The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-03-27

our ancestors. From such arrogation
Of power resulted the World war. 1t
is wrongful disregard of the rights
of the people, and it makes no differ
ence whether the matter be prohibl-
To my mind the Eighteenth amend
ton or any other issue.
ment has no place in our Constitution
which was never intended to limit the
rights of the people. Only powers es-
sentially necessary, and without which
it could not exist or function, were
delegated to the Central government.
| This limitation of power to the Nat
| ional Government is our constitution.
All other rights We're reserved to che
several states and the people. The
constitution of this country was not
intended to limit the rights of the
sovereign people, but was devised for
the protection of the people.
All principles of our government
of right, of law and equity are dis
,gardede by advocates of sumptuary
laws. The prohibitionist, taking adj
vantage of the World war, put into
our constitution a matter properly
belonging to the police powers of the
belonging 10 the pClice powers OF the
states
They have disregarded the right Of
the people and put into our constltu-
ton an iniquitous and Infamous prin-
Iciple. They have set at naught the
q m crarIc principl,- of the rule OF
the majority, and unless three-fourths
of the states demand the repeal of
the Eighteenth amendment it will re-
main in our constitution. Having done
this by ignoring the people and their
rights, as well as the rights of the
several states, they now gleefully chu
exile and say that prohibition is in the
Constitution to stay even unto the
last generation.
But my friends, whether you favor
prohibition or no, where is the sec
urity of the rights of the majority?
The moment you make impossible the
rule Of the majority, you begin to de
stroy our government. The rule of
the minority brought about the World
war and the French revolution. Ira
vesty on justice or right! While our
boys suffered in France and Siberia
o make the world safe tor demOc-
racy" the rule of the minority be-
comes grated into our very consti
tuition. For nothing short of the three
fourths of the states will permit
change of our law in matter which
should be dealt with in Statute Law.
| have never been a prohibitionist
t is true But PROHIBITION IL not he
issue We know not what next will be
put under the ban. 1t is the principle
that the American people must not
overlook.
In Michigan there was whiskey
rebellion the other dav. Very prom
pity and properly the government
despatched forces to enforce the law
The reports are that papers in the
Northwest may demand the like en-
forcement of the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth amacnHents. Is there not
danger to us in the South that the
over enthusiastic southern pre-
hibitionists for the rigid enforcement
of the Volstead act may result in re.
taliation by Michigan or some other
state in the east or middle-west?
Laws cannot change human nature
AS long as the Eighteenth amend
ment is part of our constitution |
shall advise it's respect. am law a
biding American citizen. do believe
HO"SNCi, LhdI q itDcI dl filJCI DIcGdLlOfl
should be put upon the questions of
what constitutes an Intoxicating liq-
uor. | believe honestly that the en-
forcement of the Volstead act is a
source of much unrest and discomfort.
/ no more believe that one man should
be deprived of his beer and wine than
that another should be forced to use
it. And finally believe that the poor
man and the rich man should be per-
mitted at his pleasure to use his
wine and beer.
Holding these views | believe it my
duty to ask you to grant my request
and hope that you will adopt re-
solution along the lines suggested and
that you will call upon all the other |
parishes to take similar action.
We should not instruct our delega-
ties to the San Francisco convention
for any candidate for president, but |
leave it to them to vote for a real |
one hundred percent American.
At the prouer time l shall submit
to the people my views on other vital
issues of the coming campaign from
the same broad standpoint of Amer
Respectfully, f. S. Broussard,