Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-27
rFRoM OUR SPECIAL COMMISSIONED

rFROM OUR COMM1SSIONER.l
HARRISBURG, February 26. = "Law-
makers shouldna be law-breakers." That
they are, though, is popular belief, and
because this is the State capital many peo-
pie imagine it to be a wicked city. Posi-
bly, for that reason does the impression pre-
vail generally throughout the State that
Dauphin county will vote against Constitu-
tional amendment in June. And in my
travels / have met those, better acquainted
with the county, who entertain the same
notion, because, as they told me, outside of
Harrisburg, the rural districts are princi-
pally populated by Pennsylvania Dutch.
Beside all that, Dauphin's record was such
as tc not encourage hope within the prohi-
bition heart. The county voted against
prohibition legislation in 1854 by 972 ma
jority, and in 1873, under the local option
law, it gave 1922 majority for license. That
showed growth of sentiment against pro-
hibition.
PROHIBITION GAIN HERE.
With this general opinion west Of the
mountains, of Dauphin's position, people
will more readily catch the full force of a
remark heard gentleman make here. He
said:
For this county to be close on the issue
would be gain for prohibition"
He meant that even though the liquor in
terests carry Dauphin county, any reduc
tion from their previous majorities is that
much gain to Prohibitionists in the grand
aggregate of votes in the State. He pre-
dicted big reduction in those previous ma
jorities, and even Yentured the assertion
that Harrisburg city might give 1000 ma
jority for the amendment. This gentleman
is perfectly competent to judge, having
been q lifelong resident of the county, occu-
pying prominent position and having an
intimate acquaintance with people in all
parts of the county, yet he takes no active
part in the present campaign. On the other
hand, met Francis Jordon, Esq, highly
esteemed Republican lawyer, who is now
recognized as the leader of the Constitu-
tional amendment adherents, and who is
deeply engaged in managing the county
canvass for them. He cautiously expressed
the opinion that the county of Dauphin
would adopt the amendment by small ma
jority, although confessing bis own surprise
at such state public feeling which he says
came to him as q revelation. Then inter-
viewed brewers, saloon keepers and repre-
sentatives of the Lochiel, Hershey and
United States hotels. They all have IL
censes, and here where transient custom is
furnished by the Legislatures sessions, the
bar receipts of the hotels are very large
They seemed to agree that Dauphin county
would defeat the amendment possibly by
from 500 to 200 majority. Politicians, too,
who know every acre of the county, appear
to be divided in their forecasts of the re-
suit.
THE SITUATION ANALYzED.
1t will be seen therefore that this is one
ofthe counties where a.prediction is impossi-
BILE. The best local judges are not sure Of
their prophecies and the campaign is too
full of uncertainties. Yet it is significant
that liquor men themselves do not expect
more than one-half the majority they had 15
years ago.
The total vote of Dauphin County is
somewhere in the neighborhood of 16, 900 in
Presidential election. OF those nearly
5000 are cast by Harrisburg. 1t will thus
be seen that the rural districts are as i'm
portant in estimating the probable vote on
prohibition as the Capital city itself The
same gentleman who made the observation
about the closeness of the struggle gave me
this information about both city and
country:
The sentiment for prohibition is surprisingly
strong in Harrisburg. One great element of
the strength is the remarkable attendance our
churches have here. Notwithstanding the
idea in various parts of tine state that this
being the Capital is Goddess city, statistics
will prove that more people in Harrisburg at
tend churches and more children 60 to Sunday
schools than In any other city of Pennsylvania
in proportion to our size. For instance, one of
,Tn
ship of L6O0, and at another the attendance of
children every Sabbath reaches 1.500. At one
of these Sabbath schools the Bible class alone
has 400 adult members, VINO are taught by Mr..
James Mccormick, the orother-in-law Of Don
Cameron.
CITY AND COUNTRY.
Now, the percentage Of all these church-go-
ing people who will vote against the amend
ment Will be very small. Besides that, local
option was only defeated in Harrisburg by IS
votes and however true or false NAV be the
rumors that more than that number of temper
ance votes were counted out by the election
officers, feel certain that the Is years growth
temperance sentiment has had since then, and
the marvellous increase in the membership of
Harrisburg churches since then, will place the
city's majority so high up on the prohibition
side that there can be no question about it.
SteeIton, on account of foreigners in the mills,
will be close.
As 70 the country districts, it is true that the
descendants of the Pennsylvania Dutch control
q large share Of the votes. But wherever you
find the United Brethren Church there you
will also find a conscientious opposition to the
liquor trafice in all its forms. The United
Brethren denomination is very strong in that
part of Dauphln county known as the Lebanon
Valley. Germans and their descendants gen.
orally belong TO it, and as that denomination is
not nearly so liberal IN their views the liquor
question as the German Lutheran and German
Reformed churches it is my opinion the Dutch
of Dauphin will be an exception to the rule
elsewhere and will vote for the amendment. If
they do il will even up the aggregate 50 much
in the county that should not be surprised to
Sc the amendment adopted
PRoHIBITIoNIsT SURPRISED.
There are about 130 Licenses in Dauphin
county. Sixty-eight of these are in Harris
burg. including three large breweries and
several bottling establishments.
Francis Gordon, referred to above, said:
Temperance organizations have always been