The Detroit times., 1915-01-07
DICKINSON HITS
AT LIQUOR And
PRE-PRIMARY
People View Proposed Conven-
ton Scheme With Deep Sus-
picion, He Warns
CITES TREND OF TIMES
TOWARD PROHIBITION
Liquor Question Touches Lives
More Minutely Than
Politics
star Correspondent OF The Times.

A iAA4NclGN1B Mlcu.s Jan. O.-L~lSul'
Gov. Loren ID. Dickinson voiced
q demand for advanced temper
ance legislation in his address TO the
Michigan senate this morning. This
demand, he said. had been voiced not
by extremists, but by persons who
occupied the middle ground" who
were interested In moral and civic
welfare
The so-called "preprimary" conven'
ton plan came in for a scoring at the
hands OF the lieutenant-goyernor, who
declared that the people would I'M
doubtedly "look with suspicion upon
any attempt to take away present
rights" He counselled extreme care
In election legislation
The aieutenant-goyernor' address
In part follows:
There are two matters which, II
communications TO me would indicate
anything. you will more than probably
be asked TO consider. These are the
questions affecting primary elections
and the liquor traffic. During the last
two weeks | have been overwhelmed
with requests from reporters, jour
mails and men from all occupations and
classes to express myself on these
two questions, because OF my being
termed "the father of the primary
law" and because of my being so
widely advertised for some time past
as an extreme dry advocate. While
have no apology to make concerning
either charge, yet feel a delicacy as
to the manner of expressing myself.
Without emphatic request | would not
lnfiict any OF my own convictions upon
you In this communication, But de
sire TO be frank. AS TO primary
changes, / wish to say that do not
question any persons sincerity If he
fayors convention-advisory or real
to control party nominations He
has right to be given a hearing and
proper consideration. ! do. however.
believe with ninetenths OF those who
have expressed themselves 10 me, that
any action along such lines. in what.
ever garb IL may appear will be re-
garded with extreme suspicion by the
people OF the state as the first in
fringement OF their nomination rights
under our present nominating system,
I believe also, with the same percent
age of information to Judge from, that
some of the other suggested changes
are aimed to rectify faults which,
when thoroughly analysed will be
found TO be mythical
The primary law is recognized as
a Republican measure. IL any radical
changes are made they will be ini-
tiated by Republicans, and the Repub-
lican party will profit or suffer there
by. The average voter Is 100 per cent
better qualified TO vote than % years
ago. and therefore cannot be lined
up"
His political pulse is easily affected,
and the party that even seemingly
trespasses on his political rights soon
hears from him. IT'S this instead OF
the primary. that has at times con.
tributed towards the disruption OF
party organizations for that party
which has not been responsive to the
demands of the voters. Therefore,
gentlemen OF the senate, is IL not good
Judgment to move slowly In these
matters? III changes are made. be
sure that something better than we
have is given the people. The most
reasonable demand that has reached
me Is that, IL possible, we make the
primary law so that the will of the
People will be honestly recorded, and
without interference and without wait
ing several weeks after the primary
TO know results.
ANY reference that | might make
to the second subject, the LIQUOR traf.
tic, could not be better stated than
that made by one Of our influential
dailies a few days ago when il made
the following statement:
This epochal phenomenon was not
forecasted even by the most shrewd
ten years ago. Careful observers
have been able to anticipate II only
within the last four years II is i'm.
material on which side ones person
al inclinations lie, for we are In the
pl essence here, not OF prohibition
hopes and liquor interest fears out OF
ar actual development.
Remarkable above all other polit.
ical developments OF recent years IA
this prohibition movement, touching
our personal lives so much more min.
utely than mere tariffs or political
theories. 1t is small moment whether
one Is opposed TO the idea, the fact
Is present"
81 might say, however, that have
not been approached by the extrem.
lists OF either side OF this question
But have been flooded with requests
by those occupying the middle ground
those interested in our great indus.
trial enterprises, our colleges and
schools, our criminals and unfortu.
mates, our morals and social relations
--and without exception they ask for
advanced temperance legislation. III
could not be true TO my constituency
N did not turn these matters over
10 you. They are In your hands, and
i have that confidence in you that you
will give them your most careful con
sideration, and when you have arrived
at the result IL Will be the product or
honest convictions
The legislator OF generation ago
could do things that would have been
silently or possibly outwardly approx
ed by his constituents that the same
acts today would subject him 10 pen
nlties and possibly to imprisonment
The standard OF legislation Is OF
higher grade I'm each succeeding legis-
Inture. generally speaking, because
the people are demanding better
things and watching critically the
acts OF their legislators They are
Today seemingly demanding more OF /
us than OF any former legislators. Let
ns not disappoint them, but may all
odd our Individual efforts towards
adding an additional chapter. the con
the clearness. the stand.
,rd OF which will make Il the most
OF all the chapters of (
no long list OF Michigan statutesl
"Gentlemen, ! have the utmost con
idence that this will be the result"
III. A. BAI.JsENGER