Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-07
EFFECT ON THE VOTE,
The Flood Disasters and the
PrOhibitOry Amendment
AS SEEN BY BOTH SIDES.
ItIs Generally Accepted That There Will
be Light Turn Out at the POIIs-Liquor
Men Think the Calamity VIII Help Them,
but ProhibitIonists Hold the Reverse.

Throughout the length and breadth Of Penn
sylyanis there is but one great topic Of CONVEX
sation. That is the food. For a week nothing
else has been talked about The excitement
has been general all over the United States.
OF course in other States public interest in the
awful calamity will very soon diminish and
people pursue the even tenor Of their way.
But here in Pennsylvania the high ten
sion viii continue unbroken for possibly
two weeks to come. At the very
least calculation it will be ten days before the
wrecklng crews at Johnstown. and in the Cone
maugh Valley generally, complete the work of
recovering bodies of the drowned people. That,
with the burial of the dead, the removal Of de-
bris, the movements of troops, the business
activity consequent upon raising and distrib-
uting relief money and provisions, and the In
Quiry from all parts of the State ABOUT tne
death or welfare of relatives who resided at
JohnstOwn-an these matters VIII keep tne
thoughts, eyes and ears of Pennsylvanlans
fastened for days to come upon the disaster.
The Excitement Changed.
In addition to that the foods in Northern
and Central Pennsylvania will also keep alive
the excitement. If it continues unabated for
ten days yet, that will bring aro7nd the 18th of
June. The special election in Pennsylvania
occurs on the 18th inst.
"How will the campaign be affected by the
food excitement" asked lawyer of promi-
nent politician yesterday The politician re-
piled that this was an important ques-
ton For two months the whole State
had been publicly discussing the prohlDlt-
ion issue" be added. The latter two weeks
had seen this discussion arouse an excitement
which was fast approaching fever heat. Both
sides were enthusiastic and hard at work:
Newspapers in every city, town ano village OF
the State were filed with columns about the
progress of the great campaign. Suddenly the
Johnstown catastrophe occurred. Like
q lightning fash the public thought
dropped one great subject of discussion,
and has for one whole week stood appalled, and
stupeied by the drowning Of 10000 citizens of
Pennsylvania. Newspapers and public meet
ings have taken up only that topic, and all else
is dwarfed. Now, what will be the result Of
three weeks neglect of the amendment ques-
tion, and that on the very eve of the electionP"
A Liquor Mans Views.
There is degree of delicacy about connect
ing such matters as politics and social reform
with the sacredness and awfulness of death,
especially in the frightful holocaust at Johns
town. Recognizing this fact it was only
after DISPATCH reporters had heard the
question repeated in several quarters that in
sides of the campaign management for an
answer.
81 am averse to talking on such a subject at
such q time" responded leading liquor mer-
chant, "but as the 18th of June is almost here
and as the measure has got to be voted upon
then, it becomes a topic that you can't get
away from very well. Of course the sudden
drop in excitement in the campaign will have a
very material influence upon the result 1t would
have in any election. even in the ch0ice of a
President Now the temperance people have
been boasting all along that they have the
popular side of the fght-that their claims
nly would create enthusiasm, and that neces-
rIly we would have to conduct our fight
etly. That was what they said. Now then
! this be true, who will be most hurt by
sudden and prolonged lun in popular ex-
cement and enthusiasm"
The Hopeful PrOhIbltionIsts.
Secretary A. H. Leslie, of the Executive
Committee of Prohibitionists, was asked the
question He replied: Eyes, public interest is
now centered alone in the awful calamity. But
the softening influence which all mems hearts
have felt from this terrible visitation of Provi-
dence, and the suddenness with which man has
been called to realize that worldly convent
ences and amusements cannot aid the diving
these two thoughts so distinctly brought out in
this disaster will help prohibition on the 18th
inst. God is in it ali. There is a moral princi.
pie in this issue that must and will survive.
mo; have not observed that our corre-
spondence from various parts Of the State has
been reduced during the past week, /" continued
Mr.. Leslie. 'Our work is moving along
smoothly enough. am positive this calamity
will not help the liquor interests any. because
they had set out this week to do their greatest
literary missionary work, and here it turns out
that people have been too much interested in
food news TO read their arguments"