The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-04-12
TAFT IS AFTER
IND|ANIANS
Republican Leaders Throughout the
State to be Called to Washington
to Tell About Political Situation

1t is said to be the intention to keep
up the fight from now until election
day. but up until the first of Septem-
Der the campaign will be confined al
most entirely to organization work.
From that time forward however, the
eagle will scream and red IRE will
light UP the hilltops. 1t will be a noisy
and lively campaign on both sides.
The Dem ocrats are now wrestling
with question that gave the Repub-
licans many sleep1ess nights until they
shut their eyes and ignored it entirely.
The Democratic state convention will
be held In this city on April 81 and IS,
and the big question among them now
is what to do with the local option
question. This question has been a
busaboo for the Democrats ever since
1t was injected into Indiana politics,
and this year they are ~ badly
worried over 1t a. ever.
large portion of the party wants
the state convention to come out
squarely and fat footed and declare in
favor of the repeal of the county op-
ton law without any reservation what
ever. They represent the extreme
liquor element Of the party. and II is
not at all likely that the convention
will pay any attention to them. The
Democratic leaders realize that to do
such q thing would spell ruin for their
party. for there are few voters in the
state who would be willing to vote the
local option law of the statute books
without substituting some other law
system that would be equally salts
factory.
WHAT OTHER ELEMENT THINKS.
There Is another element in the
party, and 1t is no inconsiderable ele-
ment. that believes the present laws
should remain unchanged. This
class Is the temperance element of the
party. The vote at local option cleo
tions shows that Democratic counties
| as well as Republican counties have
voted themselves dry. so that neither
party can be said to have a monopoly
on the temperance vote or temperance
! sentiment In Indiana It was the
Temperance minority in the Democrats
party during the last session of the
legislature that prevented the repeal OF
the county option law and the passage
Of the Proctor Tomlinson bill There
/ were about half a dozen Democratic
members of the House who stood I'M
Il altlerably opposed to the repeal of the
option law. and by voting with the dry
Republicans they were able to prevent
Eno repeal
;. 1t is practically certain that there
will be some dry Democrats in the next
House ALSO and that they will be as
firmly set in their opposition to the
repeal of the law as were the ones in
, the session of last year.
Then there is another element in the
Democratic lineup that is in favor o.
. wiping out the county option law ant
passing a new law that will give loca
option to townships and wards. with
{ a lot OF restrictions and regulation
which they believe wifi be better thai
the provisions OF the present law.
j With all of these conflicting view
: and ideas existing among the Demo
Gratis it is easy to see that they ar
3 going to have the time of their lives Il
{ framing up plank in their platform
E that will satisfy everybody. 1t IL ais
v we'll known that Governor Marshal
8 and many others among the part
r leaders in the state are in favor of no
Q saying a word In the platform on tn
; temperance subject. They believe tn
n question is one that does not belong 1
:. party politics and that 1t should be LEI
: to the legislature to do with as its see
4 fit after 1t has been elected.
Strenuous efforts are to be made b
the supporters Of the different idea
and theories to get plank in the plat
form that will be in line with thei
l views. 1t is equally certain that eac
side will object to the idea OF the ott
ers and that there will be merr
j scrap before anything will be az