Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1911-12-09

Smith to the United States senate viii
make 1t incumbent upon him 20 step
out OF the GOvcrnorship or the state
OF Georgia. and the signs are tl.a;, in
the election Of his successor, lie state
Will enter urOn IN exceptionally warm
campaign over the liquor question.
Georgia has a statewide prohibition
law now, which Gov. Smith was chief
ly instrum entail in putting upon hC~:
but the liberalized sentiment Of the
people is for something less vide
spread and that Will at least give the
communities that want saloons the lib
erty Of having them.
The statewide prohibition law was
given TO the state by a legislature not
elected on that issue, and no popular
vote was taken on 1t. The people
nave shown strong inclination to re-
sent the assumption Of pTcrOgativc by
their unauthorized solons, and the
growth Of anti-prohibition sentiment
has emboldcned Judge Richard Rus
sell, one Of the candidates for the sue
cesSlon, to come out flat-foOtod for To-
cal option, on the ;lvowcd theory that
state prohibition in Georgia is a dead
failure. And now comes former Gov
Jos>.h N. Brown rs a crna:Iatc, CT
whom the Atlanta Constitution an.
nounces in big lines over its political
speculatiOns that the "GubcrnatCrial
Contest WIN Probably Revolve Around
ProhihitiOn-EI-Gov Brown Holds the
Key to the Situation-All Eyes on Him
Awaiting His Decision About Running
and to See What Stand Ho VIII Take
Reported He Will Favor Reference
Direct to the People,
Those candidates represent both the
progressive and the conservative
wings OF the party; and whoever of
the two may win, it looks as If state.
vide prohibition were doomed in
Georgia.
Prohibition Baked In Ohio.
Both sides in Ohio are lining uC
for the liquor fight that the popular
convention Of next year for the draw.
ing Of new State Constitution is sure
to see. The delegates are to be chos.
en- at the election Of next month"; The
issue will not, however, be SO definite
fy between the statewide prohibition
lists and the liberals, as it was at first
thought to be. Ohio now prohibits
the issuance Of license by the state,
but has a mulct law, under which bar
men do business and pay a fine Of
$1,000 a year for doing it. that is in
the nature OF a license. The law au-
thorizin3 the framing Of a new Con-
stltution merely puts the question
whether That way Of dealing with tho
excise problem shall be continued or
whether the state shall establish the
license system.
The question Of the acceptance Of
the provision the state convention
may draft on that subject for the new
Constitution, is To be submitted sep.
arately and the ,aw directs that it
shall be tlils put:
Shall the traffic in Intoxicating liz.
uors be licensed CT 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 like|i.
hSou lHS REASON W ny wayne Is. Wheel
er, state superintendent Of the Anti.
Saloon league, is reported as saying
that 80 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 I'M.
touched"
Sharp Move in Oklahoma.
In Oklahoma, where the Prohibi
t!onlsts have deluged the courts with
complaints against speak-easy viola.
tons Of the Prohibition law, and made
the authorities tired, Gov. Cruce has
put 1t UP to the ProhibitionSts them.
selves to run down cases and get tho
evidence; and it looks as though by
the end Of the year ten thousand citi.
Zens Of Oklahoma VIII be bearing com.
missions from the governor and state
enforcement officer authorizing them
TO act as special deputy enforcement