The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-03-30
PEOPLE DEMAND
TO BE HEARD


TO BE HEARD
In another column The News
publishing call to action addressc
to prohibitionists of Florida by Re
c. w. Crooke, superintendent of til
Statewide Prohibition League.
The League is an organization Q
respectable people who are engage
in various occupations, including min
listers, lawyers, doctors, merchants
mechanics and farmers. Mr.. Crook
asks them to move on the legislator,
next week in an effort to induce tha
body to submit to the people AZ
amendment to the constitution pro.
viding for statewide prohibition.
Independent of the merits of this
proposition as viewed from moral
or economic standpoint, The News
believes it to be the duty of the legis-
lature to submit this question to the
people.
The constitution as it stands TO-
day provides for local option by coun-
ties and election precincts. Prohi-
bition has now become not only
statewide, but nationwide question
such an important question that it
will not down until settled and set
tied right.
There is q strong demand on the
part of the people of Florida for its
right settlement in this state.
The legislature is 'powerless to
amend the present law; it is law
that only the people themselves can
change. When there is, as in this
case, strong, Enthusiastically strong
demand on the part of the people for
an opportunity to express themselves
on any question of public policy that
has been left entirely to their deci-
sion by the organic law, it is the duty
OF the legislature to submit that
question to the people for settlement.
For legislature to act otherwise is
to deny the right of the people to rule.
However, some legislators do act
on the assumption that they are the
whole cheese" and that the people
are incompetent to mango their own
affairs. Such men are out of place
n an American law-making body.
But Mr.. Crooke's zeal in this mat
,er has eaten into his judgment. He
had no need to attack Mr.. Pleasant
Holt. Mr.. Holt represents the old or '
Ter of things. He is an out-and-out
He believes in :
licensed liquor traffic under restric- =
ions such as now exists under the
anction of lava law that Mr.. I
rookie himself at one time not only q
avored, but exerted himself as lob a
lest to secure. p
Mr.. Holt is at least consistent. AS Il II
believer in the licensed liquor bus q q
ess he is doing nothing inconsis- d.
mt in selling his time and talent to tt
e liquor interests in an effort to re- d
in the license system. He is not n
-pocrite.
Can Mr.. Crooke say as much for Sc
whom he has named as speakers ar
the Tallahassee rally? r.
If we mistake not there is at lest g: ca
e man on that list who is not con- w
tent. Can man be a consistent fo
obihitionist who, as a candidate for co
ice, secures his election with the n hu
of "slush" fund furnished by do
uor dealers? Would those men flu
ltribute to the campaign of such
n without they had some secret ar,
with him? ;n Te'
n the view of The News the business fol
liquor selling is wicked business, lar
oul and body destroying business, ths
the results of which constitute the ti,e
greatest single financial drain on the
people of Florida. And yet it is FIJI
BUSINESS that has been legalized in tul
S State. 1t is, we believe, to an' am
destroyed by the enlightened SEN rer
ent of the people-many of whom Th
viously voted to legalize it-pro- bee
ed they are given the opportunity 5 10,
the legislature. 0
he legislature should give them Ex
opportunity. G