Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-19
THE DRY HEADQUARTERS.
Prohibitionists Take Their Medicine With
Smiling Faces-They Can't Account
for the Wholesale Slaughter.

Chairman Joseph D. Weeks sat behind
table perspiring freely, early last evening. in
the hot and stuffy prohibition head
quarters, waiting for the returns. At
conducted the work in Allegheny
county. Within reach of Mr.. Weeks right
arm the telegraph instrument was located. and
Just across the room was the telephone, where
a boy stood with an apparatus over his head
and ears that looked like baseball mask. The
young fellow was prepared and ready to receive
and deliver all messages He was glad when12 ?
o'clock arrived and at that hour the headquar-
ters were deserted.
The room was comfortably filled with anx-
ious ministers with canes. Among the number
were DR.. Norcross and Revs. Miles and Ham
mond. An adjacent room was given up to the
use of the ladies. Mrs. Watson was there and
entertained them.
NO ENTHUSIASM.
At no time was there much enthusiasm. In
fact there was nothing to enthuse over. The
first returns received, about o'clock, were
from Scottdale, giving a majority of 2l7 for the
amendment,
GOOD for Scottdale," exclaimed the preach
ers. as they pounded the floor with their canes
and heels
"And Scottdale is a pretty tough place, too."
remarked some one in the crowd.
This news was received by the ladies with
cheers and hand clapping.
The telegraph instrument began a steady
click and kept it up for the next few hours.
sages they were handed over TO Mr.. Weeks,
who read them aloud. At first he carefully
culled the favorable ones, but as the landslide
from Philadelphia commenced to drop In small
sections, and finally rushed down with the
force of an avalanche, he gave up the fight
and read the returns as they came direct from
the wires. Meanwhile the poor deluded ladies
we're cheering in the next room.
mo use to fool them any longer" said Mr..
Weeks They might as well know the facts
at once and be done with it. Read them some
of the kilograms from Berks county and Phila-
delphia, and see how they like il"
From that time the
CHEERING WAS FAINT
But the majority present were in a good
humor and not at all discouraged. Dr. Ham
mond took his medicine with such a wry face
that Mr.. Leslie laughed outright every time he
looked at him.
"Oh, WELL" said the latter finally, 1--WE are
beaten, but am not going to drown myself.
We have made a good fight and lost, but we
will try it again in six years. No use to cry
about the result"
Mr.. Leslie laughed heartily at some of the
big figures against the amendment and so did
Mr.. Weeks. Neither gentleman looked down.
hearted, and if they had won they couldn't
have felt better, judging from their smiling
faces. 4.-.-.-.s.
kin, and some of the other faithful came in.
When old Mifiin county came up with hand
some majority for the amendment, Mr.. Rankin
patted his right knee, and said he had stumped
nearly every town in that county.
1.-THE vote shows good work." yelled the
crowd together, and everybody smiled.
WEEKS WENT HOME.
Io,o cd
He tied up his returns and started for home.
The operator removed the telegraph instru-
ment, the telephone boy laid aside his head
gear, but few remained behind to discuss the
figures and the causes Of defeat.
Before leaving Chairman Weeks said: ''We
have suffered worse defeat than expected,
and am unable to account for it. Oh, no, the
Republican party did not act treacherously.
That is a mistake OF course a great many
Republicans voted against the amendment,
but it is ridiculous to blame the defeat on the
party. We will continue the work, certainly.
In six years from now this question will be re-
submitted to the people, and hope with bet
ter results"
Mr.. Weeks estimates that the prohibition
vote in Allegheny county was about 40 to
precinct making from 5000 to 10000 votes
cast
Secretary Leslie said: 'I account for the
overwhelming defeat by saying that the people
want to test high license first.
WILL TRY IT AGAIN.
"The Brooks law was passed as trick two
years ago. I expect the liquor men will
try to elect their own men to the
Legislature, and have the law greatly modified.
They will undoubtedly make an effort to return
to a freer license system. 1 think six years
from now the people will be so disguised with
high license that we will have no trouble to
pass the amendment"
]. F. Mcdonnell said he knew last Sunday
morning that the jig was up when so many of
the Republican leaders declared themselves
openly against the amendment The leaders
carried numbers of the people with them Mr..
Mcconnell blamed the Republican party for
the defeat. He thinks they were traitors and
went back of their pledges. He says the party
will elect the State Treasurer this fall but they
will be defeated next year in the Gubernatorial
fight.
DOWN ON THE REPUBLICANS.
By that time he believes the people will have
analyzed the vote, and will slaughter the Re-
publican party for their treachery.
Mr. Mcconnell regrets now that the question
was waged on non-partisan basis. The next
amendment will be presented to the people as
political issue. He is sorry there is no organi-
zation left, but the Prohibitionists as party
will go to work at once to put the temperance
wheels in motion again.
APATHY and indifference did the workn
was d. E. SheridanS opinion of the result
When State Chairman Palmer gave up the
fight and conceded a majority of 81, 900 against
the amendment Mr.. Weeks, with laugh. re.
marked that Palmer might have taken off the
one thousand anyhow.
THE STREET. EXGTTEMENT