The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-22
WET" AND "DRY" QUESTION UP AGAIN
Threatens Split in the Republican Party-"Our Jim"
Watson Does Not Believe the Republican
Party Can Win Next Election.

the party candidate for governor, nine
for Watson and eleven for Marshall.
Reed explained the vote for Marshall
by saying that the votes were cast be-
cause Of the bitter opposition of the
prohibitionists to couny local option.
The party may be able to win on \
temperance platform" said Reed. 1T
can never win without it''
Jim Watson was asked about coun,
ty local option.
Il do not think the Republicans can
win in 1912. with or without county
local option. do not think they can
win at all" he said. The burden OF
Taft is too much"
Linton A. Cox, late candidate for
Seventh district congressman, has no
opinion on the subject, he said His
general impression is that the result
would be unchanged whatever posi-
ton is taken. Finley P. Mount awaits
further study of the operation Of the
Proctor law. Mount was the Republi.
can candidate for attorney general in
1910.
Everett E. Neal, candidate FOR Ninth
district congressman in 1910. could
see no wisdom in declaring for a
thing the wet Republicans would re-
pudiate because OF the thing itself and
the dry Democrats would repudiate
because Of the interest in national is
sues. Neal would be in favor of
fight on county local option ii the
fight could be made the single issue.
A favorite son of Johnson county,
who is dry" Democrat believes the
dry sentiment prevails in Indiana
and that the Republicans would win
on a lone issue
But they wouldn't poll one dry
Democrat vote in 100 in a national
campaign year." he said. 1T is hard
to get party of men to go over ON
one issue. The Republicans are two
years ahead of time on the local option
question. There is no doubt in my
mind that Beveridge's defeat Is attrib-
utable more to the agitation of the
liquor question than anything else.
The Democrats made capital out OF
the disorganization of the Republicans.
In many counties of the state, we did.
MT dare discuss the temperance cues.
ton. We said with an air of conf
dence that the Democratic party
would take care of everything when
We would have made a rush for the
tall timber IL some one had called our
bluff and asked us to tell Just what
we would do in specific instances.
There is no doubt" he continued,
that thousands of Democrats voted
the ticket. confident that the county
local option law would not be disturb
ed. There isn't a doubt in the world
that they were woefully disappointed
and disgruntled when the repeal bills
passed"
There are rumors abroad that the a.
loon keepers and breweries, particu-
larly the saloon keepers, will demand
that the next Democratic state conven-
ton declare for the repeal OF the
Moore remonstrance law insofar az It
applied to wards covered previously
by option elections. The "drys" will
make an heroic effort to prevent such
an accession to the liquor interests.
Such a declaration might change the
course of the Republicans materially.
In that event, it would not be diff
cult for them to take a position in ad-
vance of the Democrats on temper
ance legislation, without seriously an
tagonizing further the liberal element.