The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1913-08-14
The Major Attitude Toward Liquor Laws.

Iayog local option legislation and en-
force strictly the dramshop laws. Ever
the Anti-Salloon League leaders ac
cepied assurances given by the Demo
cratic nominee for Governor and hi
lieutensnts and favored his election ii
preference to John c. Mckinley, the
Republican naminee, whose lie time
record is one Of abstinence from liquors
and devotion to the local option idea
Of controlling the liquor traffic in
communities; and whose record in
the State Senate, both as Senator
and Lieutenant Governor, shows that
he fayors enforcement OF the liquor
laws and opposes the interference ol
liquor interests in legislation. He is
not prohibitionist, however. Neither
is Major prohibitionist.
While Major was thus playing Tor
the temperance vote in the counties
it was we'll known in the cities that he
would pursue liberal policy in deal
ing with the saloon and brewery inter
ests, and that his appointes on excise
and police boards would not follow the
the policy OF the appointees OF
Governor Hadley in divorcing the
saloons and police Of the cities from
politics and compelling obedience to
dramshop and election laws. The
Hadley policy had eradicated party
considerations and political influence
in the granting and revocation Of
saloon licenses and III the relation
Of the police to law enforcement. 1t
was said with truth and accepted with
gratitude by the people that the
excise, police and election commission
ers in the cities, appoioted by Gov
ernot Hsdley, had established a fair
and strictly non-political administration
Of the duties Of their respective offices
Elections we're honestly and fairly con
Quoted. fact proven beyond doubt
BY contests instituted by Democrats;
and policemen were appointed, and
directed, and promoted or dismissed
without reference to any political con
sideration whatever. In each oil the
larger cities no encouragement what
ever was given to the opening OF sa'
looms in residence districts and the
homes Of the people were Protected,
as far as possible, from the presence ol
the liquor traffic.
1t was this policy Of law enforcement
that created special antagoniSms to
Governor Hadley on the part ol certain
elements in the cities and that made
attractive to these elements the pros
pect Of a different policy on the part
Of Major in the event OF his election;
and yet the people Of the counties,
not informed concerning the attitude
of the said elements in the cities, were
assured that Major, if elected, would
be more diligent and effective than
Hadley had been in the enforcement
OF the Of the liquor laws!
Now, what do we see3
In St. Louis the Democratic excise
commissioner is handling the saloons
with undisguised iavoritism, from a
political standpoint, granting and revok
ing licenses and restoring them where
the political pulp is exerted; saloons
in which notorious criminals congre-
gate are reported BY the police only
10 be closed Tor a day or two and
opened again under some sort Of prom
ise TO be good" Saloons are in
vading residence districts. The gen.
eral purpose Of the department is
plainly understood to be partisan.
And yetits record and its policy have
been emphaticallY approved by The
Governor. In Kansas City the excise
commissioners have licensed saloons
in residence districts over the protests oil
churches, schools and resident citizens.
and the Jackson county court has
peen compelled, by public sentiment,
to refuse license to these saloons and
to close them In St. Joseph there
has been no serious opposition TO the
policy Of the commissioners, though
some complaints are heard. Through