The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-08-06
WILL KEEP UP FIGHT
State Anti-SaIoon League TO
Closely Scrutinize All Leg
isiature Candidates
SEEK ENACTMENT OF LAWS

The Anti-Saloon league in Wisconsin
is to play an important part in the
primary this fall. The league will seek
to have men nominated for the state
legislature who are in favor Of county
option and who are opposed to the Ii
cense system. The league claims that
the Brewers association will support
certain candidates for the legislature
and thus seek the defeat of the county
option bill which will be brought up
at the next session of the legislature
Ulysses Grant Humphrey Of Milwau-
kee superintendent of the anti-saloon
league in this state and who was pro-
minent in the reform movement waged
in Kenosha last spring declares that
Adolph j. Schmitz of Milwaukee, can
didate for the Democratic nomination
for governor is the candidate of the
Brewers Association. Mr. Humphrey
claims that the brewers attempted tc
get certain prohibition planks in
the state platform and also that Mayor
Rose of Milwaukee wanted a personal
liberty plank in the platform. The
move for personal liberty plank
was killed by 7. M. Kearney of Racine,
who was member of the committee
on Resolutions.
1t the Brewers really want to make
an issue along prohibition or anti
saloon lines, we are ready for them
said MIR. Humphrey, "and they will
be the most surprised persons in this
state when they learn the results The
brewers and saloonkeepers and the
people of Milwaukee generally haven It
the faintest conception Of the temper
ance sentiment throughout this state.
"But the brewers do not want to-
make it an issue They want to con
troll both political parties so that their
interests VIII not be assaulted. But a
moral question cannot be made poll
tical issue.''
Mr.. Humphrey said that the league
intended to make it's big fight in the
legislature next session for a county
option bill along the lines of the coun-
ty option laws in Ohio, Texas and
Oregon. State Senator Barker of
Sparta, who has announced that he
intends to introduce a county option
and high license measure combined
will not be the repl sentative Of the
league, he said. Who will be the
spokesman for that organization, the
league is not ready as yet to announce.
"The bill which we will submit, -
said Mr., Humphrey. els intended sim
ply to advance the law as it stands
at present and give to the counties
the right to say whether saloons shall
exist within their borders or not. lust
as now the towns, villages and cities
have that right. It will provide that
If county goes dry, all the cities
villages and towns in that county
shall have the same right to- decide
whether they shall be dry or wet as
they now have. That is the bill which
the league intends to make it's big
fight over.
''The Anti-Saloon league is opposed
to the license system. If the United
States government would repeal it's
internal revenue system and the towns
and cities would stop taking money
from the saloons, we could clean out
every last one Of them in FIVE years.
The people have the idea that they get
money from the saloons, but we are
showing them that they spend SIG
for the care of idiots and paupers
for every 81 they receive for license
fees-a 16 to l issue which will not
fall down.
Mr.. Humphrey admitted that the
league was getting after certain mem
bers Of the legislature and would try
to defeat them at the primary or the
election, but declined to say what mem
bers or how many were on their black
list. The present efforts of the league,
ne said, was to get pledges Of voters to
support candidates for the legislature
who would vote for their county op-
ton bill