The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-05-07
wHATIOCAL OPTION MEANS.

In its broadcast sense democracy II
a government by the people; form
Of government in which the supreme
power is in the hands of the people
and directly exercised by them. i
we are to take this definition as Civ
en- by Webster it is hard to compre
bend how "A democrat can possibly
oppose local option Or in Other
words leave the liquor traffic directly
to the fiat Of the people themselves.
Some have the mistaken idea that
local option means absolute prohibi.
| tion. In no sense of the word is this
tue. A voter might be In favor Of a
local option law who would not vote
| Tor the disestablshment of the
saloon. 1t simply places this matter
in the bands Of the very people In a
community which the saloon affects.
70 be still palmer: II the legislature
next winter should pass local Op-
tion law, then II the voters of Sal
mon could secure petition to call an
election to submit the question to
the people they, the people, would be
In position to say whether the
saloons should be permitted to remain
in Salmon or not. This would be
true Of every locality in the state.
II does not seem possible that any
man should object, If he desires to
ne fair, to the people themselves ex.
pressing voice in local self-gOvern-
ment. A local option law would
mean that every man and women
could express their opinion upon this
question. For reasons of selfish mo
lives it can be readily understood
why these Who reap revenue from
the sale OF intoxicants should fight
local option law, and should not fight
nigh license law. One law Is made
ny representatives Of people, at
least supposedly so, while the other
law permits the people themselves to
decide what they want and what
they do uot want.
The Recorder belle e. It's the
people OF Idaho, or at l44t major
lty oil them, are demanding laws
along this line; and the party which
tails to heed the demand is simply
showing its cOwardice and catering
TO certain vote in the electorate.
Ihe common people make mistakes
occasionally the same as individuals.
out In time they right themselves
and on this question the writer is
willing to abide by their decision.
what little influence the writer
may have in the councils of the
party, or what ability he has In the
way OF welding the pen will be In
favor OF the democratic party put
ting In strong plank In both the
county and state platforms demanding
that the people have the opportunity
oil expressing themselves upon this
question at the polls. The Recorder
has no hesitancy in letting 1t he
known where 1t stands upon this
question.
This question was threshed ont in
The legislature last winter, and was
favored by a majority of the Gentiles
10 both house and senate and would
nave become a law had not the Mer-
non bishops in the senate fought the
1ill, The high license bill passed.
which has made an aristocracy In the
'aloon business, II such a term is
permissible, and has driven the ga
oons out of business In mining local. |
Ties which could not afford the hipb
'riced saloon. local option law
would give the miners In a small
mining camp the sane privilege TO
ay whether they wanted a saloon in |
heir midst or not that 1T would give
he citizens of Salmon or any rural
recinct.
10 insist that the democratic
arty should insert this plank In
IS county and state platform NAV
OF be party expediency, or it NAV
'Se the party votes as is suggested
some quarters, but the party
ould have the satisfaction OF know.
lg that it has been lighting for a
'he American principle-that the
aJority should not only rule, but
lould have the greatest possible |
easure OF self-government.