Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-10-06
Local Option Taken Out.

The Anti-Saloon League ten days ago
sent the following questions to the Repub-
lican, Democratic and Prohibition candi-
dates for Governor
First DO you believe that the people
of the various counties. election districts,
cities and wards of Maryland should be
permitted to determine for themselves by
direct majority vote whether their saloons
shall or shall not be closedS
"Second-lf the people at the coming
election select a Legislature favorable to
the general local option bill proposed by
the league, which has been before the peo-
pie of the State for the last four years and
which is a recognized legislative issue in
this campaign will you, if elected. accept
such result as evidence of the peoples wish
in the premises and sign such bill if passed
by the LegislatureY
"Third-(a) Will you favor its passage
by the Legislature to the full extent of
the proper exercise of your constitutional
power, as. for example, including it in your
message to the Legislature o. Or. if you
do not answer division A of this question
in the affirmative, will you at least agree
not in any manner, direct or indirect, by
either personal or official influence, to pre-
vent, hinder or interfere with the passage
of such bill ?"
To these interrogatOries the following
reply has been received from Mr.. Phillips
Lee Goldsborough, the Republican nominee
for Governor:
Il am in receipt of your letter of Sep
TENDER 23, and in reply thereto desire to
say
First There can be little difference of
opinion among right-thinking men at this
time as to the propriety of allowing the
various communities of our State to deter
mine for themselves local questions in
volving the health or morals of the people.
With this doctrine am in accord
"Second-lf the Legislature should pass
your local option BILL il would become my
duty under the Constitution of Maryland
to sign it. and should do So
"Third-The paramount issue of this
campaign is that of fair and honest cleo
tions. All my efforts will be first directed
to accomplish this result. Until it is set
tied there is no guarantee of the accuracy
of the returns of the vote upon any meas
ure submitted to the people. Bearing this
in mind, | cannot promise to divert the
issue by using any influence may have to
further the passage of the BILL but will
not in any manner hinder or interfere with
its passage. p. l.. GoLDsBoROUGH."
Senator A. p. German the Democratic
nominee, replied
in reply to the several questions con-
tanned in your communication of the 23rd
beg to answer as follows
"F'irst-l believe in the Democratic doc
trine of self home rule, with right of the
people to express their opinion on all sub
jects which concern or are vital to them.
Second would consider it my duty,
if elected Governor, to sign any measure
which the Legislature, after proper DELHI
Grafton, passed unless the same was con-
sidered 'hasty or partial legislation and
encroachments of the legislative depart
ment upon the coordinate executive and
judicial departments Therefore, if the
Legislature should pass local option bill.
would consider it my duty to sign it, and
believe that Governor should not place
his stamp Of disapproval upon any measure
providing for a referendum.
"Third-(a) would not include in a
message that sent to the Legislature
recommendation for the passage of any
measure not included in the Democratic
platform.
Fourth (b) do not believe il is a
province of Governor to attempt to in
iluence the Legislature in its deliberations,
and therefore would refrain from actively
participating in any measure which the
Legislature was considering.
Trusting that these answers which
have endeavOred to make clear are full
and frank. A. P. GERMAN, JR."
Concerning the matter the headquarters
committee of the Anti-Saloon League at
meeting on Monday afternoon adopted the
following official statement:
THE decent citizenship of Maryland
faces crisis In the light Of the ast0und-
ing disclosure of election frauds the Anti
Saloon League recognizes that all special
reforms are dependent upon and subOrdi-
nate to the sanctity of the ballot. The
league has received assurance against
veto or executive interference therefore
the local option question has been taken
out Of the GubernatOrial contest.
in view Of this gratifying recognition
of the strength Of local option sentiment
and the vindication of Anti-SalOon League
methods. the league, as such, will not in
dOrse or support either candidate, but
leaves every voter in its constituency free
TO settle the Gubernatorial question in
accordance with his own judgment as to
the obligations imposed upon him as a
Christian citizen to secure clean govern
ment and promote political righteousness.
This situation permits the league to
avoid the charge of craftsmanship and con-
centrates the fight on the Legislature and
the corrupt gang which has not only de-
prived the people Of the right to vote on
the liquor question, but has stolen ballots
actually cast on other questions But 1t
should be kept clearly in mind that II Mr..
Mahon and the liquor interests again con-
troll the Legislature the Governor will be
given no opportunity to sign the local
option bill.