Evening journal., 1908-10-24
candidates For eovernor.

Editor THE EVENING JOURNAL.
why the State Prohibition party
convention endorsed Mr.. Pennewill and
Mr.. Andrew c. Gray"
l am asked the above question oc-
|casionally as I travel over the Delaware
portion of my district visiting the
churches 1t is usually Democrats who
ask me, touching this action favorably
TO Mr.. Pennewilrs candidacy and quite
as usually Republicans who ask me the
question touching this same action
favorable to Mr.. Grays candidacy.
have decided to answer this question
in the public press. AS a party Pro-
hibitionist ! was In the caucus meeting
Of PrOhibitionists the night before the
State Prohibition convention, on Tues
day, September 29th, and I took part
in the convention on the side favorable
TO the endorsement of the two gentle
men mentioned. l. therefore II will be
conceded, am in a position to be able
to illuminate that matter. 1 know
what influenced not only me to favor
that action but what influenced the
other speakers in the convention 20 ad-
vocate it, and influenced the conven-
tion to so act. It is only fair to state
that not only these two gentlemen were
in our mental vision but their COM
petitors for the two Offices at stake;
and they also, were a factor in de-
termining our action.
Mr. Pennewill has a record in the
legislature, both in the House and in
the Senate of supporting proposed local
option measures-measures in other
words, proposing to concede to the
people the exercise OF this constitu-
tional and sovereign right OF self-gov-
ernment touching the liquor traffic.
While others. Republican and Demo-
Gratis. were hedging and hindering. he
stood for enacting the measure that
the temperance people of the State
wanted and that all the American cit
izens want, in all consistency More
than that. when this governing
idea had been enacted into law and the
opposing forces on the pending issue
were lined up last November for a
battle of ballots at the polls all over
the state. Mr. Pennewll worked and
voted with the best citizens of the
State. and in the case of his own
county, with the majority There is
his record-doing as a legislator exact
ly what the good people of his con-
stituency and of his state wanted him
to do, and for the reason Of which.
when enough legislators of his mind
were aggregated in that body for that
purpose. the local option measure was
enacted, and thus it was that we. the
Temperance people Of Sussex and Kent.
got still more Of what we wanted-the
complete outlawry Of the liquor traffic
from our territory.
Now, Dr. Paynter, Mr.. Pennewins
competitor for the gubernatorial ofice
has also n record not to be sure, as
a legislator-but as a signer Of appli-
cations for license for saloon keepers
TO sell Intoxicating liquors in less
quantities than a quart, to be drunk
on the premises" l quote from two of
these applications filed by James A.
Manlove and John H. Hammond. hotel
keepers in Georgetown. and published
in the "Union Republican," Friday
March s, 1907. our local option bill
was then pending in the Legislature and
was soon after this made a law. DR.
Rowland G. Paynter's name together
with other endorsers is to both OF
these applications. Likewise in the
Delaware Democrat" of date Of March
/ >
applications for liquor license for the
same hotels for that year More thar
that ! have before me a transcript OF
dates of the file in the court house
in Georgetown, of the applications oi
the propTietors Of these two hotel.
from the year 1902 10 March 1907 in
clusive-the last year and the las
month that applications for liquor II.
granted by the court under the iniqui.
tous law that had wrought untold mis-
chief to folks for so many years-anC
DR.. Rowland G. Paynter's name is upor
all these applications except one of tn,
two for the year 1903 He endorsed
eleven applications for men 20 sell i'm.
toxicating liquors TO people in hi,
native and resident town-did this. too
when the good people of that town az
well as of the State, everywhere within
it's borders, were pressing the loca
option demand upon the members o
the state legislature for its enactment
into law and into a chance for then
10 destroy the traffic and the dread
ful evils Of it, Moreover, his influencs
and vote in the battle royal for tn,
overthrow Of the liquor traffic last
November are put down on the side oi
the liquor forces and interests Now
nobody questions DIR. Paynter's right a.
a private citizen to do this: and il ma,
be conceded IN extenuation of ali thi.
that he is so far belated relative I,
others Of his time and OF his intelli.
Sence that he may think IL was right tC
endorse liquor selling under the exist.
ing law, and to want TO continue thai
law and its operation through his gen.
GRAFTON. But il was our right as Pro.
hibitionists in convention, since he /.
a candidate FOR a very high Office. ant
involving great powers OF Official ac
tion, TO have all these facts of hi
record as well as all the facts of Mr.
| Pennewills record on this question be
fore MS and to direct our action a.
a nominating convention in accordanc,
with the logic Of and argument deduc
ible upon these facts: and il is righ
10 give these facts and the records the,
make TO the interested public as ou
/ .fr~