Morris tribune., 1910-03-25
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T Governor Eberhart's State
ment.
"The County Option move
( ment is a non-partisan move
ment, and every delegate to
( this convention is commits
+ stoned as non-partisan dele
I gate. I have been requested
( to state to this convention
+ what shall be, my position as
+ to County Option, and conse-
( quently what, in my opinion,
Z should be the position of the
( Republican party with refer
( ence thereto.
r Every fair minded person
, will admit that my declaration
Z at this time as to whether I
, shall or shall not favor Coun-
: ty Option in this state will
, force me to make that declar-
, alton good in the Republican
: state convention, or be elirni-
: mated from its consideration,
: it means that I must use the
, Office of the chief executive
: of this state to force the Re-
: publican state convention to
: adopt my view, irrespective Of
: what the majority might de-
: sire. In other words, it would
: compel me to use the execu-
: tive department of this state
, to attempt to dictate to the
: Republican party it's position
: on this question, which is
, neither right nor in keeping
: with our ideas of popular or
party government.
"The forcing of the execu-
tive department of this state
into the County contest means
even more than that. Under
our constitution the legislative
and executive departments are
entirely distinct and independ-
, ent, and any undue interfer-
ence on the part of the chief
, executive in matters of legis-
lation is not only wrong in
principle, but disastrous in re-
suits.
"I am well aware that where
a political party has pledged
itself to the enactment of GER
tain reforms it is not only per-
1nissible but proper for the
chief executive representing
that party to urge legislative
action to carry out such re-
forms, but in advance of any
such declaration by political
party or by the people at large,
the chief executive has no
right to use the influence of
his office to dictate legislation.
eff my declaration at this
time for or against County OPP
ton does not mean what I
have stated, then it means
merely a play to the galleries
for the purpose of satisfying
one side or the other, a posi-
ton altogether unworthy of
anyone occupying the highest
gift of the people.
There is only one conse-
quence which my entry into
the County Option fight would
make certain, and that is such
a division within the ranks of
the Republican party as would
rebound solely to the advan-
tage of the opposition. No one
has been able to suggest any
benefits to the County Option
movement which my declara-
ton at this time would bring
about, but on the other hand,
judging from past experience,
it is safe to assume that it
would result in the division
and possible defeat of party
which has given us all the tenn
perance legislation now on our
statute books. -.
81 have given this matter
very careful consideration and
sincerely and earnestly believe
that it is my duty to await and
support the platform of the
Republican party, and in case
a County Option law is passed
by the legislature while am
governor, it will receive my
approval and together with all
other laws of the state be en-
forced"