Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-17
Tie rlcht for Local ortlon.

me lOcai upllun campaign was larry
inauguratea by the convention that met
in Dover, Thursday, and next week the
fight will probably be transferred to the
halls of the Legislature. The bill ap.
proved by the convention will be pre-
sented, and the Legislature asked to
enact it into law.
There is no doubt of the earnestness
or Of the sincerity Of those engaged in
this movement. They firmly believe
that the people Of each county should
be given the privilege Of deciding, by
their votes, whether licenses should be
issued for the sale of liquor within their
borders. II is also reasonable to pre-
sumo that all, without exception, be-
lieye that the sale of liquor should not
be allowed, and would so vote If the
opportunity OF expressing their senti.
ments at tho polls were afforded them.
Without any desire 10 do violence to
the excellent intentions OF the earnest
enthusiasts who so emphatically eX-
pressed their sentiments at Dover Thurs
day, we have no hesitation in declar-
ing that in our opinion the Legislature
should not pass the Local Option bill.
In this State such measure is Of doubt
full constitutionality, able lawyers hay
ing expressed the opinion that the
Legislature has no right to delegate its
powers of legislation 10 the people. At
any rate, it has been amply demon
strated, by convincing experience, that
this manner of dealing with the liquor
problem is neither practical nor salts
factory.
In the first place, the special elections
provided for by local option ensctments
keep the communities in ferment for
months before the elections take place,
to the detriment of business and other
interests. They are as exciting as
political campaigns, and fully as pro.
ductive of heated discussion, acri-
monious charges, passionate denuncia-
ton, and the engendering of feelings
antagonistic to the public welfare.
In the second place, should the vote
result in favor of no license, it would
net materially lessen the consumption
Of intoxicating liquor in the county
where its sale was prohibited. There
are many citizens of this State who
have lively recollection of the brief
experience of the prohibitory legisla-
ton known rs the "Maine law" that
prevailed here from 1856 to 1867. 1t is
said that during those two years there
was more drunkenness in Wilmington
and the State of Delaware than was
ever known before. While no liquor
was openly sold here, it was brought
here in bottles, kegs and barrels, by
those who seemed determined to have
it simply because the law implicitly sale
they should not have ii. A writer o.
that time thus described the situation, il
the paraphrase Of well.known couplet
Then those drank who never drank before
And those who always drank then dranl
the more.
After an experience of two years tn,
"Maine law Of Delaware was promptly
repealed.
A more recent experience was shown
by the result when the adjoining com
munity Of Cecil county, Md, voted 60
"no license" a few years ago. III
midnight train from this city schedules
to stop at the various stations on tn
railroad in that county became know
, as the jug train" from the cnormou
quantity of liquor taken on 1t by pei
, sons who came to Wilmington to pun
: chase the fiery fluid for home consumr
} ton. The liquor sellers at all points o
| the other side of the county's border di
, prosperous business in selling liquu
/ that was taken into Cecil county to h
2 consumed. 1t is said on good authorit
( that liquor dealers outside the count
t contributed large sums OF money in il
iluencing votes for mo license" whe
the local option campaigns we're undo
S way. The county recently voted agai
: in favor Of mo license and there is II
: doubt that the jug tram" will one
n more become notorious, and the outsiL
! liquor traffic flourish as it did before.
: Experience has plainly shown tn
the best solution OF the liquor profile
e is judicious system Of high licens
C carefully regulated and rigidly enforce
y with severe and positive penalties f
d violation of its provisions or abuse
,r the privileges conferred. The Lcgisl
a ture will do we'll to let the Local Opt,
bill severely alone.