Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-04-08
The Ugh License Ell.
lCoMMuNIcATRn.l

The High License bill, which has been
postponed I'LL next Wednesday, appears
70 have large number OF supporters.
WIN not this tend 10 bring the membere
OF the Legislature to the conclu ion that
tins question has but one sldcf Since
neither the liquor dealers nor their rep
reseatat'vas have appeared 10 object to
the bi J, must not our lawmakerB think
that those engaged Ia the business of
selling liquor arc ready 10 pay a higher
license iee-that they are willing 10 be
tubjeeted to all the rlgors of tho new
law, Violation of any one OF the proyl-
sions OF which dcprive5 man oil his
licensel Liberal minded citizens arc
justified In expecting the liquor dealers,
whose interests are directly attacked
to be the fret on the battle field, and to
be represented by persons experienced IN
such matters, or else to personally con-
duct their ease II they think they cannot
Afford to pay n suitable person TO repre-
sent them and fight the battle for them.
There lie many man who Is opposed
to temperance legislation, but who does
no, Gaze whether the high license bill be-
comes a law or rot. at 10 not my fiuer-
al, says he, II can get my drinks If the
license lee lie raised 10 5000 instead of
S5o0.
The apathy and inactivity Of the gentle
men engaged IN the liquor business IL
really astonishing. There arc many thou
sands Of dollRrs invested In the Ilauor
business in our city, and hundred, of peo-
pie derive their living from e.. But there
are sixteen men IA Dover who can by
enacting law put stop to the whole
trade, destroy " e capital invested in It
brand every saloon keeper ae a criminal,
and every brewery and e9, ny saloon as a
nuisance. Ard yet the people who viii
I've he victims Of such legislation SIC idle
with their hands in their laps.
II there be any one In G oubs as to the
power of tha sixteen men above men.
TONED let him ponder these facts. 1t re,
qulres majority Of each branch of our
legislature TO pass law.
This majority is represented by five
senator's and eleven representatives.
Therefore a prohibition law may be en-
acted by sixteen. The Governor has M
veto power In our stare. A law mode ed
after the Iowa prohibition law would
therefore put stop to the manufacture
and silo lin pubiic) OF intoxicating
liquor. The Supreme Court of the Unit
ed States has decided that such law IL
hot huSbhriieu' mum hhu tnat every sNhte
has The right TO declare the liquor bust
ness nuisance. "Well, we haven't got
quite that far in Delaware" many p oplt
will say. Oh no, not yet, but wo may
come to 1t. The rigorous provisions o
the high license bill are only the prede
| cessors Of more far reaching measures
As local option has been declared un
| constitutional on former occasion, It II
likely that the farmers may some dA,
| take notion to give us prohibition
Kent and Suespx have the necr ssaty vote
In the General Assembly.
Tho only way to have the Oppressive
provisions of the high license bill OK
| plunged, and 10 present the | quor dealers
side OF the case to the law makers, is fol
those engaged IN the liquor trade 10 send
some man or men of ability to Dover I,
look after their interests and TO reprcsCn
them. A good, common sense ptesenta
tlon Of Me case ON the stand point O
the liquor dealers, supported by argu
ments that can readily be advanced II
support OF their position, will not fail Il
produce tho proper effect with tn
farmers. II the gentlemen engaged II
the liquor trade are not disposed To hee,
what We have said, they must suffer tn
consequences. Silent opposition does no
oount, as may be seen in mauy State
where the inactivity OF tho liquor dealer
has led to mott disastrous results IN thei
business interests. A man whose hous
n Oh fire cannot expect "a neighbor TO d
much TO put out the Gre when he himsel
makes but little exertion III that diroC
ticn. A.