The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1915-04-08

than the aspirations of any candidate
and, therefore, ! hate to see the party
menaced by either selfish ambition or
mistaken judgment
We are already threatened with a
weak ticket mot IN the character or the
fitness of the men who may compose
III, but it is the fact that il may be
made up largely Of the office holding
class. those who want to rotate from
one office to another. This is no small
danger. A number of che Democratic
newspapers have already sounded II
warning against this. and many Demo-
Gratis will become lukewarm in the
election If it is accomplished, and We
will lose the bulk of the independent
vote IL such ticket is named. IL on
the top of this, Statewide prohibition
is added it would appear like the en-
emies to party success were IN control
and that they have mistaken the tenn
per of the people.
Such policy will not only throw all
the wet votes against the Democrotic
ticket. but Threatening destruction to
the wholesalers, distillers and brewers)
it will throw the entire liquor interest
in desperate determination to save their
business against the Democratic ticket.
am just as firmly convinced that
the injection of State wide prohibition
will imperil, if not defeat. the Democ-
ratio ticket as | was in 1911 that the
adoption of the County Unit would elect
it. The reason upon which this opinion
is based is that all dry Democrats were
IN favor of the County Unit and that
not many over half of the dry Democ-
rats are in favor Of State wide prohibit
ton. Thousands of wet Democrats
voted the Democratic ticket because
they had to admit both the constitution
atty and the justic Of the County Unit.
but these wet voters are so violently
opposed to Statewide prohibition that
they will vote against the party almost
to a man, and the election of a Democ-
ratio House Of Representatives will be
menaced as well as the State ticket.
II Is absurd to suppose that any num-
Der of Republicans would vote the
Democratic ticket on a Statewide
issue for Republicans will vote their
party ticket when they have any chance
to win. They have always done so in
the past, and they will do so in Novem-
Der. To emphasize this statement;
have but to call attention to the fact
that Republican members Of the
Legislature, elected because of their
advocacy OF the County Unit. voted
against it to elect Republican United
States Senator. | am rather of the
opinion that sometime there will be a
vote in Kentucky to amend the constitu-
ton granting the right to prohibit the
manufacture and sale of liquor. 1t has
been the history Of other States, but
there is neither sense nor reason in in
jecIing this question into the Governor $
race. for the Governor has absolutely
nothing to do with the matter in the
discharge of the duties of his office.
A constitutional amendment does not
have to be signed by the Governor to
be submitted to the people. 1t is a
matter entirely with the Legislature,
and If the friends of prohibition INSIST
on making this fight, at this time, il
should be made in the various counties
in the selection of candidates for the
Legislature and not injected into the
State campaign to endanger the success
of the party. II would be still better
to give the County Unit fairer and
longer test by postponing this issue for
two years, when Legislature is chosen
without Democratic State ticket in
the field. 1t would certainly be better
for Democracy and | believe that IT
would give these jealous champions a
better chance to success for their pet
issue.
have fought with the very best
ability could command for the County
Unit, both as a platform issue and to
see it put upon the statutes. have
fought the liquor interests in its at
tempts to dominate the Democratic
party, but do not think Statewide
prohibition is an advisable political issue
now. My love for the Democratic
party and its success impels me to sound
this note of warning. As see it, the
party can not be gamer by it. while
il stakes its success and imperils its
opportunity for victory on an issue that
could be, and should be averted.
II. A. S0MMERS.
Elizabethtown. Ky, March IL.