The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-11-03


before this people Of the state of Delaware
in the coming election. speak not now
of the impending crisis to be decided by
the Two great national parties but Of that
which concerns Delaware especially;
refer to the candidates to be chosen for
revising this State constitution. All will
agree that we need several changes in the
organic law of Delaware. wish in this
letter TO call attention to one clause that
ought and must be amended, VIZ: that
which refers to the sale of intuX!cants
Please allow me space for my reasons for
saying SO.
Its everywhere agreed hat we live under
Republican form of government, based
upon the Democratic principle that the
majority shall rule, ana that all laws ei-
fecting the welfare Of the people shall
be decided by the people, through
their representatives chosen by ballot
As far as the laws regulating the sale of
liquor in the state are concerned this Is
not the case.
The constitution makes local option
unconstitutional denying the principle of
referendum or the right of the people to
decide the question at the ballot box. 80
that if fourilfths Of the people in any
county or ward desire to havo tho dram
shop removed from their midst the
organic law of the s. ate makes them help
itso III 'ilt Illhttelt anu lthNtS lDc question
TO be decided by the court oftimcs on the
basis Of perjury and talschood This is
undemocratlc. This is gag law. The times
and people have outgrOwn it. 1t has out
grown It's respectabiity, il 1t ever had
any.
We the temperance alliance and temper
ancc people Of Delaware demand that such
change Shall be made in the organic law
OF the state as shall give rs the right at
the ballot box to say whether In II given
ward or county, or the entire state, we
shall continue to be longer cursed with
this expensive and ruinous traffic. We
claim this rs oilr right, which claim Is in
harmony with the organic law Of most all
other states in the union. In fact there
arc none III the union ike it. We have
made ii our business to interview the gen
tlcmCn whose names have been proposed
by each of the parties in the field and after
careful inquiry endorse the names below
who have given assurance that the wishes
OF the temperance people shall be consil
cred and in asking the suffrage Of the vot
ers in behalf Of these men, we arc only
asking many to do what at every clrc-
ton is done, but which does any man cred.
it in doing it.
Namely, that where u vital principle is
involved that interests tho home and
morals of the people VIC vote our couvlc-
tiOns and cast our ballot in harmony with
our conscience. We see this illustrated in
the present campaign Democrats refuse
to follow in the name of Democracy vaga-
rites of repudiatiunists and anarchists
They love their party NOT less, but they
love their country more All good people
can vote for these men They We're chosen
without reference To their party afllll-
tiOls. Because the AltInacc is purely non.
partiZan. And that tbs request is reason.
able in view OF the Importance uf the
thing to be obtained and the fact thHt we
don want a constitution for the Demo
cratic nor for the Republican party. Dut
for the people of the State.
The drink traffic in the state has reach
cd such a magnitude under the fostering
care of law that something must be done
Hitherto we have been in amcasufc help.
less But now an opportunity OF lie
time Is ours. People OF Delaware for the
sake of the thousands under the heel Of
this ruinous curse, for the sake Of tho
the young men Of our fair state for the
sake Of my boys and yours let us chock
the wheels Aye! throw from the track this
jaggernaut that is crushing out hoDo
and heaven of thousands Of lives, blight
ing homes with penury and want, that 9
filling our Aims houses and juilS that in
creaSeS our taxes.
In word that in Delaware has become
danlDing crime, Il disgrace to our civil
zatlon taxing our people with financial
mental and moral burdens which are
more than we are willing to bear. We feel
that we are under no obligation to carry
this disgraceful burden, drink in this
sorrow and share in the disgrace simply
that the brewer and liquor vender may
fatten and flourish at our expense.
The organic law of our state both In
letter and spirit is contrary to cur bible
by which we swear, and on which all law
Is interpreted 1t is therefore treason
against God and antagonistic to our
national character, and shall we be
partners in this great crime3 EHi
We will unless we use the franchise the
constitution gives us, and remedy what
all right thinking people admit is a
gigantic crime. People Of Delaware give
us constitution that will not insult God,
and of which we will not DO ashamed.
Then will we have the approval of our
own hearts, and the blessing of thousands
of women and children, who are helpless
under this blightinG curse will be ours.
l.. LAYFIELD, Committee
Temperance Candidates for Constitu
tional Convention-Alfred d. Warner, Ed.
ward G. Bradford, John Biggs, William
{. Spguancc, Andrew L. johnson, Robert
G. Harman, Spencer Chandler George Is.
Money, Elias n. Moore, Martin b. Burris. |