Evening journal., 1903-02-06
LOCAL OPTION FOLK
HEARD BY LEGISLATORS
Make Strong Appeals for
Temperance Laws to Gen
eral Assembly
Special to the Evening journal.

opeclh 10 the Evening Journal.
Dover, Feb 6.-The local option
movement received a decided boom in
Dover yesterday, when promoters of
the movement. from all parts of Della
ware gathered here in a big State con-
Ventlon, after which they proceeded in
Douy TO the General Assembly. where
lhey were accorded a public hearing.
Inc Rev. Vaughan S. Collins. presi-
dent of the Delaware State Temperance
Alilance, headed the delegation. and
was the first speaker before the I,egisla-
lure. He said that 1909 residents of
delaware had signed petitions asking
the Legislature to grant the voters OF
the State the privilege of voting on the
question Of local option, according to
article 13 of the Constitution. He en-
phasized the fact that the people are
IN favor OF the movement, as shown
lrom the petitions, which were only in
circulation about three months. during
the mid-winter. AS an example of the
size OF the petitions, H. b. Hitch, vice
president for Sussex county. was called
upon, and he presented that county's
petition, which, when unroled reached
a distance OF 1z5 feet. It contained A.
10 names. The other petitions. which
were not presented, are about the same
size.
Former Congressman Walter o. Hof-
fecker, OF Smyrna. vice-president OF
Sussex county, spoke in behalf of the
Republicans. He urged that the question
be submitted to the voters. Granting
that there might be violations of the
law, yet other laws were violated and
they were not abolished II would cor
tainly cause a lessening of the drink
habit.
Joseph II. Holland, of Milford, spoke
for the Democrats. He declared that the
people had a right to say whether or
not license should exist, as the people
had a voice in other matters. He
hoped for some form of temperance
legislation CT for a local option law He
said: THE salon breeds and grows
more corrupt politics to the square
inch than anything else does to the
square yard. want this because the
people want It,"
The Rev. R. II. Adams, of Whining
ton, represented the Wilmington dis
trict OF the alliance In urging the
submission Of the question. DR.. Adams
said he wanted the same right to vote
as has the saloon-keeper.
81 If you say that the citizens shall not
decide the question, you say by your
acts that there is a privileged class of
|people, and they are the saloon men.
If you give us the right of settling the
Question you put us on an equal plane
with the saloon man"
Edwin r. Deakyne. Of New Castle,
4 also urged the submission of the ques-
ion. The speaker. who is a Democrat,
f bald: I'VE are here to- ask the Legisla-
4 Nre to let the people settle the ques-
y hon as the Constitution provides. One
nan has not the right to say what
mother man should do. but / say sub
nit it to all the people and let them
ecide it,"
Mrs. L. NJ Price, of Smyrna. made
strong plea in behalf of the mothers
f the voters, speaking for the temper
nee side She said that she was not
f leading for the enfranc nchisement of
romen, but wanted the mothers sons
nd brothers to be given the privilege
{ voting as their mothers and sisters
ould wish in this great matter. AS
q ne read Governors Hunn's message to
# le Legislature. it seemed that he had
IS splayed considerable foresight