The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-11-18
I.Ilnl.sa press TeIsaraph Repotts.
LIQUOR LEGISLATION IN WEST
VIRGINIA.

Under the above caption the Wheel.
Ing Intelligencer has the following to
say:
sgThe FHairmont West virgiulan In
dtiges in some forcIble and perhaps
h timely remarks relative to the duties
81 the Republican members Of the
Legislature, in dealing with the liquor
question, The West viFginian favors
liFst stringent local option law, and
then submission u the prohibition
amendment. A strong argument in
favor Of this line OF action is found
III the somewhat indefinite express.
aions Of the Republican State pla:-
form No one VINO has watched the
development Of the antI.saloon agita'
stion In West Virginia can escape the
conviction, That some reguIattve Iegisla-
tion must be written into our statutes.
While nothing short Of statewid@
prohibition will satisfy many radical
temperance people. there is large
number Of good citizens who will b.
content with local option law which
viii permit each considerable com.
munity to decide the license question
for itself. To be effective such Law
: must also prohibit the carrying into
non.license communities by common
carriers, Of any intoxicating liquors.
This Legislation the LntelTfgencer ba.
ileFes would be satisfactory to the
very large majority of the people al
HE State. The BEST laws are often
compromises IN handling the liquor
question, the legislature can not cen.
slider first either the radical prohibit
\ ZIONIST or the liquor seller; but the
great mass Of citizens. who while not
IA the liquor business, are not via
lentdy crusallng for its destruction.
Regulation that enforces decent cor
fitions, where the saloon is allowed
10 exist and prevents non-censed
selling, where the people do not want
tae saloon, will be supported by pub,
lie sentiment, and will be effective
II the Tntelh gencer' BELIEVES what /;
Z. says 1t ought to urge It's reNresenta-
5stiyes in the legislature to favor the
Submission Of the prohibition amend
Inent to a vote of the people. If 4
very large majority of the people
would rather have a stringent county
focal option law than State vide pro
hiblti6n. the prohibition amendment
Will be voted down, the Republican
party will. nave kept its pledge and
nobody will be hurt. The only thing
We are insistent upon is that the pep
pie get a chance to vote on the ques
ton and that they must have or there
Will be trouble, and plenty Of it. It
Is the plain duty Of the legislature to
give the people a chance to vote or
the prohibition amendment. We
should like to ask the InteliGencer
Wnether II believes the people ought
have a chance to vote on this ques
ton, I'M view Of its Importance, Tho
& pledge Of the Republican party, the
declarations u Governor-elect Glass
cock, the attitude of the members Of
the House Of Delegates at the special
session Of the legislature last win
fer and the general desire Of the PEG
pie ais expressed by petition and 9TH
er@fse? The question is not wheth
ei we should have stste wide prohtbf
tton. but whether the people shou!l
have 9 chance t. vote on the prohi6
ton amendment. We await direct
answer from the Intelligencer to this
question.