The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-05-25
WILSON'S VIEWS ON
LIQUOR QUESTION
IN LETTER TO EDITOR OF LOUIS
WILLIE TIMES FRANKLY TELLS
WHERE HE STANDS.
SAYS HEFAVORS LOCAL OPTION

and National Politics Brought Dis
runtiOn and Made Constructive
Legislation Impossible.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--A letter from
President Wilson was made public
here today reaffirming his position
on the LIQUOR question and simplifying
two previus letters on the subject,
known as the Shannon and Grogan
letters. which were written when Mr..
Wilson was governor of New Jersey.
The Shannon letter advocated local
option as a means of settling liquor
issues. 1t said that liquor injected
into state or national politics brought
disruption and rendered constructive
legislation impossible.
The Grogan letter had been con-
structed in Kentucky to mean the
writer favored statewide prohibition.
Louisville Editors Letter.
In view of the widely divergent in
terpretations placed upon the two let
tiers w. B. Haldeman, editor OF the
Louisville Times, wrote the president
reciting that:
Statewide prohibition has been
made an issue by two of the candl-
dates for the democratic gubernato-
rial nomination in Kentucky and in
that connection the so-called Grogan
letter is being used to imply that you
approve of this principle in certain
circumstances which are declared to
fit the present Kentucky political sit
nation. On the other hand, the So
called Shannon letter is being used
in an effort to prove that you stand
for local self-goyernment as prlncl-
pie for democrats to observe.
eff you feel that the situation war
rants Mr.. Haldeman's letter said IN
conclusion, 81 should be pleased to
have statement of present date from
you as to your general attitude to-
wards the questions presented by this
letter. Such a statement would do
much to clarity our local situation
and do much to emphasize what you
obviously intended by the Shannon
letter."
The Presidents Reply.
81 have your letter of May o." the
presidents letter, made public today,
says. and must apologize for not
having replied sooner. am sure
that YOU will understand the pressure
of circumstances | have been under.
The reply to your letter is very SIM
nile, NV so-caIled Shannon letter pre-
ciselv defines my position with regard
to the liquor issue, not only as 1t was
when | wrote the letter to Mr.. Gro
gan. but as it is now, and the letter
to Mr.. Grogan is, or was, at any rate,
intended to be entirely con listen with
if. What | intended to say to Mr..
Grogan and think that | said with
sufficient clearness was that, while
the DOsition [ lad taken in the Shan
non letter expressed by fixed conVlc-
tions in the matter, I was not self
confident or self-OpiniOnated enough
to say what the proper course OF ac-
tion was either in Texas or in any
other state where I was not person
ally in touch with the condition OBJ
tanning. felt that it would be AFRO
CANT on my part to state that there
were in my opinion no circumstances
which justified an agitation for state
wide prohibition.
81 am sure that you yourself felt
that there was no inconsistency be-
tween the two letters and am sin
cereIy obliged to you for having al
forded me the opportunity to make
this very explicit