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Sale 2
Lot 155
Taft, William Howard. Taft letters simply don't get better than this!. 27th President of the United States, 1909-1913.
Typed Letter Signed as Supreme Court Justice. Two pages, quarto, on separate leaves, with a three line holograph note, on Supreme Court letterhead, Washington DC, December 22, 1923. Interesting, lengthy Taft letter giving his informal opinion as to whether or not a particluar modification of the Volstead Law would be a violation of the 18th Amendment prohibiting liquor. Taft discusses his opposition to prohibition, but gives his reasons for enforcing it. He also explains his philosophy as to why members of private drinking clubs such as the Molly Pitcher club are either disloyal to their government, or don't have enough sense to cast a ballot. To Gertrude Ely, a close friend. In full:
"I share your impatience and amusement at such a Club as the Molly Pitcher Club. Of course you would not expect me to give you an opinion as to whether a modification of the Volstead law, to allow the sale of light wines and beer, would be a violation of the 18th Amendment, but I can express my opinion as an American citizen, that such a modification of it would nullify the practical effectiveness of the law and the amendment. The truth is that what these people are trying to do is to nullify the amendment. They say they are opposed to saloons but that they want a moderate limitation. What they really want is an opportunity to drink and to entertain others with drink, and all these suggestions are the conscious or unconacious outgrowth of that desire. I was opposed very much to prohibition because of the difficulties of its enforcement, and I utterly deny the principle that the drinking of whisky or wine or beer is in itself, aside from the law, immoral; and thereforce I was opposed to actual prohibition and preferred some other method of limiting the evils of the excessive use, but the people of the United States differed from me and amended the Constitution and made this law. Now I believe in popular government, and the only method by which popular government can be made useful and effective is that when one is beaten at the polls or in the Legislature, to bow to the result and lend all his efforts to the maintenance of the dignity of law and the preservation of its strenght, else we shall have demoralization of all law, and that means anarchy. The attitude of people like those who join the Molly Pitcher Club, and others in New York with whom I am famililar, and some of whom are members of my family, is that all laws should be enforced except those which affect their comfort and convenience and tastes, and as to those evasion is justifiable. Well of course such an attitude is utterly indefensible and if encouraged and successful means an end to useful popular government, and their attitude, if consciously assumed, shows that they are not loyal to the Goverment, and if unconsciously assumed shows that they haven't sense enough intelligentely to cast a ballot, or at least it shows, to use a colloquial expression, that they have another "think" coming and that it had better come pretty quick. Now, my dear Gertrude, I don't write this for publication, because I am on the Bench, but you asked my views and I have given them to you. Affectionatley yours, Wm H Taft." Taft then in his hand writes "We were delighted with your visit. Come often and shake up our dry bones."
Fine.
Estimated Value $2,500-UP.
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