Smyrna times., 1888-04-04
A Sharp Controversy.
A BRoADsIDE FOR GOVERNOR B1GGs.


To the Editor Of the Morning Neus
SIR: Some time since | received a
letter from the New York Tribune, re-
questing an expression of opinion on
the liquor laws of our State
The answers from different parties to
the prOpOunded queries are published
in the Morning NeUs of this date,
March 26. Among other letters is one
from Gov. B. 7. Biggs, of this State. in
which he declines to answer the ques-
tiOns, and thereby place himself upon
record. He respectfully refers the
Tribune to -. r. HOffecker, my oppO-
nent in the last campaign"
My object in writing is not to go into
a newspaper controversy. That is
something detest, but to ask of Gov
ernOr Biggs by what right does he re-
fer the editor of the Tribune to me
without my permission? l have been
taught that it is only polite and cOur-
teOus for one gentleman to ask permits
sion of another to saddle on a respOn-
sibilty that he himself is afraid to as
sumo, and in future | desire that Gov
ernor Biggs, when he wants me to an
swer questions for him, will do me the
favor, and himself the credit, to write
something in this wise:
Being afraid of my political pres
| tige, and afraid to put myself in Oppo-
sition to the liquor traffic, 1 respectful
ly refer, by permission, to J. r. HOf-
| fecker, who is man enough to espOuse
right principles and has the courage to
proclaim and uphold them, under any
and all circumstances"
am strongly of the opinion that the
honorable gentleman was inclined to
sneer at me for having been his Oppo-
nent during the last campaign. If so,
l would like him to remember that my
candidacy was not of my own choice
or seeking, as was his. 1t was forced
on me, not by a drunken rabble, but
by men true and fearless men who
uphold the right, because it is right /;
men who hold the welfare and rights
of their fellOw-men above the salary and
stealings of office; men who are too
democratic. in the true sense, to disfran-
chise their fellOw-men, thereby increas-
ing the taxes of others that they may
be kept in office; men who do not bow
at Gods altar and Partake of the holy
sacrament, and then go out into the
world and give cOuntenance to traffic
the most hellish; men who do not refuse
to do what in them lies, to repeal old
laws that are damning, laws that any
decent man is ashamed of. These arc
the kind of men that the Temperance
Reform Convention was composed OF
and 1, for one, am proud of being allieC
with such men.
The letters as published in to-day
issue are the sentiments of the writer
and their friends, who rise above sci
and would scorn to decline to answe
any question that is for the publ
good. 1 will close by asking, Is pub
, tic office public trust? Is the exec
. utive of a State or Nation elected 70
the benefit of SELF or for the benefit {
> the people over whom he is placed t
y execute the laws? If the latter, lie
him see something larger and create
- than the prOnoun 1, and try in tn
T. name of God and humanity, to ris
g above. fear and party trucculence an
4 strike for that for which women, Chi
|. dren, right and justice cry aloud.
q ]. r. HOFFECKER.
p AfikdIetOlDn, DEL, March 26, 1888.
- GOVERNOR BlGGS To j. X. II.
q We inquired of Gov. Biggs if he WI
,e going to reply to J. r. HOffecker's lie
-e ter in the Morning Ne'Os of yesterda
a He replied, " No siT-I neUeT fish !
~ rainnOaOs." The letter created no lit
= surprise, and was the subject of mu'
n comment around town during the e
- tire day. Many expressed themselv
n as thinking the effusiOn entirely U
called for. and "beneath the notice
the Governor. - dLetOlUn NeIO EI
", J. R. HoFFEcKER TO GOV. BIGGs.
he TO the Editor ofge Morning NeiOs.
SIR: If YOU will give me a little
vour valuable space, will promise l
nm fo intrude largely upon it. do I
read the NesU Era of MiddletOwn.
I'm nsed TO. but though it costs but 9
dollar per wear 1 thought that was
am least four times its value, and stOpI
nv subscription. Now the edl
am wants to take up the cudgei agar
me. He says he inquired OF cove
m. or Biggs if he was going to reply 70
r. Hofecker's letter in the MoTn
de. Nel0s. He replied, NO SIT ne
fish for minnOws.'
1R Now. all i Wlsn 10 say W ShO @'0'O
,ar, ia 90 lie down and behave yours,
and do not always bark, even vi
ard vour master bids you. And 70
Governor, is it not strange that
ev- aid mot think before you took occcai
IN slur at me in your letter TO the !
Work Tribune, what kind Of fish
nee would be likely TO catch when you
NV a hook baited with a slurf is IL
~ strange that big fisherman IKE y
bra- self would even trife with q min
like me? Most strange, indeeo.
ire Rut sometimes a minnow may
ruo0le as to dispel the most assu
tor sicllv smile from the phiz OF even
"p9' And Il occasionally happens that
1os minnow is at the pole end instead I
'A the hook and that is the case nov
.reu If gentlemen will refrain from
der, mo their tongues around my nan
Is we'll; If not, we Will enoeaVOi "
lick. tie face to face. rrov.v,,v,
ri0u Ar;ddIatoUn, DEL, March 80, 1850
Evan
II. ~, xxro-oan,s Congress should