The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-10-28

will be accorded hearing.
EDITOR OF The CITIzEN.-I notice in
your issue of this date a communication
from the Business Mems Anti-Local-
Option League" which interests me. 1t
is 30 transparently contrary to facts that
it hardly calls for reply, and yet some
may be deceived by it. There is the
statement, for instance, that no State
has tried Prohibition or Local Option
but Is now advocating a repeal Of these
laws. l suppose by State, people are
meant. Years ago Maine put Prohibition
into the bedrock of her Constitution. That
law has not yet been repealed after "a
years trial, nor is it likely to be. Sena-
tor Frye wrote me some months ago of
the effort being made for re-submission,
but gave it as his conviction that if re-
submitted the question would again be
answered in the affirmative.
At the September election, the candi-
date for Governor, who stood squarely
against re-submission, was elected.
There is tidal wave of Local Option
sweeping over our own country and Eng
land. Where are the States that have
recently tried Local Option that are ad
vocating repeal of the laws? There
are men in every State opposed to Local
Option. We freely admit it, but deny
that there is any general sentiment in
these States back of the agitation. Kan
sasrhas tried the experiment of Prohi-
bition twenty-five years. 1--WE are no,
now making the fight for Prohibition,
butsas our friends the liquor men insist
on grouping them we have to do 30 Also
One of its great papers has recently made
an investigation. 100 letters were sent
to Clerks of Courts of different grades,
bankers and others, with this result ::
$50 out of the 160 men written to en-
dorsed without qualification the present
law, and only one was opposed to it,
Here are the results in a nut shell. In
% years the population of Kansas has
increased 7l%. In 80 counties murder
has decreased 76%. In 80 counties Grim
inal cases have fallen off 33%; civil
cases 2S%. Bank deposits in As coun-
Ties have increased 600%.
Your space is limited, Mr.. EDITOR.
could go more into detail. What says
he Supreme Court OF our land abou,
his traffic in liquor? "The statistics OF
every State show greater amount OF
crime and misery attributable to the ust
of ardent spirits than to any Other
source "lf loss of revenue should &C
crue to the United States from a dimin-
ished consumption of ardent spirits sht
~iH be a gamer thousand fold im the
health, aceatth and happiness of the peo-
pie"
Now what is Local Option Simply
the recognition of the right of the peo-
pie to determine whether liquor shall be
sold in given unit-county, township,
city, etc. In other words, it is govern
ment "of the people, by the people, and
for the people," Equal rights for all. +"
If Wayne county wants the saloon she
shall have it. If she does not want the
saloon she need not have it. Could any
thing be fairer? The man who votes
against this proposition is neither Re-
publican, Democrat or American. Every
old soldier who votes against it is trying
to undermine the great principle of lib
erty for which he fought from 81 to '65.
John Mitchell, that level-headed labor
leader, says: 81 have given deep ard
long consideration to the value of Local
Option as an uplifting influence ina COM
munity, and | am convinced that it en-
bodies the principle of true liberty. I"
THE application of the principle should
be made to all the States. That which
is good for Georgia is good for Pennsyl-
vania, and all the other States. The
people should have the right to deter
} mine the question by their ballot" !
commend this same statement of the
principle of Local Option to every labor
ing man in Wayne county.
Having been farmers boy and work.
ing more or less on the farm till 25 years
of age, and having large acquaintance
among the farmers of Wayne county, !
enter my indignant protest against the
appeal made to selfish interests by the
business Mems Anti Locale Option Lea
gue;" the attempt to swing the farmer
vote against Local Option because taxes
may be increased. Taxes do not, if the
law is enacted, increase under Local OPP
J ton, and crime decreases. Does the
! League suppose that the farmer can be
bought by any such consideration ? Will
he stifie his conscience, and vote to hurt
: his own boy on the unholy altar, because
J "his apples may rot" if Local Option
J prevails? There is too much manhood
, among the men and boys on the farm to