The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-05-26
In Regard To Statewide
Prohibition.
STILL FAV0Rs LOCAL OPTION
Reconciles What Was Said Of
Statewide Plan 10
Shannon Letter.
STATEMENT SETTLES NATTER

The Louisville Courier-Journal OF
May 1s says:
In a letter to Gen. W. B. Halde-
man, editor of The Louisville Times,
President Wilson asserts that his
personal attitude toward the liquor
question now is precisely what it
was in 1911 when he wrote the
Shannon letter.
In that letter the President, who
was then Governor Of New Jersey,
wrote that he favored the settle
ment OF the liquor issue By the
smallest political units-namely, To-
cal option. He stated that its intru-
sion into State or national politics
rendered constructive legislation
impossible.
In the current Kentucky cam
paign for the Democratic guberna-
torial nomination a letter which
- Mr. " if,gen wrote later il the same
year as the Shannon letter, 1911.
has been used to imply that the
President has changed his stand on
local option and personally favors
Statewide prohibition elections in
circumstances applicable to Ken
lucky at present.
Gen. Haldeman's Letter.
Gen. Haldeman consequently
wrote to inquire whether the Presi-
dent had changed his personal atti-
tude, as stated, and has been in
formed by Mr.. Wilson that the con-
trary is true.
The correspondence follows:
The Louisville Times, w. b. Hal
deman, Editor, Louisville, KY. May
5, 1915.-My Dear Mr.. President:
Statewide prohibition has been
made an issue by two of the candi-
dates for the Democratic guberna-
torial nomination in Kentucky, and
in that connection the so-called
Grogan letter is being used to i'm
ply that you approve of this princi-
pie in certain circumstances which
are declared to fit the present Ken
lucky political situation. On the
other hand, the so-called Shannon
letter is being used in an effort to
prove that you stand for local self
government as a principle for Dem
ocrats to observe,
II you feel that the situation war
rants | should be pleased to have a
statement of present date from you
as TO your general attitude toward
the questions presented by these let
tiers. Such a statement would do
much to clarity our local situation
and do much to emphasize what you
obviously Intended by the Shannon
letter. Your obedient servant.
w. b. HALDEMAN.
The President,
The White House Washington.
The Presidents Attitude.
The White House, Washington.
May IA, 1915.-My Dear Mr.. Halde-
man: have your letter of May 5
and must apologize for not having
replied to it sooner. am sure that
you will understand the pressure of
circumstances | have been under.
The reply to your letter is very
simple. My so-called Shannon let
ter precisely defines my position
with regard to the liquor issue, not
only as it was when | wrote the
letter. but as It is now, and the
letter to Mr.. Grogan Is, or was, at
any rate, intended to be entirely
consistent with 1t. What / intend
ed to say to Mr.. Grogan and think
that | said with sufficient clearness
was that. while the position had
taken In the Shannon letter ex-
pressed my fixed convictions in the
matter, | was not self-conhdent or
self-opinionated enough to say what
the proper course of action was
either in Texas or In any other
State where was not personally in
touch with the condition obtaining
felt that II would be arrogant on
my part to state that there We're
in my opinion no circumstances
which justified an agitation for
Statewide prohibition.
I am sure that you yourself felt
that there was no Inconsistency be-
tween the two letters and I am sin
cerely obliged to you for having af-
forded me the opportunity to make