The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-08-14
AN ELECTION
|MMEE' lTELY
The Reasons ActuGra g the
Prohibition LeaguS
Asking Therefor.
Several Other Elections Are
to Occur Next Year,
It is Pointed Out.
REFUSES THE REQUEST OF THE
LIQUOR INTERESTS AND I'm AN
OFFICIAL DOCUMENT AN
NOUNCE THEIR REASONS.

An ATTEMPT to have the special
wet" and dry" election postponed
until next summer or spring, has met
with a refusal upon the part OF the
Escambia- County PEohfKitiop League.
This was deczs1ed upon yesterday at
a meeting Of the league, when a COM
munication was forwarded to a COM
mttee representing, the liquor men,
stating that the prohibition league
considered it inexPedient to post
Pone the caaiing OF the election.
This con1uuu nEeation was the re-
suit Of the appearance at a meeting
OF the ProhiAazfon League Monday of
a committee from the liquor dealers.
The committee was composed of Max
l. Bear and c. F. Schad, and they
made a request that the election be
not called until next summer or
spring, stating that 1t would give the
liquor dealers an opportunity Oh dis
posing of their stocks and preparing
themselves should the county go
dry"
The matter was not acted upon at
the time, and yesterday arEther
meeting was held when the Prohibi.
ton League instructed the secretary
to send communication to the com
H8ttee' declining to defer the election
The League Position.
The following statement was issued
last night by the Publicity Committee
of the Prohibition League of Escam
bia County:
To the Public:
1t has been suggested to the Es-
Gambia County Prohibition League
| that it would be upfair 10 the LIQUOR
| dealers of the county to hold a pro.
edition election this fall, for in the
event of the success OF the dry ticket
| it would force them out of business
without sufficient time TO dispose OF
| their stocks and, therefore, entail up
| on them great ,pecafIatary loss. And
| some men epgageaein the liquor traf-
\ fic appeared Before the league and
made the request that the election
be postponed 0FItIlsthe spring or sum,
! mer of 1903.
With every desire to. do Justice to
ali parties o0IeeTned, the Eeague has
carefully considered the matter, and
we are fully peEsuadsd that the cleo
ton should be held in 1907, fer the
reason that there are to be one and
probably two primaries, and one gen.
eraI election for county, state and
federal Offices. during the year 1903,
and the agitatfon necessarily incl
dent ito these elections will cover
almost all, if net the entire, year and
it is agreed by all parties that it is
unWise and undesirable to mix the
prohibition. question with any of these
campaigns.
Hence, if the election is not held in
1907 it would necessitate. its postpone
ment until 1909, which is practically
an indefinite postponement This
proposition IN justice to the cause It
represents, the League could not con-
| slider for afHrOment.
The Representatives of the traffic
who came before US stated that If
the election should be held at any
time during 1907 they preferred that
it be prior to the taking out of new
licenses October I, rather than to take
out new licenses then and have the
detection in November or December for.
lowing.
| Therefore the League concluded
that all interests considered, the best
time for holding the election would
be the latter part of September, and
has so .petitioned the county commits
sioners.
No doubt If prohibition carries, the
liquor dealers will be disconnected
and it will even work a hardship up
on a few of them. This, however
would be the case not only at the
present bait at any time, and with the
fifty days intervening before the elec
ton they have time to reduce this
hadship to the minimum. Then, toe
when engaging in this business, the
were aware that at any time the peopl(
demanded, this election could be
called, and yet If they have gone or
in the face OF the rising tide of Pre-
hfbition, shall the hardship now fai'
upon the few of them, or continue K
rest upon the helpless victims o!
this nefarious business?
Whose interests are the greater
Which will affect the larger numbs
of the people?
This is 4 question that must DC a..
swered, and every instinct of ma.
, hood and every demand of JUST;
unite In the answer.
The Publicity Committee Of Escambil
County Rrohibition League.