The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1914-06-19
A SILLY CONTENTION.


A SILLY CONTENTION.
About the most asiAine contentio
made so far this campaign is tn
claim that the because the democra
&c platform refers to the prohibition
OF the liquor traffic as Temperance
laws, it does not mean what 1t says
In other words supporters of Hope
are contending that Temperate doe
not mean prohibition in Tennessee
that the former means drinking II
moderation while the latter is reQuir
ed as term 20 express complete OF
position to the liquor traffic.
If the Hooper organs have no bet
ter indictment than this to wage
against the democratic platform ant
candidate they might just as vel
confess defeat now. in all the Ions
and bitter fight TO rid this state Of
the saloon Temperance" and not
prohibition" has been the term uset
generally by the forces Of good gov
eminent. They have become syno
nyms in the political history of the
state.
Hooper was nominated first time
by the republican state convention IN
August, 1910. His platform was gen
orally understood to be complete
endorsement Of the state wide prohi
bition laws of 1909, out the ninth ar
ticle Id the platform adopted, that
dealing with the liquor question, does
not use the word prohibition" The
platform upon this point says;
"Sec. 9. We reafirm the declara-
tions of the republican party Of Ten
nessee and pledge no backward step
upon the subject of temperance and
in opposition to the open saloon"
Then follows an arraignment OF the
democratic party tor failure 10 en-
force the temperance laws.
No votes will be made FIR Hooper
in Maury county by a silly play upon
the words Temperance" and 'prohi-
bition' for here they are taken as
meaning the same thing. For exam
ple. in the county democratic inde-
nendent committees call for the leg
islatiye convention of 1912 all demo
Gratis who are opposed to the repeal
of the temperance laws and the pres
ent honest election laws and to the
election of M. K. Patterson to the
United States senate, are invited TO
attend" Again when the convention
met to nominate candidates for the
general assembly it adopted plat
form Of some length, Upon the l9uor
nuestion saying: 1--WE are unaltera-
bly, opposed to the repeal OF the tenn
perance laws" Every man in the
every voter in Maury
county, understood that this decIara-
ton pledged the legislative nominees
to vote against any repeal OF the
state wide prohibition laws and upon
that declaration they were elected py
over 600 majority.
Probably the greatest temperance
organization, or more properly SPEAK
ing. the greatest agency for the pro-
ffbition of the liquor traffic in all the
whole world is the "Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union" 1t IL pio-
neer in the cause. 1t commenced to
light the liquor power when the pros
pect was anything but pleasing;
when all newspapers, save avery Few
accepted liquor advertisements; when
4 required some courage to blaze
the way to better things. 1t Will De
4 genuine surprise, no doubt, to the
noble women of this devoted band
when they find out that after allsthey
ire not the incorporating foe OF
The liquor power and traffic because 1t I
q the "Woman's Christian Temper
,nce' Union and not the "Woman's
Prohibition Union" Away with such
rot. Let's fight the battle OF 1914
By an appeal to reason.