Evening journal., 1914-02-07
THINKS STATE
WILL BE DRY
in FIVE YEARS
Rev. W. c. Poole, Temperance
Leader, Opposed to Per-
iOdiC ReSubmiSSiOn
GIVES EXPERIENCE
OF CECIL COUNTY


thinks that the mistakes .of liquor
advocates are doing more to bring state-
wide prohibition in Delaware than
dry people can do. He says that per-
iodic vet and dry vote will never
act the saloon question out Of politics
and believes that Delaware will have
statewide prohibition in less than fve
years. Mr.. Poole in statement today
said in part
~Since nearly every paper in the state
has considered the part which the wet
and dry que tion will play in the cleo
ton OF the next Legislature, in its edi-
torial as well as news columns and
there seems to be so many different
views. il seems proper that should eX-
press NV own views. which ! have pur'
posely kept out of the newspapers, until
ali phases of the question have been
heard
mo loval citizen of Delaware who is
concerned for the best interests of his
state can be silent since the Philadel-
phin houor dealers are doubtless aiding
and abettng, if not managing, the cam
paiqn. This is shown by court records
thaf one of them made the test case
10 break down our laws and questioned
that The last Legislature had sufficient
ability sense and loyalty to enact con-
stitutional law demanded by the peo-
pie The vets have raised the issue and
the drys are ready TO meet 1t, as mas
happened a dozen times in the last SIN
years and specially at the last session
Of the Legislature.
Criticism of Proposition.
"One proposition offered TO get the
LIQUOR question out of politics Is LOT
each district to vote on the question az
stated times. / do not wish at tins
time to take sides on the question, but
I wish TO show that such plan has
never given the results promised Tor II
where it has been tried and tested. Ihis
will never remove the question, as Is
found in places where tried. When
man seeks public Office, he invites and
usually gets a public discussion oil nus
position on public questions as Well rs
Of his personal character and past rec
ord. This always has been done and Is
likely TO remain so. The interest OF the
public necessarily raises the question:
Across the state line in Caroline county,
MARYLAND. where saloons were put out
Of business before J was born the can
didatcs for both branches OF the Mary
land Legislature stgmped the county
last fail. not only in favor of the dry
aucstion. but in favor of the most strn'
.ent prohibitorv laws TO prevent ship
inent into the county for Delaware pa
irons. and the men who offered the most
stringcnt laws to the people were
elected.
"Cecl county. SO often referred to,
has a law by which a vote Is taken
every four years. but every politi-
clan there Is rated as a dry or wet
man and this fact counts for or
against him. Only last fall In the
election in that cocnty, the Demo
Gratis elected their entire ticket by
an average majority of about 400 eN-
cept the candidate Cor State Senate.
Frank p. Williams. son Of Metho-
dist preacher. at one time Presby-
terian minister himself, and always
a foe OF the saloon was elected on
the Republican ticket In spite of di-
vision by the Progressiyes. A man $
position on moral questions and es-
pecially on the wet and dry issue is a
public question. even in the saloon
territory. This is evidenced by a
statement reported in the newspa-
pers to have been made by a certain
Mr. Gallagher in Turn Han Of this
city before the Club Alliance Of Del
aware. Mr.. Gallagher in speaking Of
prominent citizens Is reported in the
papers OF January Sd to have said:
i believe they have a case of cold
feet and they are afraid to touch
anything that Is connected with the
drink question Therefore. we have
no local prominent speakers present
tonight
with others, ] had a great laugh
at a saloon champions testimony to
the power Of the dry sentiment in
Delaware. I could have saved him
the disappointment II he had only
asked me for ] could have TOLD him
there are very few. If any. prominent
p statesmen who sympathize with the
saloon, and none who are foolish
enough TO antagonize the church and
public sentiment by speaking for the
saloon.
"To prove my statement. I hereby
offer a reward Of S25 in gold TO any
citizen prominent enough to have
been elected by Statewide popular
vote to any office in the gift Of the
entire State of Delaware during the
last six years, who will walk from
one end Of Market street TO the other
end beside saloon keeper: 1t be-
ing agreed that ! shall be given
three days notice in which to sum-
mon witnesses and I will deposit the
gold with any trust company he may
name; that the exhibition is to take
place between the hours OF and 3
o'clock p. m. and the gold to be paid
at the end Of his walk from Front
street to the DUPONT Building.
"The drys tan take care OF the sit
uation and / can trust them. Each
hundred and county can manage It's
own affairs better than I can and l
shall not meddle with them. I have
been in every hundred Ii Delaware
this year. some Of them many times.
expect to see the people of Della
ware resent the meddlng of Phila-
delphia, Baltimore and Wilmington
liquor dealers into the election OF a
Delaware Legislature. | expect the
next Legislature to be the best ever
elected in Delaware as a result Of the
agitation.
Probably the vets viii find the
old 'drys' hornets nest full of hor.
nets. which may sting the whole
business in Delaware to death soon.
er than some people expect. l shall
not announce any plans whatever al