Evening journal., 1895-02-25
MINISTERS FIND THE KEY
Get What They Want at
Last and Resolve
TO FIGHT HARD FOR IT AT DOVER

The MississIppi Bill. Which is Exactly
Like an Old Delaware Law. is just
What They wanted-Providss That,
Instead of Twelve or Twenty.fonr
signers, Liquor Applicant EIust Get
Majority of Voters of his District.
The Wilmington clergy In the Minis.
terial Union of this city at last came to
an agreement about what they should
do In the line Of temperance
reform this afternoon. They de
cided to struggle before the Legisla
ture for the passage of a bill similar to
the Missippi law and which is identical
with an old Delaware law
1t seems that after the decision of the
Court of Errors and Appeals in 1847
against a general local option move
ment, powerful pressure was brought
to bear upon the candidates for
Legislation honors by the people favoring
temporary reform and, in conss quence,
the Legislature of 1S49 passed a
Law throwing upon each uncor
porated borough, town and city
the Ematter Of issuing licenses aud the
met bers Of said corporation or a majori-
ity of same, must declare themselves In
favor of each license before it could be
granted.
AS Eev. S B Meeser stated in an ad
dress to the union, tits simply 1e-
enactment of an old and wise Delawarm
and we think we have what we want.
Soon after the meeting opened at II
O'Clock to day in FIrso Presby terian
Church. the temperance discussion was
opened by tho reading OF several notes
addressed to the union.
Communications were received from
Miss M. g. Hilles, president Of the State
Women's Christian Temperance Union,
and Mrs. ]. Mary NJ. VOL
colt, OF Dover, in relation to
the repeal OF the "bottle
law" recommending that the ministers
vote their hearty support. This was
done and Revs John France and w. p
Swartz were appointed 8 committee from
the union to interview Miss Hilles
Then Mr.. Hanna submitted before the
meeting for Its adoption two bills, one of
legislature of Pennsylvania, and
the other law of Mississippi. In
the Mississippi law aliquor license sppll-
can't must get a msjority of the
taxpayers to sign for him. In
the Pennsylvania law, ma
jorlty OF the taxpayers signing =
remonstrance, may knoc k him OUT.
Mr.. Warner Speaks for the Laymen.
A. d. Warner was then. invited to ad-
dress the union He said in part:
''StsteG Central Committee Is a. present
doing nothing, because we have concluded
that there is no local option bill that we
can formulate which we can hope to have
passed. A bill or a law that would com
pei a saloon keeper to secure, upon
applying for his license, majority ol
all the voters of his district, such Law
say, would not only give us local option
but absolute prohibition.
"An unanimous bench in this state
In 1e47 made it impossible fol-
the Legislature to pass laws restrict
ing to a vote OF the people whether
they should have general prohi-
bition or license But the Mississipp
bill, for which we have applied and will
soon have In hand, is just about what We
want, from the fact that it makes II
necessary for the saloon keeper, instead
OF securing twelve or twenty four slEners
to get a majority Of the taxpayers o.
his district, every taxpayer being {
member Of the town or borough corpo
ration.
Strong Talk for the Mississippi Bill.
Rev. W. P. Swartz said:
1.-THE provisions ofthe Mississippi bill
would apply all over the state and, Will,
1t might not give us prohibition in man,
of the wards OF the city, 1t would 81
reduce and restrict that It would be
God-send. III we could unite aud sup
port the Mississippi bill it would be thor
oughiy constitutional 1t would put tn
burden upon the applicant, who woul'
have to get his majority. Unless th
Pennsylvania bill, which made 1t neces
Eary for the enemies of the saloon to &c
the siRners
TIE following was adopted:
Resolved, That the secretary be re
quested to inform the State Centrs
Committee appointed at the Local OptioI
Convention, through It's chairman, MI
Job H. jackson. that the Minister'S
Union has decided to support th
temperance bill with the features OF th
Mississippi law now being brought t
the attention of the Legislature, and th
Union would be glad IL the committe
would further the same measure
After hearing Mrs Charlton Edholr1 o
her work In this city, this resolution wa
adopted;
Resolved. that the Ministerial Unio
has listened with deep interest to th
address of Mrs Edholim on "Socis
Purity" and that we record and &C
knowledge our obligertion to God an
humanity in this behalf"