The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-08-16
FHIT BACK IN SHARP LETTER
Say That State Legislature Has Repeat
sdly Affirmed State Law for Sunday
Closing and That the Governor Is
Temporizing Now.

Foes Of the saloon in Wisconsin have
issued scathing reply to Governor
Philips announcement that he will
call special session of the Wisconsin
legislature to dispose of tho Sunday
saloon. The letter was sent to the gov
ernor on Monday and at the same time
copies OF it were given to the press.
Here is the letter:
Hon. -. Il. Philip,
Governor of Wisconsin,
Madison, Wis.
Dear Sir:
The headquarters committee Of the
Anti-Saloon League of Wisconsin thank
\ you for the frank statement of your
position regarding the enforcement of
Section 1864 forbidding the sale of al
coholic liquors on the first day of the
week, commonly called Sunday. Frank
ly, we are amazed at your stand.
In the first place, we cannot approve
your plan to put tie state to the ex-
pense of special session to consider
this question We believe it is utterly
needless, for the following reasons:
In 1915 Assembly Bill 437 gave city
councils, village md town boards the
right to suspend the operation of the
Sunday law Apparently the legisla-
! ture favored It when, on May ID, they
refused indefinite postponement by a
vote of Al to A. You remember the
Associated Press printed that roll call.
Evidently "the people back home -
did not agree with the legislature and
let the Legislature hear from them, for
ON May 20 the bill was killed by in
definite pos.ponement 40 to 90. Com
ing as it did on the heels of a protest
from home, are we not warrented in
taking this as a clear mandate, not on
ly from the legislature, but from the
people, commanding the district attor-
neys, the sheriffs ard the governor to
enforce this statute?
Again this year the Hart bill, pro-
viding for !, referendum of the people
of each locality to determine whether
! this law should or should not be en-
forced Yves killed by indefinite post
ponement SO to s. May we not justly
consider this reiteration, by 10 to l
majority, of the command to yourself,
the district attorneys and the sherifs,
TO enforce the statuteP
Why do you wish to go back to them
for the third time? We cannot concur
an such expenditure of the Taxpayers
money. We disclaim all responsibility
for the calling OF such a session. Pro-
addition of Sunday liquor selling is the
law. Tho legislature has twice, within
tie period of two years, refused to
modify it. With power to remove dis
trict attorneys and .heriffs for failure
to enforce it, you have full power to
compel its observance; and, as chief
executive, the entire responsibility, for
a continuation of the existing disre-
gard Of this statute rests upon you.
Secondly, if, in spite of our protest,
you do call a special session., you spoke
of having introduced "a resolution or
dering this statute enforced" Again
we most vigorously protest. Such a
course could serve but one purpose, viz:
TO obfuscate the issue,
For one thing, we could not join in
the implied reflection upon our chief
executive in ordering the performance
of a duty which he had taken oath to
perform. Tt is probable that a like
deiicacy would prevent the legislature
from passing such a law. Were you, in
turn, to construe such delicacy as IL
cense to continue the present practice,
it would mean an unwarranted continu-
alton of present lawlessaeSs as to the
statute The evils OF the liquor traffic
are made even more distasteful by the
sauce of anarchy.
Let the proposition put to the legis-
Isture be SON all tours" "repeal or
enforcement. " We believe the peo-
pie ( money should not be spent in a
special session to consider this ques-
tion for the third time Much less
should if be spent in considering any
vague, indefinite, uncertain or anoma-
lous proposals. We are certain you
will! agseo with us on chat point. and
that you are willing for the Issue to be
sharply drawn-Sunday saloons wide
open or vigorously closed everywhere
O. state, one people, one flag, one law
Ana let MS at the same time have a
declaration FROM your Office that in
case the sectio is not repealed it will
be vigorously enforced, with the chief
executive lending the full weight OF
his Office and authority to that end.
Third, you said you "did not care
for brewers or liquo- Dealers and
that "if tic whole business could be
dum, ~ into rho sea humanity would