The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-09-24

stantly invaded by the traffic and a con-
slant warfare against it is necessary for
its exclusion This statute was eneactd
without submission to the vote of the PEG.
pie; but Its effects have been beneiicent
and the good accom- plshed under il has
been so great the people of the State are
unwilling TO see il repealed modified or
weakened. SO strong is the sentiment in
It's behalf that both the great parties in
the State are pledged to maintain il invlo-
late. And the desire of the people for the
further restriction of the traffic is so sin
cere, so manifest and insistent that both
parties have promised additional and SIM
Elemental legislation.
Two methods are suggested. One. a
township and ward election. where the peO-
pie of the township or ward may vote for or
against the traffic The other, county
election. where The people of each county
may vote for or against it, Between these
two propositions both the temperance people
and the liquor interests of the State have
made quick and decisive choice
The first method would add nothing to
| the present statute. The unit would be
| precisely the same as that covered by the
I pre~nt remonstrance law. Ii would not be
step for the fu0her restriction of the
traffic, but a step toward the weakening OF
| the present restraint In practice. ii would
greatly impair il not efectually destroy the
remonstrance law. Operating over the same
| territorial unit, conflict would ensue and the
remembrance law would be supplanted. The
township or ward covers too small terri
| tory TO be an effective unit. No township
| or city ward can single handed protect itself
from the ravages and evils of the traffic
| long as Ii is permitted in the townships and
wards surrounding ii. great majority of
| the citizens of county or city may be
opposed to the traffic, but while a single
township or city ward favors Ii. though by
| majority of but one legal voter the coun-
| ~ or the city must tolerate it, must suffer
| in silence without redress denied voice
/ or even hearing concerning it, Thus the
will OF the people is made Intellectual, their
purpose impOtent. A city ward or township
Is not a substantial governmental unit.
| They have no officers qualified empow
cred to enforce the laws of the State relat-
| ing to the traffic. The expense of criminal
prosecutions for crimes committed in the
township or ward is not borne by such town.
ship or ward alone. but by the county as
| whole. The evil effects of the traffic cannot
be confined TO their boundaries. but reach
| all the people of the county. Township or
| ward local option by election is a kind of
| home rule but little better than that which
would follow If the unit were a precinct.
| a city block, a single fat in a city, the
house of a single family. Carried to its
last analysis. 1t Localities the option to the
individual conscience of each citizen and
takes away all right of society, as repre-
| sented in the majority. to have voice in
/ the matter. 1t is not government by ma
| jority, but government by the minority. 1t
Is not the rule of the people. but the rule of
| the few
| The county is a we'll recognized and long
| established unit of government. Ii has
| officers and courts and the machinery by
which the law of the state can be enforced.
| The people of this unit all share the cost
| Of criminal prosecutions for crimes commit
| ted within it, The traffic's evil effects can
| more nearly be confined to its borders.
The difference between the two methods is
emphasized and accentuated by the char
| acter of those who support them. Good
| men may be back of the township and ward
unit, but back of II are also the allied liquor
| interests OF the State, organized as single
| unit. Every brewer. every distiller, every
| saloon keeper, the keeper of every brothel
| and of every unlawful resort and every al
| lied interest that can be reached. individual
/ or corporate. are supporting ii. and they are
| not half-hearted in their support of ii
| against county option.' They are desperate
| ly in earnest. They are here and will be
| here throughout this session, active. dom
i inant. arrogant intinidating and corrupting
| prepared to defeat county option at any
| cost or by any means within their power
| They seek, through you, to take over unto
| themselves the enactment OF law. They
| are reaching for the reins of government
| everywhere and in every department. that
| they may administer IL in their own behalf
On the other side is the great body of
| our people. the many. the masses. morgan
| iZed without CELEBRITY of movement or cor
/ rupting power. They are not for county
| local option. They plead their cause in
| the open. The ministry of the State of all
| denominations. teachers, lawyers, doctors.
| manufacturers, farmers; the moral forces
| OF the Commonwealth, represented by the
| Christian church and religious societies the
| great rank and file; the multitude whose
government this is. whose commissions you
hold. whose representatives You are. Thou
| sands of them are here and will be here TO
| urge Their claim upon you.
| The brewery. the distillery, the saloon,
/ the brothe. on one side The church, the
| school, the home on the otner
| County option is i'm harmony with the
| spirit of our institutions. Ii Is in accord
| with the basic principle of American gov
| ernment. Ii meets the requirement of the
/ great declaration, that governments shall
derive their just powers from the consent
| OF the governed"
| How can a man who enjoys the blessings
| Of free popular government and who pro-
| fesses TO believe I'm democratic Institutions
| where the people themselves, By majority
| exercise the right to rule. consistently deny
| to the people of the several counties of this
| Commonwealth tile right to exclude this
/ traffic from their midst IL they so desire?
| How can man who values political free
| dom for himself deny to the three millions
/ Of people in Indiana who desire to be heard
| upon this question the exercise of n right
| so fundamental How can a man who be-
| lieves in the right of the majority to decide
| questions OF tariff schedules and monetary
| ratios refuse to submit this question to the
| forum of free people. or withhold from
| his fellow citizens freeman's right TO vote
/ Upon it?
| reiterate my belief that II Is both ex
| pedient and right TO enact this legislation
| now. If IL is right to enact 1t next January
| il Is right to enact II In September. There
| fore ! recommend TO you and urge upon
| your favorable consideration the enactment
| of n local option law with the county a
| unit, giving to the people the right to vote
| by counties upon the question: and so drawn
] as to preserve the present remOnstrance law.
| In this | voice the thought and express the
| conscience and the purpose of the people,
| whose servants we are. III your enactment
| shall voice their thought and express their
| purpose. you may justly claim their APP
| prevail You will thereby place the State
| where the intelligence, the conscience and
1 the character of its citizens entitle Ii to
| stand. If you fail you will have to account
| TO them. for soon late they will have
| their way upon this great question. In this
| neither the majority nor tie minority can
| escape responsibility. As individuals and
! as representatives of the people, your re-
/ sponsibiity is the same, whether you are of
| the majority or of the minority. Right is
| right and he who opposes Ii cannot long
| find safe refuge behind the barricades of
party.
The General Assembly Is now in session.
| You constitute IL. You have the power to
| legislate. The people know you have the
| power. They will not be satisfied with
postponement or delay. They expect you to
act upon this question before you adjourn.