the senator
of Kansas. Kansas has made heroi
fight against the greatest evil know
to man. Her leadership thrills my SOU
I am proud to follow on this, the great
est problem of civilization, where Kan
sas leads. have not always stood wit
Kansas on state rights. ] bear on m.
body scars, but none on my heart, be
cause fifty years ago I differed witt
Kansas on this great question. 1t is
happy omen that the bill bears tn