The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-09-15
TIMES BUREAU
AT STATE CAPITAL.

HINES BA HElAt
AT STATE CAPITAL.
Indianapolis, Ind. Sept. 15-R. c.
Minton, general attorney for the IN
diana Anti Saloon league. has an
nounced that the league will not at
tempt to exact promises from candi-.
. dates for the legislature to support the
leagues Legislative program at the next
session This VIII be entirely different
from the plan followed last year, when
the league canvassed all of the candi-
dates of both parties all over the state
and deman ded promises that they would
vote for the bills promoted and favored
by the league. The candidates were
judged according to the answers which
they gave to the league. and the league
made up its slate accordingly. In some
counties the league supported republi-
can candidates for the legislature and
in others. where they found a demo-
crat who was willing to give his prom
Use of support, they supported a demo-
crat. Wherever they found county in
which neither the republican nor the
democrat would promise or in which
both were willing TO make the promise
the league made no choice, and left it
up to the voters to make their own
choice. on the ground that it made no
difference which candidate was elected
VIII Size Up Candidates.
Minton says that next year the league
will size up the candidates from all over
the state and pick out the men who
appear to be the best ones for the legis-
lature- Then they will support these
men. but they win not exact amy prom
ises from them. The league believes It
will have a better chance TO win If 1t
assists in nominating men on whom it
can depend to support its measures and
then work for their election without
any promises. rather than to seek to
tie them up with promises that would
have to be kept.
Minton is the man who has charge
of the legislative work of the Anti
Saloon league. He wrote the county
local option law which was passed by
the special session of the last legisla-
ture. and has assisted in the trial of
the cases throughout the state in which
the law has been attacked He also
has assisted in the preparation of the
briefs in support Of the law which have
been filed with the supreme court in
the cases on appeal to test the eonstf-
tutionality of the law. He is regarded
as a smooth politician and hard work
er in the cause Therefore. what he SAYS
in this regard is accepted as showing
just what the policy of the league next
year viii be-
1t is believed that the candidates for
the legislature next year will feel bet
ter in the campaign If they are not
asked to bind themselves on the liquor
question for both parties will do their
utmost to keep the saloon question from
being mentioned in their state platform.
This is evident from the talk that is
heard on both sides whenever the sub
ject is mentioned. The republicans fear
that to indorse in any way the county
option law viii lay their party open to
attack by the liberal element within
1t and that it viii drive out a great
many liberal voters who do not now
and never did approve of the local OPP
ton law. They realize that the liquor
question last year was largely res pom
sible for the slump that the party suf-
fered at the election. and no one is
more thoroughly convinced of this than
James f. Watson. who ran for governor
on the republican ticket.
Democrats Afraid of Question.
on the other hand the democrats
viii do ali in their power TO keep away
from the liquor question. The leaders
of the party such men as Governor
Marshall are of the opinion that If the
platform should condemn the local op-
ton law and declare for any other form
of saloon regulatin the party would
lose large number of temperance votes
the votes of men who favor local op-
ton and who voted dry at the elections
held in the various counties. They be-
lieve that the number Of liberal repub-
Hcans who would be won over to their
side by such a declaration would not
be nearly as large as the number Of
temperance democrats who would be
driven out by Il. Therefore, these dem
ocratic leaders are as much afraid of
the liquor proposition as are the re-
pubIicans, and for an entirely opposite
reason. And since both sides are afraid
Of it, It seems likely that neither side
will have a word TO say on the liquor
question if 1t can be prevented. OF
course. there is a possibility that J.
Frank Hanly, former governor may be
able to force the republican state con-
vention to make some kind of a declar-
alton, but he viii have fight on his
hands before he accomplishes it It is
believed that the republican platform
will not under any circumstances go
further on the proposition than TO point
with pride to the past record of the re-
publican party in the handling Of the
temperance questions.