Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-21
local Option
Bill Reported

nsd one iota in my position on this ques
H Every one who believes in fair play
mould give to the people of the counties OF
4 <7onnsylvania the right to decide this issue
br themselves ....
This local option measure is home
Qlo measure. / believe in home rule for
- communities that make up the State
ND urge the passage of this bill for that
eason. II for no other
pa '.Another thing. it is not fair to the judi
Nlary to require them to decide whether
ylQuor shall or shall not be sold
vi have even heard that money has been
mt into the campaigns Of many candidates
~ the judiciary, because they were right
"a this or that issue. 1t demoraizes the
5Pdiciary and the very foundations of our
pvernment." ....-.
I He called upon the members of the Leg
Ature toS represent not only their con-
tuents, but also the progressive civiliza-
Dn' Of the world.
m BILL STRONGLY CIIAMPIoNED
IA u. s. Lands representing the Sunday
nhool Association. of Philadelphia, and
harles S. Huston, of Coatesville, and A. G.
ynett. of Philadelphia representing the
Philadelphia Methodist Conference assailed
- liquor traffic. r".
q Mr.. Lands represented ESQ $50 adult
L(embers of the Sunday-school Association
- his plea for the passage of the bill. Mr.
<uUton Ia head of the Lukens Iron Works,
Nd asked that the bill be passed for the
fterment Of conditions Of the working
5en, II for no other reason. Mr.. Kynett
~ labor leader and pledged the support of
- majority OF the labor men to local option.
- He declared. however. that organized
&bor Is opposed to prohibition. Our senti-
lent on that question" he said. has been
est expressed by Samuel Gompers, who has
[eciared unalterably against prohibition"
VI The Rev. J. ]. Curren. of Wilkes-Barre.
no spoke on behalf of local option two
keNrs ago. urged Statewide and national
[Fohibition. Father Curran is the head of
"a National Total Abstinence Union
s. Just rs the tyranny in Russia was swept
11ae oy the people he said, 80 will any
$ranny on the part OF the State Legislature
swept aside IL the members of the Legis-
tnfe 40 not carry out the wishes of their
(pnstituents"
4 Ihe spirit of the present legislators and of
ooe Tor the last fifty years has been to
@pock every measure that tended toward
Ioofal uplift, he continued He pointed to
~ long fight carried on through many
qsions for the enactment Of worllmen's
pmpensation law, an example The
SAfholic Church. he asserted. has never
y has left the question to the members of
ae Church, he said
i The State of Pennsylvania. he continued
QIds sacred the gods of paganism."
y Tho two backest States in the Union
re Pennsylvania in the East and Nevada
\ the West" he said. IF these two States
- not heed the popular sentiment of the
|puntry. they will receive such a kick from
~ other States in the Union that they will
n from wet to complete dryness."
\ John w. McSparran, master of the State
range, urged the enactment of a county
ppal option law as home rule measure
" the counties.
y While Peter Bollenbacker. secretary of
- Trades Union Liberty League was
baking in opposition to local option. his
ention Of temperance brought forth a
nigh.
\ He was Missed when he declared that he
Ihsped the prohibitionists with anarchists.
4 sArchdeacon William Cleveland Hicks, of
harrington, d. c., and who represents the
5etricts Of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Har-
|GburB and Bethlehem In the Episcopal
1n1rch. declared that the time is coming
|l1en the whole country will be dry.
Pennsylvania should get on the band
|oGpn," he said.
E4he hearing was closed by G. p. oMal- |
Is ~ Scranton, who opposed the local op-
3p bill.