Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-09-24

successful enforcement OF the law de-
pends upon public sentiment. Twenty
years ago, or even ten years ago, Il
would have been very difficult to have
closed the saloons in the great cities on
Sunday. They are closed today, and
ought TO be kept closed, and IL am
elected Governor, they viii be.
believe in a strict regulation OF the
liquor traffic, and the laws regulating
the saloon ought to be strictly enforced;
The states that have made decided
progress along temperance lines have
not been the prohibition states like
Kansas and Maine, but the local OPP
ton states like Texas, Mississippi, Ten
nessee and Missouri
The present local option law has
worked very satisfactorily in Mis-
souri,. II is a Democratic law, passed
BY a Democratic Legislature, signed
BY a Democratic Governor, and 1t fol-
lows Democratic principles. II gives to
the local community the right to regu-
late its own affairs. If the majority
Of the voters of that community desire
prohibition, they can have it, and II the
majority desire the licensed saloon,
they can have that, but no community
can force its W views upon another.
This is good Democratic doctrine"
WHAT HADLEY AND DIcKEY SAY.
A few months later, in an open let
ter to Mi. w. S. Dickey, published
Nav 18th, 1908, in the Kansas City
Journal, Mr.. Hadley likewise defined
his position, a part OF which quote;
Il am not in favor of statewide
prohibition. | do not believe the cause
Of temperance or good government
would be subserved by the adoption
of such an amendment in this State"
He then declares for local option,
and concludes:
Il also believe that the laws regu-
lating dramshops and the sale OF in
toxicating liquors should be vigor-
ousiy and strictly enforced"
Mr.. Hadley does not specifically en-
dorse Sunday closing of tie saloons,
but he does say the laws regulating
the dramshop should be vigorously
and strictly enforced
DOUBLE DEALING PLATFORM.
After these announcements, and
after the men making them had be-
come the nominees of their respec-
tive parties, we had a right TO believe
that this question had been removed
from the realm of political dispute.
But now comes the Republican plat
form with its home rule plank, de-
liberately giving to the city the right
to annui the power Of the State. II
those desiring the open saloon on
Sunday can by uniting with either OF
the great political parties elect a
board Of police commissioners and
an excise commissioner favorable TO
their view. then these officers may
disregard violations of that law, and
the Governor of the State would be
practically powerless to enforce IT,
WHERE DOES HADLEY srANDf
We have today a similar situation
in St. Louis county. Here local Re-
publican officials are charged with
having refused to enforce the law, and
at the command of the Governor the
Attorney-G General is endeavoring to
have the courts perform the duty OF
|. the local constabulary. This Repub-
/; lican platform is a deliberate piece OF
double dealing, promising in one
plank to the people of the country
that the saloons shall be closed, and
in the next promising the people Of
the city they may keep them open
| demand of Mr.. Hadley that hi
either repudiate his home rule planl
or admit to the people of the Stat'
he does not propose to enforce thu
! law as TO the closing of the saloor
/, on Sunday. Is it possible that sine,
I the published interview to which
. have referred Mr.. Hadleys senti
ments have changed, or were hi
views modified to meet the wishe'
of Mr.. Otto Stiefel, a prominent St
6 Louis brewer, and Mr.. Charles Nagel
4 the national Republican committee
|. man, general counsel for the creates
: brewery in the State, whom we ar
: told by the press helped to shape tn
issues for this campaign?
Like the platform of their party II
z the nation, the platform of the re
publican party in the State is as no
ticeable for the things it omits as tn
things it includes. They denounc
Z the Senatorial primary law, but fai
s to ~oun they favor any plan Civ
n ing to the people the right to cleo
their Senators by direct vote. Unde
a this Senatorial primary law, democ
racy has given to the people as near
h ly as it may be done under the pres
d ent Constitution Of the United States
a direct vote for the election of
IS Senator, and we favor such chang
in the Constitution as will give thi
e privilege to the people
NO MORE OF LOOTED SCHOOL PUNE
: The Republicans no longer raise tn
cry OF a looted school fund or bogu
school certificates. After four year
Q possession Of the books, they hay
been compelled to admit that chare
was false and libelous, and by thei
n silence they now confess that Of tn
lc more than SIoo,ooo,ooo.oo of Stat
o funds which have passed throug
le Democratic hands since 1873 not
Ie single dollar was ever lost to III
y. treasury of the State. Were the
h candid with the public, they woul
admit the school certificate is as goo
: as the bond of the United States, an
that il yearly yields to the schoC
l. fund three times as much in intere!
n De ,,,o,,fd he reee;ved were those funt