The Newark journal., 1908-04-17
PROHIBITION A LIVE ISSUE
May be Lively Fight Over the Question
 in State Conventions


 Will there be a statewide prohibi- tion plank in either the Democratic or Republican state platforms at the next election in Arkansas?
 The question is probably attracting more attention and interest through out the state than anything else con- nectedz with the election in Arkansas next fall-not that such anissue would possibly mean the defeat of the Demo- cratic party, but that such an issue is of utmost importance, in view of the fact that statewide prohibition may be the principal issue in the Democratic primary two years from now. The movement toward statewide prohibi- tion is and has been growing to a great extent in Arkansas and the possibilities of that movement becom- ing an important issue is taken into serious consideration by the leading politicians of the state.
 There seems to be little chance of there being such a plank in the Demo- cratic state platform, if the politicians are accurate judges.
 Quite number of leading Demo- cratic politicians were recently inter- viewed on the question by one of the Little Rock papers, and with one ex- eeption they declared that they do not believe a statewide prohibition plank will be included in the Democratic state platform.
 On the other hand, Republican poli- ticians of statewide prominence de- clare that they look for their party to champion the prohibition cause before the coming election.
 q believe it to be the coming issue,' , declares Harry Meyers, who was a candidate for governor on the Repub lican ticket few years ago, 'sand |
 think that it will be big plank in the
 Republican platform this yeasa' Other Republicans expressed similar
 views Nearly all of them stated they expected theadoption of the state wide prohibition plank because it probably would be live issue.
 E. A. Tabor, state superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League, is dis turbed, not over the prospects that the Democratic state convention will re- | fuse to declare for prohibition, but be- cause of tendency he sees to consider that the defeat of John H. Hinemon for the gubernatorial nomination was a defeat of the prohibition cause itself- He says:
 Some misguided, or designing per- sons are seeking to lead the public mind to believe that the issue of state- wide prohibition was given full test in the recent Democratic primary for governor, and that it went down in de- feat in the vote against Prof Hinemon. Any statement or intimation that statewide prohibition was made an issue in that campaign is surely prompted eisher from ignorance of the facts or else overwrought friendship for the saloon element, as shown by the following facts:
 First. That each candidate for governor was an absolutely loyal friend to the temperance cause, and, therefore, that statewide prohibition would be thoroughly safe in the elec-, l tion. of either of them, provided the l public sentiment of the state so ex- pressed itself by electing majority
 of the senators and representatives to | the legislature who were in favor of statewide prohibition. This fact was
 thoroughly exploited among our tenn
 perance people, resulting in the further l fact;
 1 Second. That George w. Don | aghey received more votes from people
 who believe in statewide prohibition
 than did Mir. Hinemon and that Mr. l Kirby received thousands of such votes
 is beyond question.
 l Then it is the height of folly to state that the question was settled, de-
 feated or deferred by Mir. Hinemon's
 failure to secure plurality of the votes cast, and any statement to that effect is in the interest of the whiskey
 men, and if they or their friends arc ] sincere in that belief then I challenge
 them in the name of the statewide temperance hosts of Arkansas to let
 the matter be tested squarely by the vote of the people, relieved from ali l partisan or personal elements, by | placing on the ticket next September,
 For statewide prohibition and 1 Against statewide prohibition, either | at the top or bottom of the ticket, and we will abide the rpSuffs-