Evening journal., 1907-01-11
WANT LOCAL
OPTION FOR STATE
A. 0. CrOzier, in Strong Ad-
dress, Contends That the
People Should Rule
WILL MAKELIVELY CAMPAIGN
srecIal 70 rhe EvenInr Journal.

Special to The Evening Journal.
DOVER. JAN 11-Repersentatives
from nearly every district in this State
attended the meeting here yesterday Of
the temperance Alliance and affiliated
bodies
The session was replete with interest.
several excellent addresses being made
and steps taken to bring the matter
OF temperance to the attention Of the
state lawmakers. In this connection
DR.. j. Layton Greer. Of Milford. and
the Rev. T.. e. Terry. of Laurel. urged
that Legislative petitions in future be
presented by laymen instead Of min
listers. claiming that they would re-
ceive more attention and achieve bet
ter results.
A committee OF fifteen picked men
was appointed to cooperate with the exc
Temperance Alliance ana go before the
Legislature asking:
First-The passage OF a local option
bill for thee ntire state.
Second-The passage Of local option
bill for each Of the counties or fout
constitutional districts. The commit
tees will be made up as follows:
Executive committee Of the Della
ware State Temperance Alliance-Rob-
ert Watt. Smyrna; Joel S. Gillian
Newark; A. w. Lightbourne. Middle
town; George +. Jones. Milford; Ralph
Coursey. Milton.
Convention committee Of fifteen rep.
resenting the Citizens League-G
Layton Grier. Milford; Joseph c. Park.
er. Middletown; James II. Kelley
Lewes: Walter o. Homecker, Smyrna
Wesley Webb. Dover; Alfred Smith
Dover; Joseph Brown Turner, Dover
Alexander NJ. DAILY. Dover; Stephen NJ
Morgan. Dover; Louder Sapp, Harring
ton; Louis w. Brosius. Wilmington
William r. Finn. Newport; Henry
Cannon, Bridgeville; Mrs. Emma Caulk
Wyoming. State president Of the Wo
mems Christian Temperance Union o
Delaware.
An able and forcible address wa
made by Alfred o. Crozier, Of Whining
ton, in which many deforms were ad
vocated and a plea made for direc
control by the people of their own af
PEOPLES LEAGUE FORMED.
Mr. Crozier said; 1t is a pleasure t
be with you to-day and to render som
humble service. for am in sincere an
hearty accord with the high purpose
s you seek to attain.
e The real question involved in you
demand for the submission Of local OF
, ton is the right of the people to
d voice in their own affairs. The exprel
s provisions OF the Constitution OF n
S State and the implied rights guaraI
v teed by the Constitution Of the Unite
!. States are cited to sustain this d.
" mand.
The present issue. it would seem,
II not whether man shall or shall NJ
n drink a glass Of beer or other intox
y can't 1t is not even whether saloor
shall be licensed or exist Those ma.
y tiers can be considered I'm the campaie
< prior to the vote. Many will then claii
n that the drink traffic IS unmitigate
{ evil. That to It is due drunkenness
a poverty, insanity, vice and crime. TIL
o to license the agencies Of such know
dire results is to make the State and q
citizens willing and guilty partie
That you cannot regulate into ,beir
good an evil that is wholly bad
a merely forcing a division Of the ill-go'
r. ten profits.
= Others will contend that it is II
k abuse and not the use OF liquors whic
h causes the mischief That to the treat
;. ing habit is due the excuses. That
= large number of respectable people {
T. not consider II a crime to drink a glai
e of beer, or even a sin. That reguls
It tion is necessary because IL cannot
& stopped. That a license is merely a "a
e to raise money to control those who
n the saloon causes to need restraint
Il punishment.
e All viii agree that great evils flo
h from the open dram-shops, but VI
e disagree as to the remedy. But the
d should be no division OF opinion ov
e the demand of the people for a chan
o to vote upon the matter That is the
It fundamental right. To deny this. or Il
N decision of the majority whatever tn
Al may be. is to repudiate the one gre
: principle upon which rests republics
II government.
lr Jefferson taught his great party, al
IT jackson emphasized 1t, that the safe
g and perpetuity Of the republican
'e ponds upon the power OF control beii
retained in the people themselves. TIL
At is meaningless II we deny their r
quests for opportunities to use II
lie power direct when they consider it ne
: essary for the protection Of the
ct homes and interests and for the safe
IN Of their wives and children upon Z
l. public highways.
id The immortal voice of Lincoln led
to laying the foundations Of the great r
publican party upon the same sol
rock. and President Roosevelt is figf
ing with wonderful power and effeC
iveness to keep it there. He is teachii
a the people how to use their irresistii
power to protect themselves again
II. unlawful corporate greed and polite
and financial corruption. But he max
no war upon honest corporations tn
Sc keep within the law.
In Wilmington. sometime ago, Sc
ne enty-five per cent. Of all the qualih
voters Of the entire city filed the
sworn petitions, obtained by the Me
camille Association. with the Street al
rs Sewer Department. This board OF thr
paid public servants were for the TN
the trusted custodians Of the people
power; yet a majority Of them AM
Nv trarily ignored these petitions or Il
or LIIlllI-'Ill