Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1917-01-26
ANTI-SHIPPING LAW
Gov. Rye Strong for Legislation
Making State Bone Dry

In his message to the legislature
last week Coy, Rye made the fol-
lowing statements on giving to the
state real, efectual prohibition:
The recent decision of the su-
preme court of the United States,
declaring the constitutionality of
the Webb-Kenyon act was, and is,
a cause of great rejoicing by all
good citizens, and especially by
every wife and mother in Tennes-
see. 1t is but the answering. of
the many feryent prayers, which
for years have been wearying
heavens throne day and night for
the emancipation of humanity from
the slavery of drink. 1t is the
harbinger of the day dawn OF
sober citizenship. A day when a
man shall walk erect with face tc-
ward God and heart and soul in
unison and sympathy with higher
and better citizenship. A day when
all shall rejoice in the fact that the
liquor traffic is really and truly
dead, for its hasty demise will in
evitably follow when once de-
prived of the protecting care and
jealous guardianship of interstate
laws, rules and regulations.
1T was, indeed, fortunate that
this decision should come at time
when your honorable body had as
sembled for the purpose of enact
ing laws for the good of the com
monwealth, and had before it Il
program Of immediate legislation,
prepared and approved by the
friends of law enforcement ard
temperance, with a view of remedy
ing existing defects in present
laws. This decision of the highest
tribunal in the land, in constituting
the West Virginia statute, which
forbids the transportation of in
toxicating liquors into the state by
public carriers, brings to your
door the much coveted power and
authority to protect your people
and compel respect and obedience
to your laws by simply decreeihg
that no Intoxicating liquors shall
be permitted to cross the borders
of your state.
by this decision the supreme
court has solemly declared against
the ancient rules of immunity I'm
der interstate laws from interior
ence on the part of the state.
with this authority as a beacon
light to guide us it affords me
pleasure, and | must admit, a de-
gree of satisfaction not heretofore
felt during my public career, to
commend that you enact a measure
forbidding the shipment of intoxi-
eating liquors, in any quantity,
into the state, to the end that we
may have the full benefit of all
this law can afford US.
IF the experiment proves q
failure, or Disappointing in its OPP
Grafton we can remedy the same,
but we can never know the bless
ings this law can bring to our peo-
pie until we have fully tried the
so far as | am concerned, [
have no fears of the result and am
not only willing to test the effects
of such Il law, believing that it
will bring untold blessings to orr
people, but am willing to assume
and bear my share of whatever
blame or responsibility may at
tach, no matter what the result or
consequence may be.
You have already shown a viii
lingness and desire to enact legis-
Iation needed to bring the bless
ings we claim will follow real pro-
now have the Oppor-
tunity to refute the charges of by
pocricy so often Haunted in the
faces of those who have labored
for the cause of temperance and
prohibition by enaeting law
which means real prohibition in
Tennessee.
Il congratulate you that the OPP
portunity is yours to here and now
put on the finishing touch aud
bring to full fruition the work on