The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-03-27
DRY SENTIMENT PREVAILS.
West Virginia House of Delegates
Takes Initiative-Sends Joint
Resolution to Senate.

Resolution to Senate.
To relaize the lofty ambitions en-
tertained by members of the Wes
Virginia legislature 1t is necessary
only to take their private reasons fol
supporting the prohibition wave. A
large majority admit unofficially that
they are opposed to prohibition, but
declare they have to vote for it to
keep their titles clear. They de-
fend themselves by saying they must
guard their political futures and not
go on record as opposing something
construed to be popular in their bail
iwicks. In short, they dream of one
day being called on to lead their
| party hosts in a contest for the gov
ernorship, if not, indeed, being sum-
moned to the presidency itself.
1t is this which explains the sud
den stampede in the house of dele
gates to the joint resolution calling
for submission to the people at the
u November election of proposed
amendment to the constitution which
h is conditioned to make the safe dry
after July /, 1909. A week prior to
/, the converting of the special session
nobody knew the legislature would
E.act on the proposition. It was not
sspecified in Gov. Dawson's call. OF
1.-THE thirty-seven subjects in that call
.Ithere was none permitting the in
PRODUCTION of the prohibition ques-
Btion except in the paragraph which
INDICATED clearly that amendments to
the consultation could be considered.
N The temperance people quickly
rallied to the loophole presented. The
League circulated petit
Rtions among the churches and else
where and had tons of them In
charleston before the legislature was
M week old Two days before the
Legislature convened it was known
what was coming off, but the sur
prise was general when on the open
Eing day prohibition was sprung right
aoff the bat in the house by Delegate
Williams of Nicholas (Democratic)
and in the senate by Thorn of Harri-
son (Republican).
The senate referred the matter to
.1he judiciary committee, but at
tempts to do likewise were frustrated
in the house. The drys were not
able to muster the necessary two .
thirds until Wednesday of this week
in the house, and when it was seen
they had the required fifty-eight
votes there was rush to the band
wagon by those who were formerly
disposed to head off the measure.
Creates Sensation.
Naturally this success in the lower
house within two weeks after the
issue was sprung has created some
Thing of a sensation in West Vir-
ginia. 1t is impossible to tell at this
writing what the senate will do. 1t
Is equally difficult to predict what
Gov. Dawson hopes to accomplish.
The governor prefers county local
option. Fully one-third of the reve-
nues of the state now come from the
liquor business. Prohibition would
require that tax bills be one-third
higher, situation not desired by the
state administration, which is insist
emily endeavoring to bring about
lower taxes, and to that end is now
pushing the Stanton bill, which will
limit the powers of levying bodies
In the future to the lowest possible
mark.
Gov. Dawson told your correspon-
dent that he contemplated putting
county option in his call, but was
persuaded not to do so by the repre- ,
sensations of the liquor men that
hey would organize lobby and
3ould harass and disturb other pro-
3Osed measures, to the end that the
lession would be fruitless and very
Expensive. Just how the liquor men !
you'd be able to do all this when ;
hey. have been utterly unable to
,lock prohibition, much more dras- :
tc move than county option, is not
lear. T.
y Gov. Dawson spoke of the sweep.
ng wave of temperance which had,
D be recognized and faced To his.
mind county option was the solution
md he suggested that it might be J
I0od thing to have the people vote
9th on county option and prohibi- a
Ion and thereby manifest their pre- y
erence because of the divided tenn
,erance sentiment on that score.
The only way county option can
ONE before the legislature is ri
trough an extension of the present I
ession. The governor can recon- &