The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1909-04-16
LEAVE IT VIE LIE PEOPLE.

pers Eastern and Southern Florida attempting to force
the prohibition question upon the people Of the State
The managing editors of these papers very that the
prohibition Of liquor traffic is not ISSUE likely
to become one for many months.
Why they display the Of justice and fairness
as the Pensacola Journal, which says:
THE Journals reports from Tallahassee indicate that the
shadOwng question before the legislature the joint esOu
ton calling for the submission of constitutional amendment for
Statewide prohibition Of the liquor traffic in Florida
There little doubt that the resolution will pass but whether it
the question should be settled that theeg
saure get down to other business which demands its aten
ton
e submission of this amendment will be in line with the gen.
demand of the people throughout the The passage
the resolution will affect single saloon in the State Il will
not change the present status the least will simply the
people Of the State opportunity vote the question and
by their votes whether they want the saloon Florida The
legislature will in fact simply be shifting the responsibility of de-
Gliding the saloon question the people themselves where be-
longs.
THE point now is that the legislature is going to pass
pass this resolution and be done with it.
That will settle it far the legislature is concerned and that
body down other business leaving the liquor question
be passed on by the people year from next November
The temperance people Florida are asking nothing more
they will be satsfed.wth nothing less
Give bill permitting the people of the State decide the
question by their ballots
1t often asserted by the opposite element that the prohibition
lists unfair.
Let about this.
When the house committee met Monday fix date for the
consideration of Mr. Hbuns constitutional amendment measure
the temperance people in the majority and could have named
Thursday Of this week they wished and had been proposed
The Honorable Speaker who opposed to this constitutional
measure asceranng majority committee against
him. appeared before them and plead that the business interests of
Jacksonville Tampa Key and Pensacola be permitted APP
before the committee and protest against its passage
In spirit of consideration for the Speaker the temperance
Oy acceded his request and the date for consideration was
fixed for Thursday, April I'D.
Would the opposition have been liberal and fair had they
been in the majority?
We rather think not.
Why the editors of these papers opposed Submission
Binf
Are they not willing the citizens of Florida settle
ment Of the prohibition question?
Each OF these editors have strongly denounced the acts Of
the Georgia. Alabama Mississippi and Tennessee legislatures in
passing Statewide prohibition laws.
They have referred the conduct of those bodies drastic in
tolerant, and partisan Oligarchy
They vehemen declared that the great body of the people
should have been permitted by their ballots settle the question
Why does not their argument hold good down here
vote upon the question would have been right in the States
named, why is It wrong in Florida
The True Democrat would like these editors If it
Is exactly fair to be discussing the prohibition question when
such question proposed by the temperance people Of the State
Let the issues be settled they Why bring Taahas
representatives Of the commercial organizations Of the larger
cities to argue against State prohibition
Just good and just successful argue that would
be beneficial.