The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-05
RATL|FF RESENTS
ATTACK MADE ON
HIM BY BLODGETT
Claims He Does Not Stand for
Liquor Men and Explains
His Votes in Last Legisla-
ture on Temperance.
LIQUOR MEN WILL BACK
HIM SAYS CORRESPONDENT
Claims That National Liquor
Interests VIII See That Rat
lift Gets Into Legislative
Halls.


Halls.
Waiter s Ratliff representative OF
Wayne county in the state legislature,
resents with feryor the allegations
made by William Blodgett, staff cor
respondent in the indianapolis News
last evening Blodgett delivers more
than column 10 show that the brew
cry interests of the state will be
among the most active during the
present campaign and will hesitate at
nothing 10 elect men friendly 10 them.
Ratliff is said by Blodgett 10 be one
of the Legislators. who are being
boosted by the liquor forces for elcC-
ZION. The statement is made that the
democrats can carry this county by
selecting the right man.
In an interview with the Palladium
last night, Mr.. RatIiff reaffirmed for
port of the stand he took on temper
ance questions during the sessions of
the last legislature He does not like
the insinuations directed against him
by Blodgett and stated his position in
positive manner. Blodgett asserts
the anti-saIoon forces are less sure
of friends among the candidates for
the legislature than the liquor inter
ests and the case of Ratliff is mention
ed as an instance wherein the liquor
force is playing the game al both ends
and trying to ensnare Legislators both
going and coming.
RatIiff EXPLAINS.
In his own behalf Mr.. Ratliff said:
Il voted for the only remonstrance bill
that came before TIE house II per
tanned to strengthening the former r
mOnstrance laws whereby the tow
ship and ward was made unit for
remonstrance against the sale OF in
toxicating liquors. was against the
! 81 900 license law. because Friends do
not believe in egaizing the liquor
| ed 70 do although ii raised the license
| fee. | am member of the Friends
church and felt il my duty to oppose
that measure for that reason.
Il have been criticised for my posi-
| tion on the blind tiger bill. | voted
/ against it because | did not believe in
! it. II was so stringent in its nature
/ that | did not believe ii advisea bic.
Many of the solutions used at the gov
ernment insectory contain alcohol and
| am engaged in that line of work and
study. This bill made II impossible
to bay alcohol even of a denatured
kind and today it cant be bought with
any degree of satisfaction. | myself
am unable 10 buy it and an agent of
, the government must do 1t for me. I
didn't know at the time that drug
stores We're selling whisky Illegally.
| never had bought any whisky or beer
for use as a beverage and no one had
informed me as 10 conditions. The
author of the bill would not submit TO
any amendment and stated he would
kill il himself before he would parmit
it TO be mutilated. Many of the mem
did sn because of pressure that had
been brought 10 bear on them by mir
| isterial associations etc. at home and
not because of their own individual
favor | did not believe the bill was
right, so voted against it
In his discussion of the matter
whereby ne asserts if the liquor forces
can not elect democrats favorable ~
them they will elect republicans,
/ Blodgett says:
Take Wayne county. for instance
Once in while democrat is elected
in that county. but not often. In the
last house Walter RatHff Of Rich
mond. was a persistent opponent 10
the temperance measures.
Maybe RstIifrs Opponent Assisted.
The saloon and brewery interests
assisted in his denomination and will
spend considerable of the education
fund appropriated at the Chicago
meeting of the brewers 10 bring about
the reelection Of RatIiff. The anti
saloon people OF Wayne county can de-
feat Ratliff if they 90 about il light
because fnere is in that county a
strong anti-saloon sentiment and the
sentiment is growing stronger every
day. But they will have TO watch the
candidate the democrats put up or
they will defeat Mr. RatIiff with a man
whose ideas of temperance and reform
are the same ideas held by Mr.. Ratliff.
So Il can be said without fear Of sue
cessful contradition that the beer and
liquor interests are playing the poIiti-
cal game both WAYS from the Jack.
They do not care for mans party
label IL he will be right" for them in
the general assembly.
And that is one Of the most difficult