Evening journal., 1907-02-04
STRONG DEMAND
FOR LOCAL OPTION
Former Treasurer BurriS
Wants Republicans to Stand
For Temperance

1etulS 10 pfefaQlnS the entire state,
and the present Legislature win be ap-
pealed to to grant the people their
constitutional right Of voting on the
question. Discussing the constitutional
right Of the people in the matter former
State Treasurer Burris, writing to the
MiddletOwn Transcript, says:
Writing to the Middletown Trar-
script on thes ubject Former state
Treasurer Burris says:
The late convention OF the Republi-
can party in the State of Delaware.
with a great deal of painstalSing care.
drafted and adopted a platform upon
which it proposed to stand, and de.
clared a policy which It pledged itself
upon the honor Of it's leaders to put.
sue, if again intrusted with the adj
ministration of the government Of the
State. At the election following the
party received a very substantial vote
Of confidence, returning to the Legis-
lature thirty-six Republicans out Of
fifty-two members.
Among its platform pledges. the
party promised, If intrusted with pow-r
to grant to the people their constitu-
tional right to vote upon the question
for the session Of the General Assem-
bly, is now about half gone and this
promise yet remains untitled There
would be nothing disquieting in this
mere fact alone. for there is yet time
enough for the keeping Of every pledge
which was so enthusiastical and
vociferously made in convention. But
the rumor is abroad that The Bilp
viii pass the House but VIII meet it's
death i'm the Senate. 1t is with deep
and fervent interest that I ask tho
leaders of the party can this be true?
Ifsit is true then it follows that the
party is either impotent on the one
hand, or imbecne on the other. Inn
potent, because il is unable to make
good its platform pledges, or else inn
beetle because il has not the wisdom
to discern the crime committed against
itself IN the breach of them. I would
be one Of the last to accept either con-
clusion, yet l do believe that, even in
politics, honesty Is the best policy as
we'll as the best principle, and that it is
not honest to make platform pledges
and not keep them. If we fail in this
behalf it will not be sufficient to say
at the next hustings that our system
OF district representation in the Gem
eral Assembly returned some Republ-
cans who would not support the partys
platform declarations A very large
body of men. without whose moral and
actual support we cannot succeed, will
not accept any such excuse. They will
hold US accountable for what they will
term breach of faith on our part. We
believe that the day has come even in
Delaware. when mere party shibboleth
win not be sufficient TO win. The peo-
Pile want, and demand measures, and
righteous measures. Whether the
whiskey saloon and beer garden tends
to good or evil among our citizens Is
one thing; and whether they shall be
prevented from making their choice In
that behalf by very small minority,
is another thing.
The simple provisions of the consti-
tuition in that matter are altogethor
democratic. and to refuse to permit
them TO make their choice hereunder
Is an outrage on common rights, and
any party imbued with a true spirit
Of what we call democracy, could not
refuse II, much less a party which had
solemnly promised in its platform to
grant it. Ny relation to the party is
an humble one and I have no desire
that it would be otherwise. If 1 did
I would probably be doomed TO dis
appointment. Nevertheless I am ore
Of the many who has earnestly be-
lieved in the principles that gave 1t
birth For more taan thirty years
have toiled in its organization work.
When other men were asleep I've
trudged over lonely country roads till
the small hours in the morning COM
passing every school house and hamlet
from the Maryland line to the Delaware
Bay. and whether others concede it or
not I claim the right to speak in meet
ing" Every man from the highest
to the lowest. who accepts a nomina-
tion at the hands OF the party stands
honor bound to do his utmost towards
the realization of its platform pledges.
And the state committee which was
elected by the convention that drafted
and adopted the platform should do
its utmost to accomplish that end. Il
Is believed by many that the commit
| tee has it IN its power TO do much IN
| that direction. Let its chairman cal
| II together and let its members take as
strong and insstent action as the con-
vention that elected them. Their in
huence should be exerted upon the
/ menbers Of the General Assembly The
party's highest interest demands it,
/ There are large number Of Republi-
can members in the General Assembly
who would not be there but for the
votes OF men who broke party alli-
ances to support them in the belief
that our promise was made TO be kept
You have got these men to reckon with
and if you give them occasion to fee
/ that they have been tricked, it is oui
opinion that you. in turn, will have oc-
casion to regret it for a long time tc
come. To make platform pledges, and
then sit quietly down behind the clergy
and allow the matter TO go by default
! by a possible one or two votes. with
out an earnest effort on our part 70
prevent it. will not clear our skirts. We
will not be able to prove an alibi on
that I'm the next campaign.
Martin b. Burris.
Letters Granted.