Smyrna times., 1907-10-30
LETTER FROM
CHAIRMAN DAILY
GIVES SOME PLAIN FACTS
ABOUT LOCAL OPTION.
Published by Authority of the Elk
ecutive Committee of the Anti
License Campaign Committee

issue of the 18th inst. appears an editor
ial entitled "Where will the money
come from?" In it you allege that the
ST., 900 of the States revenue from Ii
quOr licenses, will be lost if the special
election shall go against license and
that therefore ga pertinent question to
be considered by the voters at such
election is how this loss is to be made
up" You state that this question was
asked several weeks ago but has never
been satisfactorily answered and that
tits incumbent upon those who are op-
posed to license, to come forward with
an adequate reply.
Il assume that the question was put
in good faith and that you will treat
any answer in spirit of frankness and
fairness. Under this assumption un-
derstand to give you an answer. In
doing so 1 must in turn put some
questions to you. do this merely to
clear the atmosphere and not with any
view of recrimination.
First think you will admit that
there is class of Delawareans of no
inconsiderable number who are con-
scientiously opposed to the manufac-
ture and sale of intoxicating liquors;
and that there is another class of our
citizens who are convinced that the
manufacture and sale of liquor in the
districts in which they live, Is detri-
mental TO the morality and welfare of
the residents of such district. think
am right in stating that principle is
always a matter of conscience and not
simply of logic. Whether or not there
fore you agree with those men, you
must accord to them an honest belief
that the issue presented at the special
election of November 9Th, invokes a
question of principle. / now ask YOU
C) should any voter on November 5 tn
who is conscientiously opposed to tn e
manufacture and sale of intoxicating
liquors in his district, allow his vote
to be influenced by the question,
"where will the money come from?"
Formerly there were honest differences
of opinion concerning the old Louisi-
ana lottery. The revenues from that
source went far toward the material
improvement of the State. (2)Do you
think that any Louisianian who be-
lieyed the lottery immoral should have
lent it his support simply because he
did not know how the loss of it's reve-
nne could be made up? I could multi
ply illustrations but they would all
lead to this question. (3) Would you
have any respect for the man who
would vote against his principles be-
cause of the possibilities or even the
actuality of an increased tax e? al Is
the question you have put a pertinent
one at all except to that certain class
of men who may think that the ques-
ton of license or no license involves
no principle?
Second-You are of course aware
that the vote at the special election will
be by districts and not by State as a
whole. Those districts are Sussex
county, Kent county, rural New Castle
county and the city of Wilmington.
The vote in no one of these districts
can possibly affect the result in any
other. The annual State revenues
from liquor licenses in Sussex County
is about $4,000. (5) As the Sussex
voters cannot affect the result in any
other part of the State, do you think
his vote should be influenced by the
question of where that So, 900 should
come from? In Kent county the liquor
revenue is about $4,000. A vote in
Kent county has no effect upon the
election in any of the other districts
t6) Do you think the ballot of thu
Kent county citizen should be deter.
mined by any thought of where tina
So, 900 is to be derived l.? I believe
that the combined liquor revenues
from Kent and Sussex counties are
only about the sum appropriated b,
oar last Legislature for the purpose OF
representing Delaware at the James
town Exposition. I think the fund
coming into the treasury from liouo
licenses in rural New Castle count,
are approximately the same as in tn
lower counties. % Do you think
citizen of that district has any need 70
be troubled about the possible loss Of
those funds? (s) If the aggregate O
the liquor revenues derived from Ken
Sussex and rural New Castle shoul
be lost, do you think the States finar
ces would be seriously impaired e
After all, isn't your question, if pert
nent at all, one to be addressed solel
to the citizens of Wilmington. an
should you not confine it to them ?
Third-If you still insist that the o,
ponents of license must show "wher
the money will come fronnO OFT will 40