The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-12
Saloon Forces Resorting to
Every Method Whereby
They Hope to Win.
WANT STATE LEGISLATURE.
REALIZE THE GREAT QUESTION
OF COUNTY OPTION MUST DE-
PEND UPON MEN SENT TO FILL
VACANCIES

A bitter fight is being waged By the
brewery interests in the districts
where special elections will be held
next Thursday, as the result Of the
call for a special session of the Legs
lature to select successors to men who
sat in the last session of the Legisla'
ture, but who have since died or re-
signed.
Reports from these districts show
the colonization of tramps and re-
peaters for the purpose of voting them
at the special election is being at
tempted in some localities especially
in Muncie, where the most bitter
flight is being waged.
Republican polltakers have been
blocked in their efforts to gain knowl-
edge concerning these colonies.
The liquor interests. for the time
being, have centered their entire en-
ergies in their attempt to elect men
at the special elections who will as
sist in defeating the passage of
county local option bill, believing that
by carrying the special elections
enough anti-county local option men
can be added to the anti-temperance
forces of the House of Representa-
tives to prevent the passage of a cou-
ty unit local option bill.
Money is virtually being poured into
the districts where special elections
are to be held, brewery agents as or
ganizers are on the ground, and moth
ing is being overlooked that will tend
to produce Democratic success next
Thursday.
The Anti-Saloon League, to meet the
brewery onslaught, has likewise CEN
tered it's forces in these districts, send.
ing men to look after the organizing
and sending out literature urging local
temperance people, especially the min
isters to work for the election of the
Republican candidates. The Anti-Sa-
loon League is flooding Delaware
County, where the fight is most bitter,
with letters to every voter in the coun-
ty to support Lewis G. Cowing, the Re-
publican candidate, to succeed Repre-
sentative Carmichael. resigned.
Bingham RusheS to scene.
Attorney General James Bingham,
whose home is at Muncie. has gone
there to assist the republican organ
ization for the next few days in the
fight against the brewery workers.
Warm things are promised for cleo
ton day in Muncie and it has been
determined that special deputies shall
be sworn in to prevent violations of
the election laws.
The colonization of voters by the
saloon men in Muncie was first dis
covered by George Billiard, a republi-
can polltaker. The men have been
gathered together in rooms, some of
them in apartments above saloons,
where they are being furnished free
board and lodging pending the arrival
of election day. Billiard was given
the names of the men in these places
and went over them carefully with
leading citizens of Muncie. The citi-
zens had never heard of such men
and no records at hand showed names
corresponding to those given to Bull
lard.
In nearly every instance the men
were reported to be republicans. Poll
books of former campaigns did not
show them, neither did the more re-
cent books. Republicans in the var
ious precincts where the colonies were
discovered had never heard of the
men before. The reported political
standing in nearly every instance was
given to Billiard and other polltakers
by the bartenders in the saloons be-
low the rooms, and when they at
tempted to get into the rooms above
to see the men themselves their pas
sage was barred.
At the saloon of Michael Shea. COG
South Walnut street. in Muncie. it is
said a polltaker was given the names
of eighteen men reported to be ''lodg-
ers.' The polltaker could not get in
to see the men. The bartender in the
saloon, according to reports brought
to Indianapolis yesterday. said that all
were republicans except three. When
questioned closely as to the length OF
their residence in that precinct the
bartender said they had been there
long enough to vote"
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