The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-26
Organization Is Holding EIec-
tons in Counties Already
Dry, Deciding to Take No
Chances.
TEN ELECTIONS ARE
TO BE HELD THIS WEEK
Question of What the Next
Legislature Will Do With the
County Local Option Law,
Discussed.
Special Correspondent.


Special Correspondent.
Indianapolis, April &c. The anti-sa-
loon league is continuing its policy of
holding county option elections In
that have no saloons the same
as in counties that have saloons. This
after the local option law was passed.
At that time 1t was question
the legislature would repeal
the law when it met in January. and
there was for long time great un-
on this point. The purpose
Of the Anti-Saloon League in holding
elections first in dry counties was to
show the members of the legislature
by the time the legislature convened,
that SO many counties had already ia
ken advantage of the law and voted
dry for two more years.
This, 1t was expected would have 4
great effect on the action of the legfs-
lature when 1t came to passing the re-
peal act. The anti-saloon league
wanted to be in position to say to
the legislature that the law had al
ready become SO popular that 1t would
be dangerous to repeal 1t, and 1t could
point to the number OF counties that
had voted dry up to that time as proof
Of this popularity.
Leagues Methods.
OF course. there was here and there
q wet county sandwiched in with the
dry ones, but the league made it
point to hold the early elections in
which it knew it could carry
dry.
And this policy had strong effect
on the action of the legislature, for it
Is known that some OF the members
who were counted on by the vets to
help repeal the local option law were
much affected by the results OF the
early elections. Some of them way-
cred and finally voted to save the law
and keep it on the statute books. The
result was that the law was not re-
pealed
And now 1t seems that the anti-sa-
loon league has decided to follow the
same plan right straight through the
entire list of counties. 1t proposes to
carry wet counties dry wherever 1t
can, but at the same time it does not
propose to lose dry county 1t is
not taking any chances.
Elections This Week.
Ten local option elections are to be
held this week. and four of these coun-
ties are already dry. They are White,
Kosciusko. Washington and Jasper
These counties. Of course, will vote
themselves dry for another two years.
Jackson. Martin and Starke will go
dry, and there is good reason to be-
lieve that jefferson will also go dry
TiRpecanoe may, go wet. though the
general supposition is that it will go
dry. The only county in the ten in
which there is real doubt is Della
ware. which is claimed by both sides.
If the vets lose Delaware county they
will receive the hardest blow that has
vet been landed on them.
1t is too far ahead to predict what
the next legislature will do with the
local option law. but there seems little
reason to believe that it will repeal It.
The fact is that the brewers Of the
state are in tight hole, and they are
not certain just what to do nor which
way to turn in politics for the next leg
fslature. They have all along pin
ned their faith to the democratic party
and they have felt that whatever relief
-, 10 -
the law must come from that party.
But even the democratic party has
shown that 1t cannot be controlled en-
tirely by the brewery combine. and
the combine is wary about trusting 1t
again. 1t is realized on all sides
that the next state election at which
q legislature will be elected next year
will be entirely differnt from that of
last year. and that far different re-
suits are likely to be accomplished.
Last year the republican party was
torn with dissention and there was not
the slightest semblance of unity in it.
That accounted for its defeat
In sowing this dessension in the
ranks OF the republicans. the brewers
incurred the wrath of a large element
Of the party that might otherwise he
counted now as liberal--or at least not
so strict for the enforcement Of the
liquor laws as they are now. aud the
brewers do not know exactly what to
do TO wipe out that sting.
The brewers understand that II they
ccntinue to support the democratic
candidates for the legislature, It will
mean that they line up against the
election Of Senator Beveridge 10 sue
cesd himself, and this VIII bring down
on them all the strength Of the Bev-
eridge element of the party. The
Beveridge people do not propose to ai-
low the brewers or any other combine
to stand in the way Of his reelection
4 they can help 1t. On the otheE
hand. Il the republicans Nne up with
the brewers and get . promise from
them that II the next legislature II r.
publican the local option law VIII b
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