Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-01-02
POLITICIANS
DON'T WANT IT
Fear Effect of Prohibition Legis-
lation on Party.
REPUBLICANS BELIEVE 1T
WILL WRECK PARTY

Charles Brooks Smith Tells of Many
Impressions That Are Being Gath
cred From Politicians Who Collect
About Washington-Party Adovca.
ting Prohibition Always Defeated.
Charles Brooks Smith, the accept
ed press exponent Of things republi-
can in West Virginia, especially
these things emanating frora the in
ner circles of the Elkins ring kept
q close tab on the meeting OF the
faithful held at Washington a few
days ago and summing up the re-
suits OF that session says, regarding
the prohibition movement in this
state:
Another fact developed in Wash
ington was that the leaders have 40
intention OF allowing the forthcom-
ing legislature to submit prohibit
ton amendment to the voters. 1t
is bad from both a party and finan-
cial standpoint. Politically, they
point to any number of wrecks fol-
lowing in the wake of the prohibit
ton wave They say that the repub-
lican party never failed to get it,
and get it strong-wheneve 1t dallied
with that question. They refer you
to Harris in Ohio: to the fate of the
party in Indiana and other states,
and point to a few democratic expert
ences like that of Hoke Smith, or
Georgia Prohibition in West Virginia,
they say, will react on the party that
is responsible for it, and will drive it
from power at the succeeding general
election, with good prospects of it
staying out of power for some years
TO come.
| Financially this is the view: 1t
takes $4,000. 900 to run the govern
ment of West Virginia now, and the
expense is growing yearly with the
growth of the state, which 81 rapid.
OF this sum nearby s1,000,000 comes
! from liquor license. To cut this vast
revenue off would mean more ana
higher taxes. Already, they say, the
corporations are bearing all that they
can be soaked for under the new tax
laws, while the farmers taxes have
/ been decreased, which is responsible
for the big support the republican
party got this year in the agricultural
counties, To raise the farmers taxes
to make up this deficit would mean
political suicide; and yet the money
cut off by prohibition must be made
up from some other source. and they
ask where is the source.
These re the views Of the very
| practical party leaders who have been
hobnobbing together in Washington,
/ They declare that any sane and SEN
sible temperance legislation may be
allowed to pass If it is entirely sat
isfactory, but for statewide prohibi-
ton they declare it is neither sensi-
Bile nor safe, and that the taxpayers
of the state Will come to that con-
clusion, too. when they understand
fully what it would mean. These
leaders say they will rely on the state
senate to prevent the much-too-radi
cal house fatally Gripping the reven-
ues of the state and the large towns
and cities.
In connection with this subject it
should be mentioned that last week
opened the fight for and against the
submission of the prohibition amend
ment. The Anti-Saloon League sent
out 10000 printed petitions to be
signed, while the Model License
League gave out for publication "a
license bill, which they claim will
eliminate all the objections to the
saloon business, and elevate the bust
ness out of politics and cut of the
hands OF men who should not have
licenses granted them. They will push
this bill before the legislature. and
say that they have strong hopes OF
its passing as compromise measure
which will satisfy the public generally
if not the extremists on both sides OF
the question.