The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-01-25
ATTENTION.!
County aVoters and Citizens: .-....sa.

ment at the proper time, but this is not
the time -
Primarily, his position seems to be
that the Legislature should be given
opportunity to discuss the matter. The
question aries whether Senator Duvall
Is not straining at gnat swallowing
camel For the sake of the proprie-
ties he would safeguard the resolution
against undeliberated passage by the
Legislature. He oveIlooks the fact
that if this Legislature pass it, it will
only be in refusal to let the public de-
liberate upon it.
Must the proper time, in Senator
DuvalPs op'nion. come within the next
ninety days, shutting out the public's
natural right to have its wishes on so
important subject tested at the poll?
If so, are all the states under the same
obligation as Maryland to act at once?
And If this is so, why should the
amendment resolution provide for
seven years of grace? The contrast
between this term and n nety days is not
insignificant.
There is a bare chance, indeed. that
too hasty An Endorsement bY this state
would require second vote being TAX
en-. There IS strong protest against
the wording of the resolution-not raised
| by the vets or based on hope OF defeat
| ing the amendment but by friends and
| foes alike and based ON desire to pro-
| tect the constitution of the United
States from Snakes. ALI through the
| constitution runs one principle-'hat
| Jurisdiction must be vested either in
| the Federal Government or in the
State Government. A bit of careless
| phraseology in this amendment upsets
that principle. 1t would give the Fed.
| eral Government and the State Govern
ments concurrent authority to enforce
| prohibition. 1t would deny precedence
tc the statutes OF either. There is no
clause in the constitution the like Of
this. Why, when Maryland has seven
years in which to assent to national
prob bition, shoul it at least not give
the MARYLAND Bar chance to Join with
those of other states in protesting
against allowing such a promise of dis
cord and confusion To creep into the
nations organic law uncorrected?
The second reason for waiting is
equally fundamental but not popular,
not legal, evailing not only in Mary
land but in every State. For Kentucky,
the Louisville Courier ournal sums up
thus:
"For the people of Kentucky had
no chance to declare themselves by
their votes on the question of NJ
tionwide prohibition. The resolu-
ton for the submission of the Ma
tional amendment was passed by
Congress nearly a year after the
election of the present Kentucky
Legislature. If this Legislature
votes either for or against the rati-
fication of the National Amend
ment, it may vote the sentiment of
its individual memb rs. but it has
| NO WAR for Voting the sentiment
1 of the people at large. The people
at large have not committed them
selves as yet on the question Of the
! National amendment.
The very least that even the most
radica. of the prohibitionists could
do-if they were at all consistent
or were disposed to be- fair would
/ he to await action on the National
amendment by legislature elected
by the people with the question of
National amendment before them"
Is there any flaw that any man, what
ever his proclivities on the quor issue,
can find in the fairness of this argu-
ment? Certainly the News, if the
amendment comes to vote in this ses-
sion and fails, would be among the ii rsi
10 insist that that verd ct b; disregard.
ed and as real Il test of p 'pular senti.
ment at the polls as can be- devised be
made at the next election. This Mary
land owes to the Nation. Sue does not
owe it to the alton to take snap &C.
tiun, To suffer an uu-instructed legsla.
ture to cast the States vote-irrevo
cabIy if atfirmative-on matter oil
such vast moment to the nation and ia
which it may be that this States affirm
alive vote would be decisive
ur respectful consideration.