Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-07-22
TUCKER ANSWERS QUESTIONS.
Tells Anti-SaIOOn League His Views on The
Liquor Traffic.

Harry st. George Tucker, candidate
for governor, has made an exhaustive
reply to the questions propounded to
him by the Anti-Saloon League of Vir-
ginia, concerning his relation to the
cause of temperance.
Tucker divides the communication
of the league into three parts. answer
ing each separately. The first, consist
ing of questions with reference to his
present opinions and probable official
attention with respect to certain as
poets of the liquor legislation; the sec
ond being in the nature of an inquisition
concerning his past attitude on these
matters, and the third containing a pro-
posed legislative programme, on which
subject the league desires to know the
position of the candidate
Replying to the first of the Tucker
charges, he reiterates his belief in the
principles of local option as the best
method of handling the liquor question,
and says that he favors all proper legis-
lation which will tend to make this prin-
ciple effective. Believing in the princi-
pie of local self-government as the basis
of Democracy, Tucker does not, he
says, favor Statewide prohibition, and
calls attention to the fact that in this
matter he agrees with what he under
stands to be the policy of the Anti-Sa-
loon League. He states, however, that
if the people desire to vote on such a
question and the legislature should pass
bill providing for such a vote, he
would, if elected governor, sign the
measure.
'The second part of your letter,
Tucker continues, ''you will pardon me
for saying, has an inquisitorial tone.
do not feel that your inquiries are made
in good faith. They appear to have
been framed with the hope of giving me
some embarrassment; or, failing in this,
injecting into the minds of those who
may later see your questions some doubt
or hurtful suspicion concerning my past
attitude on these matters. In other
words, you appear to be intimating
charges rather than seeking informa-
ton. Hence, though 1 am ready at all
times to face my record as private
citizen and public servant, 1 decline to
submit to catechising conducted in the
spirit which apparently characterizes
your inquiries.
Concerning the proposed legislative
programme, Tucker says that these in
quiries should more properly have been
addressed to candidates for election to
the legislature. He says he is heartily
in favor of the strictest regulation of
the liquor traffic, but that he refuses to
commit himself without reservation to
so elaborate and extensive programme
of legislation before even the bill for
same has been drafted. He says that,
in the main, the proposed laws will
meet with his approval.
Tucker then goes on to make several
statements on his own account. In the
first place, he says, the Anti-Saloon
League must not suppose for a moment
that he is so innocent as to fancy that
their communication proceeds merely
from an impartial purpose to give the
public information.
He calls attention to the fact that
the committee, instead of sending iden-
tical letters to both candidates for gov
ernor, as heretofore, chooses to write a
separate letter to each. He states that
he does not believe the league to be the
non-partisan and impartial folks that
they represent themselves to be, and
that he fully understands the influence
at work behind their communication.
He says his appeal is to the citizens of
Virginia, and that these influences will
not prevail.