The Sentinel=record., 1911-12-15
GEORG|A LIKELY ID SHAKE PROHIBITION
HokE SMITH, MADE SENATOR, TO MAKE WAY FOR ANTLSTATE- WlDERs FOR cUVER-
 WORSHIP.
EXCISE WARS IN OTHER PLACES
Prohibition Seems to Have Been Baked in Ohio by the Form of the Question to Be Voted On--Gov. Cruce, of Oklahoma, Puts 1t Up to Prohlbs to Find Their Own "Soaks"-Promise of a Liq-
 Own "Soaks."


 Own "Soaks."
 Washington.-The election of Hoke Smith to the United States senate will make it incumbent upon him to step out of the governorship of the state of Georgia, and the signs are that, in ] the election of his successor, the state will enter upon an exceptionally warm campaign over the liquor question. | Georgia has a e-wide prohibition law now, which Gov. Smith was chief | ly instrumental in putting upon her; but the liberalized sentiment of the people is for something less wide. spread and that will at least give the communities that want saloons tine lib erty of having them.
 fhe statewide prohibition jaw was given to the state by legislature not elected on that issue, and no popular vote was taken on 1t. The people have shown a strong inclination to re- sent the assumption of prerogative by their unauthorized solons, and the growth of anti-prohibition sentiment has emboldened Judge Richard Rus sell, one of tine candidates for the sue cession. to come out fiat-footed for lo- cal option, on the avowed theory that state prohibition in Georgia is a dead i failure. And now comes former Gov. | Joseph M. Brown as a candidate. of whom the Atlanta Constitution an nounces in big lines over its political speculations that the "Gubernatorial Contest will Probably Revolve Around Prohibition--Ex-Gov. Brown Holds the i Key to the Situation-All Eyes on Him Awaiting His Decision About Running and to See What Stand He Will Take -Repofted He Will Favor Reference Direct to the People,
 i These candidates represent both the Progressive" and the conservative wings Of the party; and whoever of the two may win, it looks as if state wide prohibition were doomed in l Georgia.
 Prohibition Baked in Ohio.
 Both sides in Ohio are lining up for the liquor fight that the popular l convention of next year for the draw 1 ing of new State Constitution is sure l to see. The delegates are to be chos- 1 en at the election of next month. The issue will not, however. be so definite ly between the statewide prohibition ists and the liberals, as it was at first 1 thought to be. Ohio now prohibits the issuance of license by the state, but has mulct law, under which bar men do business and pay fine of | $1 ,000 year for doing it. that is in the nature of license. The law au- thorizing the framing of new Con stitution merely puts the question whether that way of dealing with the excise problem shall be continued or whether the state shall establish the license system.
 The question of the acceptance of 1 the provision the state convention may draft on that subject for the new | Constitution. is to be submitted sep arately and the law directs that it shall be thus put
 Shall the traffic in intoxicating liq. uors be licensed or shall the licensing of such traffic be prohibited?'
 Already the drys are suspecting that the action of the legislature in sep. arating the liquor issue, and more es, pecially in the form of the alternative questions submitted have left them holding the bag. This is in all likeli- hood the reason why Wayne B. Wheel CT. state superintendent of the Anti. Saloon league, is reported as saying that "so far as he is concerned. he would be willing to see both the alter nate liquor provisions defeated, since that would leave the present constitu. tional provision regarding saloons un touched
 Sharp Move in Oklahoma.
 In Oklahoma, where the Prohibit tionists have dehged the courts with complaints against speak-easy viola. tions of the Prohibition law, and made the authorities tired, Gov. Cruce has put it up to the Prohibitionists them selves to run down cases and get the evidence; and 1t looks as though by the end of the year ten thousand clti- zens of Oklahoma win be bearing com htlocAOIS ttOAh AHt 6Qftt tA0t anu ctdtS enforcement officer authorizing them to act as special deputy enforcement officers under the Prohibition law. In effect Gov Cruce says to the Prohibi tionists of Oklahoma:
 This is your law: you voted for it; it is yours to create and maintain n sentiment favorable to it's enforce ment; it is yours to see that the law is strictly enforced"
 Kansas the Next to Vote Wet.
 Kansas is tired of prohibition, in the opinion of j. B. Billiard. mayor of Topeka. who will make the race for governor on a resubmission platform. lie thinks this will be the paramount issue in the Sunfiower state in 1912. As to the reasons for the faith that is in him" he says the prohibitory amendment was adopted thirty-one VaaFa ago by q raaiQrtfv 0f 0nlx abouf