The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-07
SO Says BIodgett in the Ind
annapolis News and Gives
Evidence Against RatIiff on
Legislative Vote.
| ASSERTIONS AGAINST
LADD SURPRISE MANY.
Brewery Element Helped Nom
mate Him and Anti-Saloon
People Needed Not NChoi-
sons Plea.

Writing under a date line of this
city, William II. Blodgett. staff CORE
spondent of the indianapolis News
presents another letter charging Wal
ter S. Ratliff of this city, state repre-
sentative, with using his vote for the
benefit of the liquor interests in his
Legislative career. Mr.. Blodgett does
not confine his charges to Mr.. Ratlifi
alone. He asserts Charles Ladd rep
resented the candidate of the saloon in.
ierests in a passive manner. He
says:
The liquor element in Wayne county
has a candidate for prosecuting attor
lney to its liking. | do not mean by
that that the republican nominee was
brought out by the liquor element. Nor
is there any intention to cast reflec.
tions on his honesty or integrity.
There were two candidates for the
nomination for prosecuting attorney
One was Joseph c. Burgess, the other
Charles l.. Ladd Mr.. Burgess stated
He declared against the beer combine
fthe whiskey element. and that he stood
for temperance.
Mr. Ladd made no declaration-he
would not express himself in any way
No one could tell how he stood. The
ksalOOns, the brewers, the keepers OF
pool rooms, the proprietors of cigar
stores-all, all supported Mr.. Ladd
They had no promise from him. but
from what he did not say, they regard
ed him as right. In addition to that
MIR. Ladd is not a strong lawyer has
had but little experience in the course
and in a hOtly contested lawsuit would
be weak opponent of a lawyer like
John Robbins, Henry L. Johnson
Charles f. Shiveley. T. ]. Study and
Others. who are called on when the liq
tUor fellows need strong defense ir
court There was no deal between Mr.
Iadd and the liquor element. The
saloon keepers and brewers just took
him up because they believed him more
suitable for them.
! Ratlifrs Record in the Legislature.
Walter S. Ratliff was renOminateC
for the lower house by the saloon anc
brewery elements by the same ele
ments that nominated Mr.. Ladd fol
prosecuting attorney. And why: Here
IS his record in the last house:
He voted to kill the blind tiger
bill.
He tried to kill the remonstrance bill
and then voted for it on it's final pas
sage.
On the first test vote on the high Ii
cense bill he voted to kill the bill. bu
changed his vote from aye to no. anC
this vote saved the bill from instan
death. On the final ballot he voteC
against the high license bill and help
ed to kill it.
He voted against the general prima
ry bill.
He voted against the repeal of thu
metropolitan police law.
He favored Sunday baseball
! He voted for the Babcock reform bill
but favored agency companies.
He voted against passing the Farbel
bill over the veto of the governor.
He voted against 6O-cent gas for In
dianapolis.
He voted to amend the antitrust bill
so as to make the law ineffective,
He voted for the Roemier utilities
merger bill.
Saved by Richmond's Vote.
The temperance element started ou
to defeat Mr. Ratliff for denomination
but did not keep up the fight. Th,
anti-temperance people did keep up tn,
fight for him and gave him the nomi
nation. If the temperance people haC
not got cold feet. Mr.. Ratliff woult
have been defeated. He came to Rich
mond defeated 1t was the brewer,
combine. the saloon element. the pool
rooms and the cigar stores that go
busy on Sunday before the primary o
Monday. February 1n. and insured Mr.
Ratliffs denomination. A study o
that primary vote in Richmond show!
plainly where the anti-temperance ele
ment stood on the office of prosecutin.
attorney
No Help for Temperance People.
II will be noticed that Ratliff anC
1add. who were supported by the brew
cry combine and the liquor element
supplemented by the so-called "liber
al element" ran well up with Gardne
and Meredith, who had no opposition
At that primary the Rev ]. o. Camp
bell was declared Wayne county
choice for congress by plurality o
123, Ratliff was renominated for tn
legislature by 249 Ladd was nominate,
by 745. Campbell received 2.416 votes
Ratliff received SIPS votes, and Lad,
Eeceived 3.aS2 votes.
And il looks very much as if the tenn
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