The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-09-29

lAA. OD IL N4I1SG1dM 1101le.J
Local option means the right of
any unit Of government, even the
smallest, to adopt or to reject,
at its own viii, anymeasure that
primarily concerns that commun-
ity apart from other similar units
or communities. Local option
therefore, when applied to a spec
ifc subject or measure, simply al
lows any of the townships Of a
county or any county of the state
to adopt or reject the measure or
law In question. Whether it be
local or option Of township, coun-
ty or state depends on what unit
of government is legitimately de-
Gliding the question under consid-
GRAFTON.
The privilege Of local option
can be exercised by a community
only after the supreme govern
ment has delegated this privilege
to the sub-governments or small
er units, whether they be safes,
counties, or townships. While
we remeber that local option can
justly be applied only toquestions
that concern primarily the local
community and not the general
or larger community, let US con-
slider the state as the supreme
government that grants the local
option privilege. The state there
fore, can only. delegate the priv
ege to adopt exclusively local or
county law on questions that do
not involve the unified interest of
the whole state. Nc county has
a right to determine alone who
shall or shall not be law, except
along lines that are peculiarly To-
cal In their nature and do not Wit
ally concern the people of the.
wheel state. Questions and laws
Of common interest to all the To-
cal communities become state
questions to be determined by
the state and not ny Tie s4
community Such laws and ques-
tions do not In their nature be-
long to the local option field.
Where does prohibition belong?
Is it a matter of mere local inter
est or a subject of deep concern
to the state as a whole? The
prohibition question is one proper
ly handling or preventing the
manufacture and sale of intoxi-
cants, especially of intoxicating
drinks. Neither the county nor
the state is particularly interest
ed in the mere manufacture or
sale of intoxicants. But the in
terest and the serious consequence
is in the consumption of these
drinks. If nobody would drink
them the whole question would
be dead.
Prohibition, therefore, becomes
a problem of preventing to the
greatest extent possible, lie
thinking of Intoxicating drinks
This In turn is a question of order,
health, and morals. Neither the
local community nor the state
cares what nor how much its cit
zens drink so long as public or
der, health and morals are not
affected. That these great and
vital interests are all very scriv
ously affected by the use of intox-
icents is proved by observa-
ton, statistics, and science. Furth
ermore its use is general vhere-
ever permitted to be made and
sold. 1t is not confined to any
community or group Of conllnun-
titles.
Not only does the use of strong
drink involve the health and NOR
ais of the state, but the counties
cannot control it. IF the problem
existed in manufacture or even IN
sale, there would be a large posi-
bility for the successful appHca-
ton Of local option. But as the
real problem is in the drinking,
the county cannot SUCCESSFULLY
handle it. Half a dozen counties
might pass prohibition laws while
only one in their midst refuses on
account of liquor influence. That
county practically annuls, in a
large measure, the legislation of
the six adjoining counties. When
only a few miles travel is the only
obstacle and that merely a county
line, the laws necessary do not &C
complish the whole purpose in
tended.
Therefore, as a problem involv-
ing public order, health and
morals, to say nothing of the