Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-21

~ WILLIE
1049 of 1911 was bill which added
one hour in the morning to the time
when liquor could be sold and provided
that the hours Of sale in cities of the
third class and villages Of over 5000
inhabitants should be the same as in
f1rst-class cities The latter provisions
we're earnestly sought by the large viii
lagos on Long Island. Under the old
law. the closing hour for them was Il
O'Clock II was not being observed and
its existence was a source of corruption
among local police officials in those viii
lagos. remember the addition of an
hour in the morning was intended for
the accommodation Of night workers
In my own district all the morning
newspapers were printed 1t probably
contained more night workers than any
other region of similar size in the coun-
try, and in voting for the bill was
certainly representing my constituents
It is worthy of note that on this bill
the division was between the city and
The country representatives. but the
representatives of the villages involved
voted in the affirmative. and with a
balance of power passed the bill. The
foregoing record indicates that not only
cities of the first second and third class,
but also the larger villages, favored the
passage of this bill
Ashamed of Charges.
Mr.. William Allen White sailed for
Europe with q happy and contented
mind. hope, and / would not disturb
1t by attempting to describe to him the
heavy weight that he laid upon my fam
lily when he accused me of being a
friend of prostitution, Apparently. he
was ashamed Of it himself as is
evidenced by his attempt to withdraw IT,
It was all predicated on my vote against
Assembly bill 1927 of 1910. Among
other things this bill sought to regulate
the renting Of rooms in hotels, Like a
great many other measures intended to
bring about some highly desirable pur-
pose, II was unqucStionably unconstitu-
tional and unworkable.
In 1910 the Assembly was strongly
Republican. When the bill first came be-
fore that body II was overwhelming
~ defeated and in all Of my legisla-
tive experience / never heard from law
ycrs in the Assembly n more convincing
argument against the cnnstitutionality
of a pending enactment than that made
against this particular bill. Three weeks
later, after considerable pressure from
certain sections of the state and ad-
mittedly for political purposes the vote
was reconsidered and the bill was pass
ed 1t was freely admitted that 1t Great
ed no new provision Of law and added
nothing that was not already in the
penal code. / was right in my first vote
when an overwhelming majority of the
Assembly. both Democrats and Republi-
rfz
position as no argument was made to
change my mind. The political expedi-
ency of the Republican party. appealing
to certain sections of the state, was
not sufficient for me to compromise
with a principle On this bill and this
single bill alone William Allen White
would have my wife, my children and
my friends believe that In my long pub
lie career I was a friend of public
prostitution.
Switches His Stand.
Mr.. White also made reference TO
bills dealing with betting All of these
bills had to do with the race tracks. /
was in sympathy with Gov Hughes at
the regular session of the Legislature
and voted with him against the race
tracks In the extraordinary session l
voted the other way, not that my vote
made any difference. but / joined with
substantial number of members of
the Assembly who used their vote as
protest against what they believed to
be the uniustified action of the governor
in calling the Legislature back into cX-
traordinary session after the matter
had been fully thrashed out and dis
posed of at the regular session.
The other bill referred to by Mr.
White sought to prevent oral betting
at the race tracks. How impossible
such statute was of administration
need not say 1t required but small
amount of common sense and 1udg-
ment on the part on any intelligent
person TO know that that was nothing
more or less than numbering up the
States statute books with a gesture
that never could have any real force
or effect.
/ have given to this matter great
deal of my time and I have answered
subject by subject and bill by bill In
my speech Of acceptance / will define
| in no uncertain language my attitude
| to the public saloon. and ] lay before
| the people of this country for close
study the record Of my IS years in
elective public office. I denounce as
unfair. unmanly and un-American this
slanderous attack upon me and my
record have the satisfaction, how
ever, of knowing that 1t is not con-
CURED In by the people of my own
State, who have year after year ex-
pressed their confidence in me. not
withstanding that large part of this
matter herein referred to was laid be-
fore them in the past by agents of my
political enemies l am sure that /
am right when say il is not concurred
in by the fair minded intelligent, think
ing people of the country.
have been called by my party to
the leadership in great campaign I
am hoping to be put in position TO do
for the people OF this country what I
have accomplished for the betterment
Of the government of my own State.
and from now on / shall refuse to be
drawn into any further discussion OF