The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-05
FEED ALL OUT OF THE SAME
SPOON.


eigh that two years ago. when the
Temperance forces asked for the cleo
ton which resulted in expelling the
saloons, no rule was made that a petit
toner must pay his poil-tax in order
to be eligible as a petitioner, and there
fore the Board of Aldermen ought not
to have made that requirement this
year. The law ought to be enforced
every year, but in this, as in every
other matter, it is the duty of the pub
lie officials to feed all out of the same
spoon.
AS matter of fact, according to the
unquestioned testimony of Mr. n. b.
Broughton and Mr.. j. l. Johnson, lead
ers in the anti-saloon fight two years
ago, the men who presented the petit
alton first went to the Sheriffs office
and saw that every petitioner whose
name was on the petition had paid his
poIl-tax and was therefore voter. a
registered voter. and qualified to vote
i'm the election he asked to be ordered.
And it was upon such a petition that
tie election was ordered. The temper
ence people ask that the 'For Saloons
petitioners be required to do what they
did before presenting their petition to
the board.
Here is the difference: Two years
ago. anti-saloon folks made no play to
the galleries. invoked no legal techni-
cafities, asked no special privileges, did
not consume a half month of the time
of the aldermen. They went to work
to get a legal petion-a petition con-
tanning only the names of persons both
registered and qualified to vote-and
when that petition was presented the
election was ordered. Instead of tax
ing that proper course, the "For Sa-
looms" managers began a great game
of bluff. They hired men to tote pc
titions around the city, paying them
so much per name, naturally, the
''toters" put on all the names they
could get, not caring Wnetn-
err they had registered or
could vote, or where they lived, and
without attempting to revise their over
nine hundred names, demanded an
election, claiming to have more than
one-half of the voters in the city. An
examination of the list cut it down to
523 names. of which number about
10 have not paid their poll-tax and
therefore have no right either to petit
ton or to vote.
Two wears ago the election was not
called except by a petition signed by
oue-third of the legally registered and
qualified voters. This year the board
is recurring the presentation of pc
tition of the same character as that
which ordered the election when
shut out the saloons. 1t was right
then. 1t is right now. The antl-sa-
loon forces are asking only that the
For Saloons" forces be held to the
same rule that was carried out when
the nti-Saloon" forces got the cleo
ton.
The statement has been made that
the For Saloon forces will carry the
matter to the courts in order to COM
mel the board to call the election. 1t
upon which lawyers differ. 1t is an
important matter that ought to be set
tied by our highest court to the end
that there may be no doubt as to what
is the law The honest difference of
opinion among lawyers, as disclosed
i'm the argument before the Raleigh
Board of Aldermen, is one that will
lead to wide divergence of action in
the different towns and cities of the
State, and may lead to friction in more
than one place. The difference of opin-
ion is so wide and deep-seated that all
citizens will welcome judicial deter
mination Either the courts or the
Legislature must make plain what is
now uncertain. If it taken to the
courts. the proper Interpretation Of
the present law will be obtained. If the
law as interpreted is not what the peo-
pie desire, they can agitate for a
change in the statute to make it read
as they think best.
But-so far as Raleigh is concerned
the Board of Aldermen this year is
following the course pursued two
years ago, and neither the For Sa-
looms" nor the "AntI-SAloons" people
have any cause for complaint or criti-
cism because both are fed out of the
same spoon.