Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-11-21
Hodges and Morality
(Kansas City Journal9

(kanSJS C1tN J0ufndi.b
When Governor Hodges goes out OF
lis state he usually tells strangers in
ter sting things about Kansas and
Eansans For instance, the governor
declared before the American Anti-Sa-
loon League, at Columbus, o.. the 9TH
CT day, that the guhernatorial race IN
Kansas last year became Il moral
question instead of a political ques-
ton" This will be great news to the
Kansans, who never before suspected
that there was any moral element in
iected into the campaign between Ar
thar Capp.r and George Hodges Some
thing seems To have gone TO Mr..
Hodges head. If there ever was any
moral question in Kansas campaign
within the last generation it was when
the Democrats We're trying to secure
resabmission Of the prohibitory amend
ment. which the Republicans stubborn
~ and successfully opposed.
It was the Republican party that
brought about prohibition in Kansas,
Governor Hodges was not very ola
wnen this was done, but he knows all
about it, because all Kansans do. 1t
was tile Republican party which made
prohibition a fixed fact by enforcing
the law for a quarter of Il century be-
fore Mr.. Hodges came on the scene.
The governor created great excitement
81 the meeting of the Anti-Saloon
League by declaring that 1t Congress
should adopt prohibitory amendment
to the federal constitution lie would
call 2 special session of the Kansas
legislature to ratify it. Thus we see
Kansas Democratic governor calmly
assuming credit on behalf of his party
for statewide prohibition, and Great
ing tremendous applause by ardent
| " championing the anti-saloon move
rnent. This is a highly popular staho
| to take among prohibitionists ana nat
urally aroused the Columbus gathering
| to high pitch of enthusiasm
Returning to the moral aspects or
tile last race for governor, however,
| il is hard for anyone familiar with thal
campaign to conceive what Governor
| Hodges was driving at. His predeces-
| sor was Walter Roscoe Stubbs, 4 man
Who had his faults, il is true, put SYM
pathy with the liquor traffc was not
Cne of them. Governor Stubbs was ,iui-
! " as successful in the enforcement vi
| the Kansas liquor law as Governor
! Hodges is. II was never !ntlmateo ior
| a moment that Mr. Capper the oppo-
| nent of NJ. Hodges for the governor
ship, was any more favorable To llie
| liouor business than Hodges was. III
| fact. Capper has been fighting WHISKY
and heer for years. In all other essen
| tiai respects he is quite as morai as
! Hodges. The campaign to which 'ne
governor alluded was simply poiItiea''
like anv other party campaign. lhere
was no more morality in II thah ie
: ligion. Both candidates STOOD equa' oi' I,
| the basis of personal character any
oor,d Intentions Mr.. Hodges was eieo.
! cd governor through no faut ol MS
own hut because political cohdi,loiis
! cansea a split in the opposition, WIN
/ ,e tho only way any Democrat can oe
! elected governor in Kansas. 1T - piea
| on+ +o see Governor Hodges III sum
J Good company and know that ne ca
i Rod an encouraging message " tN
Anti-Saloon League But he Mahoei y
from the facts if he deliberately s"s
,ba inonression that the Democrats "
Iya,sas brought about prohipltioii y,
.hat there was any moral ques'ioi
;pvolyed in his close contest Win =,
fanner-unless Capper was iiiii'io.
,,,,,an ba insisted upon sticking VIZ.
NO puu Moose party. on that poi'''
,beye may be divided opinion