The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-04-23
For Tax Assessor.
National Prohibition.

President Woodrow Wilson has mad
it plain, according to the newspaper re
ports, that he will not indorse nationa
prohibition. He stands by his utter
ances in the Shannon letter of 1911
which are as follows;
80 far as l am concerned can never
consent to have the question of loca
option made an issue between the pollt'
ical parties in this State. "
It's said that the President still favors
local option to be left with the people OIL
the States as moral and not polit-
ical issue.
So, State-widers and those who favor
a national amendment to the Constitu-
ton of the United States prohibiting
the manufacture and sale of intoxicating
liquors may know what to depend on.
Some years ago the conclusion was
reached that local option is the defense
of the distiller, the manufacturer, brew
er and saloonist, in other words, the
Model License League. 1t has been
decided by those who have conducted
the temperance cause for years that
local option does not further the cause
of prohibition, and more recently is
made the grounds of opposition by those
who oppose prohibition.
The Commercial wants to state I'M
equivocally that it favors national pro-
hibition. Prohibition is now political
issue, and no remarks the President can
make will discharge that fact, however
much be may wish it.
There will be no effort, we believe,
by Democrats, to oppose the nomina-
ton of the President for a second term
on account of his prohibition views, but
there are very good chances that he
must consent to run on a national pro-
hibition platform.
There is no use under the sun to con-
tinue the old stock argument that pro-
hibition is merely Sumptuary legisla-
ton and that it must not enter politics.
That day is passed. Many leading think
ers and men of liberal thought have
long ago abandoned that position. The
saloon traffic is crime and must be
treated as crime with penal legislation.
1t is crime that States cannot cope
with and therefore must be subject of
constitutional authority by the United
States Government.
Secretary Bryan, who has more than
any other man in America penetrated |
the future OF American politics, and
espoused those issues which have be-
come so popular with the masses to-
day, is championing the cause of ma
tional prohibition. He is the one man |
in America who has lived to see bis |
causes triumph. For twenty-five years
Mr.. Bryan has been fighting the battles
OF the people, an exponent of the prin-
ciples of true Democracy. President
Wilson is living example of his prod
uct. Mr.. Bryan was the author of Mr..
Wilson's platform in 1912, and it was
IN that convention that he defied the
combined forces in the party who had
persistently tried to destroy its tradi-
ditions and principles. He won, and
with national prohibition he will win
again, perhaps not in the next conven-
ton, but il he lives many more years
he will win as sure as the sun shines
and lights the world.
The people have issued an edict that
the liquor traffic must go, and it is not
matter of doubtful proportions but a
peremptory demand.
Therefore the politician who tries to
temporize with the question had better
take another look at the future and gov
ern his actions accordingly.