Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-07-28
WEDNESDAY, JULY 90, 1909.
ANTI-SALOON LEAGUE Is
REORGANIZED.

AAC OAAlSAoA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AAoo
been received that Hon. Elias
Rachie Of this city has been en-
ployed by the State Anti-Saloon
League as its Legislative superin-
tendent for the coming political
campaign. Thus Willmar again
comes to the front in the battle to
rid the state of the licensed drink
curse.
AS far as general qualifications
go it would be- difficult to find
man more suited to fill this place,
which will be- an exceedingly diff
cult position to hold. He comes
from a strict Hauge's Synod fami-
ly, received his early education at
the Red Wing Seminary, holds the
degree Of Phi. D. earned at the
State University, where he also
studied law. He has served in the
legislature and has a large &C.
quaintance among the politicians of
the state.
The great aim of the League will
be the passage of county option
law in the next legislature. Both
representatives and senators are to
be elected a year from this fall,
which makes it an important cam
paign in a legislative sense. The
influence Of the League will be ex-
erted in the first place to the end
that the big parties, one or both,
will be induced to place a county
option plank in their platforms.
There is no doubt that the county
option question is the livest issue
before the people of Minnesota to-
day. 1t has been studiously avoid
ed, however, in the writing Of the
platforms of the big parties and
in the state papers of executive off,
Gals up to this time. The Tribune
predicts that it will be exceedingly
difficult for public men to dodge
this question much longer. They
might as we'll make up their minds
to take one side or the other and
show their true colors, and we wish
Elias all manner of success in his
efforts to smoke them out.
Then again the League will take
a hand in the selection of candi-
dates, to the end that men favor
able to county option will be nomi-
mated for the legislative positions,
and finally it will throw its infu-
ence in the fall election to aid de-
sirable candidates to win out, all of
which work will require a great
deal Of tact and political general
ship as we'll as hard fighting.
In one of our exchanges we no.
tice the statement that the Anti-Sa-
loon League will not cooperate
with the Prohibition party in the
coming fight. This must be mis-
take. The purpose of the League
is to see that men who can be trust.
ed to carry out anti-saloon legisla-
tion are elected and the candidates
of the Prohibition party are usual.
ly men who can be depended upon.
There must always be an element
of uncertainty Of what Republi-
can or Democrat will do when the
party ringsters get after him with
the party lash; but with prohibit
zionist there can hardly be any such
doubt. While the League as an
omni-partisan organization cannot
take up with the Prohibition party
in partisan way, it can recognize
it as most valuable aid and it ought
to consider tia privilege to endorse
prohibition candidates wherever
the situation will warrant such &C.
ton.
In the past the League has in
Cured some criticism for an appar.
ent disposition to throw it's infu-
ence in partisan way to the do.
minant or republican party. In
fact. in some places it has been
called republican aid society. 1t
has shown a tendency towards DIV.