, 1879-03-19

wtth ncnn1:r5 Ut without, nut rcpurnnnt to tho
ConstItuttn, IN thuy ahalt jullRc to ln for tho
god % n,"l welfare Of tlm Connonwea1t', md Of
INC e1occ's " tl,'; sa.ne" Tln, Constitution
their exercise or onfor c'ntnt, This Is purely
legislative question, md The Iut,lc,ary-n CO.
ordinate branch oi the (ioyerntnent-cannotr re-
view tic acta OF tho Legislature unless eono
private right has been violated or principle OF
public policy invaded.
IL Is The universal rule that tho cxpedicncy OF
lnws I,av s1epeAl, In Tic Judgment Of ihr Irgts
iaturc. Upon tic conditions Tint may exist In
eoctety. md the views tllnt 1nny DO entertained
l1Y The people nyrF whom It. is to aet, mil there
Il Ioth!nE in tho Constitution which prohibits
tlIr Legislature from nsinH *"eh means rs they acc
prnprr for fl1e purpose Of nscertntninK what auct
conditions an! views fnay be- 1t may resort 10
anv sotlrrc of Information. II may cnlI the people
together to express their Views IN reference TO
thc cxpedltnry Hf u 'aw.-as to whether tl,e
popular sentiment IL such Is will ailmt Of It's
enforcement.
So loie ns 1t is The duty Of tie Legislature
(which ercrybody admits) to enact laws which
people, II must ah ought to be competent for
tlln Legislature to ndo,,t such measures "a they
decm pFgt'er for ascertatning tho wa.lts md
wishes o! the re,ttIe.
II Is wholly within the domain Of police power
for tlt Legislature to enact that III tsosc 1iun1c-
lpalitsca where n majority VI the citIzuns, Heu
.I''d wofnen, have said by their votes wu destre
that no licenses for tic sale y. Intoxicating
.s'AAS" "% .s'hI'4t !HtAo Nv llGCHsc nlii'll He
granted. In establishing the local gOvertl-
1ne1lt the power may, at tic discretion Df the
Legislature, bn lutgetl ln tho people 10 make
rifles Tor the regulation OF their Internal police,
by ihfir utrGvt ralo IN 1nss-nleetIn}, assembled,
or through tlraEnntc,l officials by themselves
duly electcd. 1t would, therefore. be Within
the province III tic Legislature To cnnfcr upun
city the right by majority vote Of lis t.ha1itts,
10 pass ordinances fH: tllu regulation or sslpprcs
sion Of tic retail trade III ardent spIrits."-
(AMerfcan LAW }0isuul, vol. Kill n nfu 81.
Again, the tirny to women the right to vote
upon this question dues not imply the right Of
tic Legislature to give thu ballot on general pt,.
lit3cal questions. The Wusnnn'k Cilristtan Tom
pcranee unton vi Illinois tlncs mt ask .lc bal.
lot on n,ly iskuc except iiu ONO involved In the
legitimate work Of It's society. It abks It IN
TINT issue, us an MD 10 1he surrcsa OF It's meth
DDS of mural su.stpn." The women work very
lnrGclr aiming The cllIldrcu HI,tl Youth Ok Tho
State: tlleY desire to sec these protcctril from
The temptations of tho LICENSED saipon; they dc
sire tllnt the many thousand men reformed
through their Gospel work shall lr sayrtl frum
lhrse temptations, They do mol cxncct that
any Legislation, however stringent, will takc
hway ,unn's aupctitc for fti.ouIants; neither
do they e1ncct Tint such legislation will entirely
supurcss lEn sale Of liquor; they TO expect am!
tlcBlre Tint which, in The language ii a great
statesman. is the end Of all penal lnw,-" to
tnaEv It tnr to DO wroiga an! casy to do right"
CEon the wisdom VI thctr work they invoke The
blessing Of God, the cons[lerntc Judgment Of
the people, Rlld quietly await tie q logic of
events" j. ELLEN Fos1ER.