The Detroit times., 1914-11-02
Let the People Rule
land Write
LET THE PEOPLE 49,. ID '.us.y.
Good Citizenship.

0ooo CitxensniP.
70 the Editor OF The Times:
The making or good government -
up TO the people. II they allow the
machine men and political bosses TO
rule them. then the hope OF having
the pure state Is gone. for as long rs
they have such men as their leaders
they can not expect anything else but
q machine system Of demagogism
This has been true since the days OF
Lincoln. The cure of this onerous
defect Is up 70 the sovereign people.
Their only relief Is to unite as ono.
and put their shoulders to the wheel
and cry out. Onward to victory"
Toe question looms up before US. how
can Il be done? II can be accom-
plished only through the united ell
forts OF every one. Not by few. but
by the combined exertions OF all.
The proposition am about to put
before you might seem somewhat ar
bitrary, but | believe after looking
into tie matter you will see the folly
OF your fears. The proposition Ii
this: In order to overcome the ex-
listing evil. the people as whole
have got to enter into the affairs OF
the government. They ought 20 be
compelled 10 come before their peers
and voice the dictates Of their con-
science. Some may think that to
compel q person to vote Is In viola
ton OF his constitutional rights. In
the first place right Of suffrage is q
natural right. and II does not take
away the liberty ~ the person. nor
his personal rights. The right OF
suffrage is then only q political right
Which can be changed by the people
II they SO desire. II is only an cleo
tive franchise. The federal constitu-
ton does not confer the right OF
suffrage upon the people; II Is left
wholly TO the state. Being q civil
right. II does not owe it's existence
to the mere fact Of the personality OF
the individual. but to the constitution
of the civil government. l cannot see
where the rights and liberties of. q
person are violated when his respon-
sibilities are enlarged upon by his fell
low beings.
To go a step further in the progress
| OF good citizenship. every individual
should do his little part In developing
and furthering the advancement OF
civil affairs. There are two classes
who are always menace to COM
munity. and which are the ones that
support the machine men and bosses.
With these two classes In our
midst. let MS az sovereign and ruiz
ing people unite as one great power
against the evil elements that might
drive the ship OF state upon the rocks
OF social and political depravity. Citi-
zens Of America, look to the future.
J. c. BURROUGHS.
Dundee. Mich, Oct. 81, 1914.
Joker In the Hobson Bill.
TO the Editor Of TIE Ttmss:
I desire to call attention to the de-
fective character Of the Hobson pro-
hibition amendment to the federal
constitution.
The amendment reads: The sale.
manufacture for sale. transportation
for sale, expectation for sale and Inn
portation for sale of intoxicating
liquor for beverage purposes In the
United States and all territory sub
ject to the jurisdiction thereof. are
forever prohibited"
Why the repetition of those words:
"for sale?" There can be but one an
swer: TO make II absolutely clear,
without saying SO In as many words.
that this amendment Is not intended
to prohibit the manufacture OF liquor
for personal use; nor its transporta-
ton, expectation or importation for
personal use.
Il Will be readily seen that such an
omission win open the door for all
manner of frauds and evasions and
will make the enforcement Of the law
exceedingly difficult. IL, under this
amendments ! may legally manufac-
ture liquor for my own use, | may
Just as legally serve IL on my table
, to my family and my guests. Why
may not also serve II to any friends
who may drop In for social call?
And II those friends were to leave
some coin on my sideboard before de-
parting. whose business IN II but their
own? There you have Il. The sale
Of liquor will be transferred from
filthy, ill-smelling rooms In the busi-
ness district to the homes Of hundreds
Of people.
Do the temperance people Of this
country want such . change In the
sale Of liquor, with the consequent
loss of public revenuef Why not an
amendment like this: THE manu-
facture, sale. transportation. exporta-
ton and importation OF Intoxicating
liquor for beverage purposes In the
United States and all territory sub
ject to the jurisdiction thereof, are
forever prohibited" There are no
loop-holes In that The adoption Of
the Hobson amendment would make
II dificuit to secure a correction Of
its defects. VIM. A BRUBAKER.
Detroit, Oct 81, 1914.
Mr.. Pickett Challenges Mr.. Hudson.
TO the Editor of The Times:
II Mr.. Pattingfll II elected he prom
ises to take the saloon out Of politics.
He will succeed Just as well az Os-
horu did IN oyerthrowfu9 brewerv