The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-19
Shows Marked Hostility When
They Pay Him a Personal
Visit in Behalf of County
Option.
SEEMS TO BE PLAYING
THE "GET-EVEN" GAME.
Tells Revs. Wade, Lyons and
Graham He Has Not For
gotten Personal Attacks
Made Upon Him.

Walter S. Ratliff, representative
from Wayne county, received the Rich
mond Ministerial association COM
mittee, which visited him yesterday
at Indianapolis with marked hostility.
Bitter from the recent treatment ac-
corded him by local ministers and
leaders in the temperance movement,
he gave the committeeman to under
stand that it would be impossible for
them to influence him in voting for
the local option bill. The committee,
which was composed of Rev. S. r..
Lyons, the Rev. R. J. Wade and the
Rev. T. J. Graham, called upon Mr..
Ratliff individually and collectively.
not say he would vote against the
county local option bill, he gave them
to understand that he would oppose
the measure. Republican county chair
man L. S. Bowman, Republican Dis
trict Chairman E. M. Haas and John
l.. Rupe also argued with Mr.. Ratliff
to stand by his party, but presumably
in vain.
To the Rev. Mr. Wade, who has re-
turned home, Mr.. Ratliff stated that
all his arguments were useless as he
recollected the time when Mr.. Wade
from his pulpit had denounced him,
calling him an unfit man to hold pub
lie Office. To all members of the Min
isterial association committee he re-
minded them that the ministers of
Richmond had fought him at the last
primary election and that the so-called
"reformists" in this city had opposed
him. Il will never forgive Timothy
Nicholson for the statement he made
regarding me-" said Mr. Ratliff.
When the committee members told
him that in urging him to support the
county local option bill they were ex-
pressing the sentiments of the major
ity of voters in Wayne county, Mr..
Ratliff asked them what authority they
had in making such statement,
pointing out to them that the voters
of Wayne county had never expressed
themselves at the polls as to whether
or not they favored county local op-
tion.
Sincerity Doubted.
The Rev. Wade states that Mr. Rat
lift when he first arrived in Indian
apolis, assured the republican party
leaders he would support the county
local option bill, but that they are
now convinced he was not sincere in
this statement. To personal friends.
it is stated Mr.. Ratliff has positively
stated he would not support any coun-
ty local option bill presented at the
specil session of the legislature.
Members of the Richmond Minis
terial association are not discouraged
over the unsatisfactory result of their
conference with Mr.. Ratliff. 1t was
announced this morning by Mr.. Wade
that the association would take steps
to secure a monster petition for the
enactment of a county local option
law and that the temperance people
of the county would be urged to send
kilograms and letters to MIR. Ratliff
urging him to support the bill.
Charges of being bought off, have
been brought against Mr.. Ratliff. but
Mr.. Wade states that he believes these
chg 'ges are untrue. He thinks that
Mr.. Ratliff's love of publicity has
caused him to take a stand against
the county local option bill.