Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-02-18
MAKES AN ANALYSIS
philosophy Of the "Licker" Fight Set
Forth TersIey From All Angles
Opinions differ.

OplHiOHS I'iCf'
Charleston, w. va, Feb. Ill
lyon can talk all you please abou;
morality. but when a matter hits the
aocketbook, look out This IS tn
saying that is being advanced by
Those who oppose the prohibition
amendment at the coming general
election. Now that the legislature
fns put the question up to the people.
7he probable result at the polls is be
ing discussed It is freely predicted
here that the amendment will be de-
seated even by larger majority than
eghag which killed 1t in 1888.
Arguments are to be heard here
Ghat off r all kinds OF prognostica-
zlnns as to the result of the election.
Some believe that the prohibition
wave which swept the country during
she past few years is not dead as
claimed but that the neople Of the
state are still demanding the elimina-
lion Of the wet goods and that they
viii show this when they have an OPP
portunity to vote upon 1t. Others
claim that the wave is dying out and
that the amendment will be defeated
by decisive vote
Back it was possibly in 1857 the
e I'd state OF Virginia took vete on
the question and the proposition was
defeated. In 1888, West Virginia
after long battles in her legislatures,
put the question up to the peopl ald
Z; was defeated by a decisive vote Of
between forty and fifty thousand. In
other words it seemed that the ma
jcrity of the people asked their repre-
sentatives in the legislature to do
something that they. themselves
Eould not do when given a chance.
When it is seen that the liquor bus
mess realizes for the state oyar three
quarters of a million Of dollars 4 rev
eHues, and that its abolition will
a.pean that this vast sum will have to
sc raised from other sources, natural
~ from the taxpayers, it may be
seen that the question must be given
serious consideration and that there
must be no foolishness when the vote
is called for.
There can he nothing but praise
ecr the conscientiously good nut the
highest contempt Is always had for
the hypocrite and it is the belief here
fhat scores of the latter type will be
developed before the vote is taken,
There are dozens of men, who de-
raanded of their representatives that
they support the resolution, who will
themselves vote against it when they
realize that their pocketboaks will be
affected by it,
Some peculiar features came ont
N the recent discussions of the res
Oiutioa here One of the most prom
inent was the activities OF the dry
gaid leaders along certain lines only.
When il is known that the state
agents get rather elegant salaries.
paid it is said by John ID. Rockefeller,
HeintZ, the pickle man, and others
who are prohibition leaders it is rath-
.er amusing to note that none Of these
paid lcbbyists opposed the 1914 clause
which prevents the amendment from
..going into effect, if passed for three
GEARS yet. 1t appears that they were
T@illing to accept the salaries and hold
live job for that length of time even
r. she state remained in the cursed
grip Ct the whiskey reptile.
while the leaders were sadly neg
iectng this feature, there were con
scientious men in both branches who
Believed in the amendment aud who
were earnestly working for its pas
sage doing all in their power to have
eChe time cut down. Possibly they no
ticed that they were getting no sup
port from those who drew money to
support them.
Governor Glasscocks lobby r2com-
mendaticns look like jokes when one
thinks of the dry lobby that filled the
senate chamber on the day the vote
was taken If the secretary OF state
was forced to register all Of those
who were present TO take hand in
Ehe proceedings he would have been
busy for several days taking down the
rsmes and intention of the mob,
Which was mainly composed OF la
~l:es. There may be some merit to a
lobby bill but that for the dry side Ct
prohibition MEASURE must always
ne exempted.
There is a sentimental side to the
interest OF women in legislative mat
ter Said veteran member OF the
upper branch on Tuesday you may
offer all kinds OF arguments against
a measure, but when so many women
wives and mothers support 81, there
saus; he much good to IT,"