Smyrna times., 1907-10-30
LETTER FROM
CHAIRMAN DAILY
CONTINUED FROM SECOND PAGE.


dlstilleries. 1t is equally true that in
parts OF rural Delaware women and
children are afraid to go any distance
unescorted. (25) now ask you, do
you dispute the truth of hese state
ments? 1t is an admitted fact that
outrages are rarely, if ever, committed |
except under the spur of liquor. (26) |
Can you state any reason why prohibit |
ton IN Delaware should not be as good !
for our citizens as for those in the
Southern States?.
Seventh-There may be those who
will give the above statement of facts
the thoughtless answer that the remedy
is in the enforcement of the law as it
exists and not in it adjustment. In
truth, however, the only penalties pre-
scrlbed for violation of the liquor law
by the holders of licenses are, a fine
not exceeding 800 or a forfeiture of
the license. 1t cannot be questioned
that the temptation OF making much
money by disregard of the law, is too
frequently stronger than the fear of in
curing inadequate penalties. 1t must
be remembered that the loss of a
license is purely personal affair, not
affecting the hotel or saloon. If any
number of tenants or the owner him
self should be found guilty of viola
ton of the law, the installation of a
new tenant brings back the revenues.
This statement might give rise to
another thoughtless answer such as,
why, then, have the laws not been
amended and the penalties increased?
CD This sounds simple, but who is to
perform the task ? There are two
classes of citizens those who do not
believe in license at all, and those who
do believe in license. (28) ] ask you
which of these two classes should be
held responsible for any defect in the
license statutesI? Certainly those who
are opposed to the theory of the license
law should work only for it's repeal
and just as certainly those who are n
favor of the system should do all in
their power to perfect it. (29) Never
theless, ask you which of these two
classes has really been the one who has
tried to make our statutory regulation
of the liquor traffic more adequate to
our needs, the opponents of license or
those favOring it ? AS a matter of fact
scarcely legislative session has term
mated without some effort on the part
of opponents of license to secure at
least an amendment to the liquor laws,
in the effort to improve conditions.
Almost invariably these efforts have
failed and mainly, if not entirely,
through opposition of the lobby formed
exclusively of those favoring license
800 Is this or not the truth? (31) Ever
if therefore, you consider that those
in favor of license have the duty of en-
deavoring to remedy conditions by leg
islative amendment, what reasonable
hope have they for believing that an.
labor toward this end in the future will
be more successful than it has been il
the past?
After all, however, the question O
penalties is not the most serious one
The hare must first be caught, and tn
greatest difficulty under the licensin
is to detect the offender of the law.
isa notorious fact that our present L
ouor law is being violated continual
and vet the number of convictions fc
such offenses are too Insignificant
be taken into account. Some of on
thoughtless friends may here say, pre-
secute them then. (32) 1 ask you who's
special duty it should be to detect vic
lations of the law. those who want tt
law repealed or those who insist TIL
il shall be continued in force ? {
course every citizen should do his be
to see that any law IS enforced but m
question is to what class dose the dui
especially belong? Apart from thi'
however, the fact is that consideration
opponents of license do not frequel
barrooms and saloons and therefore al
little likely to be able to detect Il
fringements of the law. At least son
Ofthose who favor license have the vel
opportunity which the opponents ha'
not. (33) I now ask you whether "
ever heard of as many as a dozen me
in favor of license who ever gave
formation to any public officer leadil
to the apprehension ofa violator OF t
liquor law? No one can deny that 1t
bad from every point of view for
cense to be granted to man who b
not lived up to the law in the past.
must therefore be a good thing to ta
any action preventing such man fro
holding license to sell liquor. GA.
ask you now whether you know OF
dozen men in favor of license who e7
demonstrated against the granting oil
liquor license by our courts? The
,.opapfo Of Iioouca on on wear after We