The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-03-02
SEES A Big ISSUE IN
NATIONAL PROHIBITION
r,nI~G POLITICAL THINK :
DpfJEVE 1T WILL BE THE
SLOGAN OF THE PARTY.
TIFF POLITICIAN TAKING NOTICE

AID Either the Republican OF Dem
ocratic Party Is Expected to Make
Question a Prominent Issue of the
Campaign Not Later Than 1920.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the
cloarest and most disinterested polit-
zeal thinkers of the day are arriving
at the opinion that national prohibit
ton. as the paramount political is
sue espoused by one of the present
great political parties and more or
loss strongly opposed by the other
one will make it's appearance in
1920 and elect its candidates for the
presidency and vice-presidency and
carry both houses of congress. This,
saw the gentlemen, referred to, will
ba followed by the submission to the
country of prohibition amendment
to the constitution, which will be car
ried during the following decade,
making the United States thoroughly
prohibition by 1881.
There will be a strong prohibition
AGITATION in 1915, and as much as
possible will be done to attract atten-
ton to the issue; but the prohibition
leaders will hardly expect to capture
either of the old parties by that time.
Other issues will be uppermost in the
Dublic view. President Wilson, with
ont opposition, it is said by the well
informed, will be renominated;
e-President Marshall will be re-
nominated. and the campaign will be
national referendum to determine
what the country thinks about Mr.
Wilson's way of doing things.
FalIow Ground to Work.
Into a. situation of this kind, it is
pointed out, neither prohibition nor
any other outside issue, no matter
what it's intrinsic Importance, can be
injected. But the prohibition people
in 1916 will be able to continue their
campaign of education, make capital
of the recent vote in the national
house of representatives, throw out
their lines and preempt the ground
for 1920.
This new political forecasting
points to a contest between the pres
ent democratic and republican par
ties over the prohibition question,
and to the complete wiping out OF
the present prohibition party. Ex-
perience has demonstrated, say the
we'll informed, that a third party,
with prohibition as it's sole excuse
for existence, cannot hope to be sue
cessful. The present prohibition par
ty was organized in 1859, and has
been trying ever since, without great
success, to get a foothold among the
people. It has never been important
enough to enter seriously into the
calculations of the two old parties,
and today cannot poll to exceed ZOO
600 votes. 1t polled $4,000 votes in
1912, a little more than half as many
as were pollej by the socialists.
While sentiment for prohibition
has steadily increased as the years
have gone by the prohibition party as
political organization has steadily
increased in influence. 1t continues
to nominate it's candidates for presl-
dent and vice-president, but without
the slightest hope of success, or even
of being a factor in the result.
Alignment Favored.
But things would be quite differ
ent, it is pointed out, if the demo
cratic or the republican party would
espouse the prohibition cause. Ine
obvious plan of campaign for the
liquor forces, it is said, in case 1t
were seen that prohibition had be-
come a great national issue, would DC
to try to secure support in one OF the
two parties, concentrating their
strength to that end, and not wasting
1t in an effort to secure support in
both. If it were apparent that one
or the other of the two great parties
was naturally inclined to prohibition
by reason of history, tradition or
present alignments that party wouli
be permitted without protest by the
liquor forces to become the cham
pion of the prohibition movement.