Evening journal., 1909-03-17
Wednesday, March II, 1909
THE DRExLER BILL

THE DREXLER BILL
IT HE vote by which the Drexer bill provid-
ing for elections ON the license question at
stated intervals was defeated in the House shows
q curious division OF the members. Some OF the
Republicans voted one way and some the other
and the Democrats did the same The members
from the Wet and the DRY" districts also di-
Nided and enough "Wets" and "Drys" combined
to defeat the bill by substantial majority. The
iine-up OF the members in this vote made clear
the wide diversity of opinion on the question.
The Drexler bill has appealed to us as a good
measure. Its adoption by the Legislature would
not be hnal for the bill would have TO be passed
by the General Assembly two years hence in or
der to become effective as a constitutional
amendment is involved. If the sentiment of the
State two years from now were clearly against
the bill, it could be defeated when it came before
the Legislature Tor final action. 1t would be in
the same position as is the proposed amendment
to the constitution increasing the salaries of the
members OF the General Assembly
Therefore the adoption OF the Drexler measure
would simply bring the question before the pco-
pie for consideration by the Lepislature--that is
the question OF whether we shall have license
elections at stated periods. There may have been
some objection TO the length of time provided
for in the bill. but this could have been amended
Nosuch objection, however, seems 10 have been
seriously considered
We guess that the objection to the bill as
N->PANooSh b1 Il DoNSl paper, winch is an ardent
prohibition supporter, is due to the fact that our
contemporary does not want the license question
again submitted TO the voters of Kent county,
and believes that under the present plan there is
no possibility of sufficient number of members
being elected 10 the Legislature from that conn
ty IN favor OF resubmisson. Judging by the
vote on the question in Kent where the majority
was very large against license. only one district
in ten being carried by the license advocates
there does seem to be little probability of the
question being submitted in Kent in the near fu-
ture under the present plan.
The majority in Sussex was not SO large as
that IN Kent and perhaps the license men think
1t would be better to take the Drexler bill than
run chances of electing men to the Legislature
from Sussex III favor Of resubmsson.
II seems certain that we shall have the wet
or Dry matter figuring to a very large extent
IN the next election. We shall hear il discussed
everywhere. The Anti-License supporters will
at once become busy and continue the agitation
throughout the State. Do the people really want
TINS question always before them? Is there to
be no rest from it, Can we have no campaigns
fought on issues other than this? Every one
who went through the last local option cam
pagn and who kept informed about it. knows
pretty accurately the causes that led to the re-
suits.
The regular election next year will be i'm
portant outside of considerations of license or no.
license. Legislature will be chosen to elect
be chosen. National issues will be involved in
The election just as much, in fact more than To-
cal affairs. Why then should we not start to set
tic the license question in sensible and sane
manner as is proposed by the DreXler amend
ment and devote our time to the consideration of
other matters? There are many people in this
State who will certainly become weary Of this
matter that is, who think that the whisky uues-
ton should not be continually before their eyes
, These are people who could live under license or
L. 49,
necessary, but who certainly object to the prac.
tical subordination Of everything to the Wet
or DRY" problem. They object to this ques-
ample the election of minor county officer
During the last campaign the constant agitation
OF this question sometimes resulted in the un-
Just treatment of worthy men. There was can.
ddate Tor the nomination for Coroner on ths
Democratic ticket who had done valiant
service for his party, and who because of thai
service was, his friends thought entitled to thi.
small nomination, although it carried with it nC
trct. In his home district the man was accused
cused OF being "Dry." de was in dilemm;
was defeated by narrow margin and he woulc
Of whether a candidate for Coroner should b,
this instance and we presume that other poti
clans had similar experiences.
1t seems to us that the Drcxer bill is fair
No harm could be done by passing the bill a