The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-06
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED IN
CHESTNUT STREET HALL

The following resolutions were
adopted at this morning S conference in
the Chestnut street auditorium, being
presented by George E. Alter, former
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives:
Whereas, the sale of intoxicating
liquors has produced most serious and
vital problems and, as these become
more fully appreciated, the people are
justly claiming the right to more di-
rect part in deciding the question
whether such sale shall be licensed in
their respective communities:
And whereas, in the absence of any
method by which the voters in the
several counties may lawfully and di-
rectly pass upon the question of license
or no license, they are attempting to
determine this important question
through the election of Judges express
ly or impliedly committed TO the grant
ing or the refusal of licenses, through
which method a system of county local
option is, in effect, operative in large
and growing number of the counties OF
the State:
And whereas, the election of Judges
upon any issues other than judicial
ability, fairness and integrity. and par.
ticularly upon an issue relating to the
manner in which they will decide cases
to be heard in court, is prostitution
of the most sacred office in the gift of
the people the result of which is n
great weakening of that confidence in
the judiciary so essential to the pre-
servation of our institutions:
And whereas, the Governor of the
Commonwealth elected under an ex-
press pledge to favor county local OPP
tion law, is faithfully adhering TO that
pledge, the redemption of which he be-
gan in his inaugural address. wherein
he said: "Let this vexed question be
taken from partisan control and given
directly to the people. They will solve
1t better than we can. The selection
of Judges in the several districts should
no longer hinge upon this question. 1t
has already worked harm to the judici-
airy and has lessened the regard of our
people for the integrity and capacity
of the final legal guardians of the peo-
ple's sacred rights. 1t is a dominant
issue in the public mind. The party
that has given this great state its in
has now the sacred opportunity of Civ
ing the State a great moral uplift. 1
trust We shall not fail the people in
this issue
And whereas, this principal of home
rule has been applied successfully in
majority of the States of the Union and
the right to its exercise should no long
er be denied the people of Pennsylva-
MIA.
Resolved: That feeling it our bound
en- duty to, support the Governor and
a high privilege to enlist under his
courageous leadership in this righteous
cause, we, the men of this conference,
gathered from every part of Pennsyl
vania, do hereby pledge ourselves to
aid, by all fair and honorable means,
the effort to secure for our Common
wealth country local option law, to
the end that the courts may be freed
from the imminent peril by which they
are now threatened and the people of
the counties given the local control to
which they are fairly and justly en-
titled
Resolved that. in our Judgment said
legislation should be enacted now and
we hereby give our unqualified approval
to the county local option bill, intro
dueed by Hon. George w. Williams,
and pending in the General Assembly
at this time.