Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-01-02
Co,,fsps
What Next?
Mt. DESERT, Dec. "a, 1908.

| 10 tNt EtsAtpF VI 4hS NHtcf
1t is reported that certain republican
politicians of the cities are predicting that
the next session of our legislature VIII
| give us resubmssion surely. / can not
learn what reason they give for thinking
so, but it is quite natural to suspect that
they think they will be able to make
an argument which will convert many re-
publican members. Probably the sub
stance of the argument will be about
this 1.-THE republican party must give the
people resubmission at this session OF the
| legislature, or it will be defeated at the
next election"
! But will this argument convince repub-
lican members from county districtsf
Probably not, for they are generally m
telligent and honorable men. Many Of
them were present and saw the question
fought out in their last State convention
and they believe that the very decisive
vote there against resubmission clearly
expresses the sentiments of their con-
stituents. 1t does not seem likely that
they will ignore or disregard the senti-
| ments of the men who elected them just
because a rum-sellers' lobby tells them
that they must abandon prohibition to
save the republican party.
| 1t seems much more probable that re-
| publican members from country districts
will be guided much more by their own
knowledge OF the political situation than
by the advice of city politicians, who,
notwithstanding all their zeal for the
rumsellers' cause, have been unable to save
their own districts. They know that in
the last campaign their party was COM
mitted to prohibition, and that those who
elected them supposed that they would in
| good faith support and carry out the
pledges made in the party platform.
They know that their party will be held
responsible for the action OF this republic
can legislature, and they know that to
pass an act of resubmission at this time
practically means that their party, as
party, abandons prohibition. They know
| that by participating in such action they
would be misrepresenting their constitu-
ents and repudiating their party's princi-
pies. They know that such action on the
| part of their party would be considered
| by the greater part of their constituents
as nothing less than the basest treachery.
| They know that such action would be
all-sufficient proof to their constituents
that the rum element has great influence
with the republican party, even greater
than the enormous constituency which
| supported prohibition through the action
| of more than nineteen-twentieths of the
delegates in their last State convention.
They know that their.constituents know
that this is fight between the grog-shops
and the best sentiments OF the people OF
our State, and they know that endorsing
resubmission means that their party has
abandoned the cause of temperance and
! gone over to the rum crowd.
| They know that by such an act of
tIeachery and inconsist. ncy their party
would forfeit the confidence and respect of
most of the genuine prohibitionists OF our
State. They know that the bulk of their
constituents believe in prohibition and
will continue to fight for it. But they
know that it would be folly to expect any
help from the republican party, and use
less to try to persuade them to vote for
the candidates of a party whose stock in
trade in the next campaign would be rum
and hypocrisy, really making fight in
| favor of the rum traffic, but making it in
the name of law and order, republicanism
and righteousness-prete to be in
favor of prohibition but really doing all
in its power to abolish it.
| They know that under such circum-
stances their party's candidate for gov
ernor would not get half the votes of their
constituents, and they know that by
| voting with this rum crowd they would
be misrepresenting their constituents, and
that such an act would produce political
situation such as would make it nearly
impossible to elect republican representa-
tives in their districts at the next election.
They fully appreciate the seriousness of
the situation, but they know that endors-
| ing resubmission will only make it more
serious. Such action would not simplify
the situation, but it would greatly COM,
plicate it.
They know that if standing firmly by
prohibition would endanger the election
| of the republican candidate for governor,
| tUey also KNOW budl ItSuDmlsslOu VII upt
lessen this danger. But on the other hand
| it would seriously endanger the election
OF either republican governor or a re-
publican legislature. For if by some SUBJ
tie political power republican politicians
| were to succeed in hoodwinking these re-
publican representatives to such degree
as to lead them to vote against the senti-
ments of their constituents, such action
would arouse feeling of intense resent
ment which would be satisfied with moth
ing else than bringing their party leaders
to their senses by giving their party a
| crushing defeat.
Knowing all these things, is it very
likely that republican representatives
from the small towns will be ratified or
hypnotized by the arguments of the rum
sellers lobby? 1t is more likely that they
will see the true inwardness of their eff
| forts from the beginning. They will