Evening journal., 1917-03-24
Peoples Column
AS TO THE REsUsMlssloN ELL.

sir-speaking OF the passage by
tho State Senate Of the rosubmisgion
bill for Wilmington. you say in your
issue of yesterday
quite apart from the merits OF the
moral questions involved in the con
troyersy between the vets and
'drys. 1t is unfortunate that enough
State Senators were found to make
effective the effort OF the dry work
ers to violate the Home Rule principle
with respect TO Wilmington. II the
Senate be wise It will reconsider its
action Of yesterday and thereby show
that second thought has led It to re-
fuse TO be a party 10 the ill-advised
effort Of certain dry men to force
resubmssion down the throats Of the
people OF this city, regardless Of the
provisions OF the State Constitution
and the principle of Home Rule"
am glad you say quite apart from
the merits OF the moral questions in
volved in the controversy" which
leaves your opinions as TO the moral
questions" a matter of conjecture in
committing yourself to either side Of
the question, unless YOU could have
cast your influence and the influence
OF your paper squarely on the side Of
the temperance reform. but / can't
help feeling that your statement about
the 'drys" forcing resubmission
down the throats OF the people" is, TO
say the least, uncharitable toward the
.fr o.
there were nine senators who believed
the bill ought to pass, and eight who
were opposed TO 10 and 9 beats s.
Why all this ado about this bill? Is
q because of the expense of holding
this election? Or is It because OF the
agitation that will necessarily result
from the canvass? These objections
have been urged against the measure.
No. IL is not for either of these rea-
sons. u Is simply the plea Of the liquor
dealers Of Wilmington aided and abet-
ted by some others who have a soft
spot In their hearts-and in their
stomachs-for the traffic. The law
will not force any citizen OF Whining.
ton tc vote against his will. nor will
it necessarily cost anyone anything in
either time or money. but il will sim
ply give an opportunity for those who
wish 10 record their votes either for
or against the rum traffic
II the friends of the liquor business
are so cock sure. as they say they are
that Wilmington viii go wet" why
on earth are they so afraid to let the
people have a chance at settling the
question?
All this opposition reminds one Of
the plea OF the Devils Of Gadara'
which was. 'let us alone" That is the
long standing plea OF the liquor men.
But why don't they let ms who live IN
Kent and Sussex Counties alone I'm
til Congress recently forbade the use
OF the mails to them they have flood
cd our territory with literature adver-
tising their business, ] have myself
received circulars through the mail So
Netting orders. with assurance that
the stuff would be so delivered as not
20 arouse suspicion These letters have
gone 10 young men and even 10 boys.
as ! have been credibly informed thus
inducing, or trying TO induce. those
who did not drink 20 form the habit.
Now n II is unfair to the liquor deal.
ers of Wilmington 10 submit this Oues-
ton 20 the voters of the city. how
about this sneaking, surreptitious in
yasion by them OF our dry territory.
thereby seeking 10 nulllfy our police
regulation? And why should you take
up the cudgel for them? I have never
seen single editorial in any one of
our daily papers condemning this mis-
erable business and calling for a strict
enforcement Of the law against It, but
instead there .have been numerous
editorials exploiting the speakeasy
and the boot-legger, the effect OF
which has been to discredit our local
option laws
As TO the injustice Wilmington is
going TO suffer as you seem to think.
by the submission OF this question
let us look a little beyond your city
Suppose Congress shall take the con
stitutional course on the question of
National Prohibition. and submit the
question 20 tho several States for
ratification? VIII there not be States
that would not want tho question
submitted, and that would vote
against prohibition? VIII that be for
cling the measure down the throats
of the peOple?" According TO your
theory, what arc you going to do
about that? They can only do as the
people of Wilmington can do If they
do not want prohibition, vote against
it. The temperance people OF the
State OF Delaware want to make the
State dry. and Wilmington IS a part
! Of the State, and, we believe. will do
her part in this splendid undertak.
ing when the opportunity Is given
her, with n free vote and fair count
Now. Mr. Editor. ! recognize the
| right Of any editor to line up his pa.
| per on either side of this great Ques
tion and take his chances with his
constituency. but as an interested
citizen OF Delaware, a reader Of THE
EVENING JOURNAL, and friend
OF the edi or. I sincerely trust I may
never find the JOURNAL on the
wet side of this question, for the
Judgment Day is near at hand for
the liquor business; already the
Handwriting is on the wall. and 367
Of our editors have read It ana have
cut Out all liquor advertisements. and
thus far, az least. have aligned them
selves with the great temperance re-
form WHY not the JOURNAL mako Il
8 36S? Let us have in Wilmington one
straight out. clean cut TEMPER
ANCE DAILY.
Most Sincerely Yours