Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-31
Washington Smiles al Attempt
On Hero Of MeTTimaC."
Texas Democrats Would Have
Made Slate "Dry" by $4,000,
Marvellous Change Of Sentiment In
South on Liquor Question.

Washington, D. c.. July 29.-(Spe-
ciaD.-If the Maine Democrats in their
contentious against prohibition were
looking for favorable sign from
Texas, they will be unable TO extract
much comfort from the result True.
Texas went wet" but by majority of
only about 5000 in a vote of something
like 100000 The Texas Democrats in
Congress concede that if the result had
been left solely to the Democratic vo-
tiers the Lone Star State would have
gone dry by anything like $4,000 or
$4,000 majority!
They explain the situation by stat
ing that the Mexicans and the negroes
voted almost solidly against prohibit
ton on general principles while some
other Republicans voted against pro-
hibition largely for the sake of embar-
RAISING the Democrats and enhancing
the fractional quarrels within the
Democratic party OF the state.
AS ii goes Senator J. w. Bailey. who
is not acceptable to a large portion of
the Texas Democrats and who is being
stoutly opposed for reelection next
year. wins something of a victory for
he recently decided to stand with the
saloon crowd But the vote. in which
Republicans and Democrats alike
participated. -embitters the quarrel be-
tween the Democrats. because the
"drys" realizing that they are a ma
jority among the Democrats of Texas.
feel intensely toward the other Dem
ocratic faction, which. with the aid of
political outsiders, have committed the
state for the time being to tine contin-
uation of saloons.
The result. however. indicates how
public sentiment in the South on the
liquor question has been changing.
when a great state like Texas. with
traditions favuring the consumption of
intoxicants, comes SO close to going
dry
If Representative Richmond Pearson
Hobson. of Alabama, now persists in
going to Maine to deliver prohibition
speeches after Senator Charles i.
Johnson's broadside against him, he
will probably have the largest audi
ence he has ever had on his lecture
trips into New England. The nrohib-
ition question has been acute also in
Alabama and the Hero of the Merri-
mac" at Santiago has been very en-
phatically against the saloon The
state has hitherto declined to adopt
state wide prohibition but there is a
strong sentiment among the Alabama
people in favor of it. Representative
Hobson is so prominent in this that he
has estrauged some of the opposition
interests and since he announced that
he intends to become a candidate foT
the United States Senate. these opposi-
fiOn IN
pummel him. Senator Joseph Forney
Johnston of Birmingham whom Hob
son hopes to succeed, is shrewdly us
ing this fact to Hobson's disadvantage
and. in recently denouncing Hobsor
for planning to speak in Maine for pro-
hibition, Senator Charles F. johnson is
IN reality helping toward the defeat OF
the Hero of the Merrimac for the Unit
ed States Senate
Thus 1t will be seen that there wa
politics from the Alabama end as vel
as from the Maine end when Senator
johnson, OF Maine, issued his state
ment regretting that any outside Dem.
ocrat should think it his duty to &c
into Maine to tell the Pine Tree stat,
people how to settle some of theil
home affairs
Capt. Hobson has already helped on,
Alabama Democrat into the Senate
even though it was untintentional apf
now ne wants to get there himself. Fl,
first ran for Congress when his fam,
as a naval hero was hin the pub.
tic mind and after a spirited canvas
following his resignation as a con
structor in the navy he defeated JOIN
H Baaklead. Confederate veteran o
the Sixth Congressional district, TO
the nomination, Bankhead had been I
member of the House for years anC
years and his defeat for a denomination
was hardly expected. But soon there
after while Hobson was feeling TIN
citation CT his victory at the primary
vacancy was made by the death o
one of Alabama's Senator's, the lat
John r. Morgan Bankhead entered
the primary for the selection of Nor
cams success and won handily. Hob
son is now on his third term as
member Of the House and has made
Continued on Page Nine.)