The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-08-21
SENATOR H. J. SPE|CHER
IS FOR LOCAL OPTION
Garrett County Senator Would Also
Vote for Prohibition.

| Correspondence between Superlnten-
! dent William II. Anderson of the Anti
Saloon League, and State Senator
Harvey j. Speicher of Garrett county,
was made public Wednesday and tends
to show that the latter has changed his
attitude on the local option question,
and, besides agreeing to support the
statewide bill, will support the pro-
hibition amendment.
Mr.. Speicher is the state senator"
to whom Mr.. Anderson referred when
the latter delivered an address at the
annual meeting of the Montgomery
county Anti-saloon League at Rockville,
on Tuesday. Then the latter claimed
! that lat least one state senator who had
fought the local option bill at the last
legislature was now willing to support
| the bill. "
When the amended local option bill
| came before the state Senate at the last
legislature Senator Speicher delivered
| an address scoring Superintendent
Anderson and his methods, and then
voted against the amended document.
Several months after the legislature
had adjourned the Senator and Mr..
Anderson met in Joint debate in Oak
land. The question argued was whether
or not Mr.. Speichor had violated the
! FANl 10 40, 4, t,4,,
voting against the amended measure.
The debate was almost as warm as that
between State Senator Price and Mr..
Anderson, at Salisbury.
In the opinion of Mr.. Speicher he
squared himself with the people of
Garrett county, and in Mr.. Anderson S
opinion he did not Mr. Speicher's at
titude on local option was learned
through letters sent by him to Mr..
Anderson.
Senator Speicher declares his wiling
ness to support either a prohibition
amendment to the Constitution or a
local option bill that will give each COM
munity the privilege of voting its own
sentiments, " and says that, if reelected
to the Senate, he will support the Anti
Saloon Leagues local option bill.
In giving out the letter, Superinten-
dent Anderson stated that Senator
Speicher, who is candidate for re-
nomination, 'Got in wrong and voted
for the second amendment which killed
the local option bill'' at the last session
of thu Legislature. MIR. Anderson
adds:
This reply is unique because 1t is the
first time that any member of the Legis-
lature with prospects of getting back
has declared for prohibition. "
Senator Speicher's answers to the
League S questions follow:
81 believe the people of every part of
the State of Maryland should be allowed
to settle the saloon question for them
selves and should not continue to be
settled for them by the politicians and
/ liquor interests.
Il am of the opinion that the better
way TO settle the saloon question is by
prohibition amendment to the Con
stitution, and as to whether or not pub
lie sentiment is ready for so drastic a
proposition is matter on which men
differ. Personally am willing to sup
port either prohibition amendment to
the Constitution or local option bill
that will give each community the
| privilege of voting its own sentiments,
Il have read copy of the statewide
local option bill, and if elected to the
Senate of Maryland will, by vote anC
influence, at all times support this bill
Il will vote and stand for such pro,
cedure as will bring this bill out of com.
mittee and insure vote on its merits
on the floor during the first half of the
session and refuse to enter into or be
bound by any party caucus action which
involves defeating the local option bill
or placing it in jeopardy.
N. r. Selbv. who is Mr.. Speicher'.
opponent Tor the Republican nomina
ton, Mr.. Anderson stated, has answer
ed the Anti-Saloon Leagues questions
in manner absolutely satisfactory t.
it.