The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-12-04
Republicans See Mistake of
Espousing the Cause Of
Prohibitionists - Watson,
Goodwine, McTurnan and
Hemenway Sacrificed.
G. 0. P. WOULD REPEAL
COUNTY LOCAL OPTION
Neither of the Organizations VIII
Dare to Go Before Voters Two
Years Hence and Propose State
Wide Prohibition-No Doubtful
Counties to Be Tried.


Indianapolis, Ind, Deo 3-Some of
the history of the part taken by the
Anti saloon league in politics during
the last year has not been written. The
league officials are said to have Ia
vored the nomination of Lie utenant
Governor Miller. of Columbus. to head
the ticket, because Governor Hanly
wanted him.
They are said to have weakened some
on Miller, however, when they saw the
drift in favor of Watson's nomination
and learned that strong members of his
party were backing him. Watson. 1t is
asserted, was then made an even ia
vorite with Miller, although Governor
Hanly protested.
Several of the league leaders, how
ever, are said to have entertained the
belief that a temperance Legislature
would be elected. which would have sent
Governor Hanly to the United States
senate. It is understood that they dis
cussed the maer viii in the early days
of the campaign, when it seemed that
there was a temperance wave that
would simply annihilate the democratic
party.
However, it is said that the league
leaders did attempt for a period of two
or three months to obtain from Marsh
all public promise that he would sign
a county local option law if he was
elected. Failing to do that; they cast
their lot with the republicans, and were
with Watson until he was defeated
Then they came through" with what
many republicans declare with much
bitterness was complete reputation
of their own eorts for Watson and the
republican ticket.
AS matters now stand between the
league and the republican leaders many
of the latter are saying openly that
they can't see why they should worry
about the leagues troubles in keeping
intact the county local option law. They
declare that all their party owes to the
leagues effors is the defeat of Watson,
Goodwine McTurnan Senator Hernen-
way and several members of congress-
and that really they have done about
asi-fhat could be expected of them. II
they had given up anything more, they
assert, they wouldn't have anything left
to make a start with in the next cam
paign.
Republicans would Repeal.
If the future of the county local OPP
ton law was left TO the republican par
ty workers it is believed now that Il
would be settled very quickly by re.
pealing it, The outlook is that the
league will have TO go out and arouse
sentiment among the very element tina
didn't take enough interest in the cam
paign to elect the men who were
pledged to the county local option
doctrine.
The declaration of Superintendent
Schumacher and others connected will
the league that it is out of partisan pol
itics, and that all that it wants tn,
coming sessio nof he legislature to d.
for the cause of temperance is to adop
a statewide prohibition resolution i
causing much amusement.
Up to this hour no politician ha
made any public statement in behal
of such a radical resolution, and it i
not believed that either party woul
dare to go before the voters two year
hence as its sponsor. Republican lead
ers are declaring that their ticket vii
be beaten from 1000 to 100000 in 191
If they attempt to put through state
wide prohibition amendment to the con
stitution.
That, however, is all the Anti-Saloo
league and state committee of the pro
hibition party wants. There is bein
manifested a disposition among poll
ticians to disregard the efforts of tn
Anti Saloon league in view of the re
cent results.
VIII Try to Make Impression.
The league. 1t is said, has been
the habit of letting it reach the mind
of the legislative candidates that
would use the big stick over heir head
If they refused to come across" for Il
its measures. At the outset of the ri
cent campaign legislative candidate
wep<egiven to understand by the ten
pSerane leaders that their scalps woul
oesnung up high and dry If they dare
to oppose county local option.
The fact that a democratic legisls
ture was REELECTED and that the 'prt
hibitfonists losa much ground is sa
to have loosened the grip of the Ant
Saloon league over members of the lei
islature who were afraid to stand 4.
their own convictions. The league
preparing to hold elections in coul
ties where there is no question but TIL
local option will win. No doubtf
counties are to be tried before the lei
islature, as 1t is the plan to show Il