The Detroit times., 1915-01-08
MICHIGAN AS
ISOLATION CLOSES HEAD
QUARTERS HERE
Continued from Page one1


citation and that as far as he knows il
has no headquarters
But il isn't only the brewers who
have lain down. Various other organ
izations OF liquor men have pulled out
OF the fight largely because the mem
bers OF each having inside knowledge
OF the character OF the membership OF
the others are filled with distrust It's
the old story OF house divided
against itself
For example, the Michigan Retail
| Liquor Dealers association WAS start
ell as an insurance scheme In Grand
Rapids. where Il was planned 10 in
demnify the saloon man against any
loss through suits started by the vic.
| tins OF drink, The state retailers ran
up against the stone wall OF opposl-
ton when they tried 10 get the De-
troit Royal Ark TO join. The Royal
Arks are selfsuffcient, and being
safely intrencned in the very wet
metropolis behind the fortihcations
erected In their behalf by the city's
damp administration, have no inter
est in the struggles OF their fellow
! lliquor-sellers in small towns.
f, A. Burch, the biggest Wholesale
whifky dealer In Detroit, refuses, It's
said. to cooperate with his compel
| itors.
The Country Brewers association
| includes only few of the small brew.
ers OF the state who have all they can
do TO look after their own counties,
10 say nothing of mixing up with legis-
lative matters, even II they had any
one capable of doing SO for them.
They met in Grand Rapids recently
and announced that they would spend
Si4,909 in educating the public.
| In fact these are halcyon days for
the drys. With the convening OF the
Legislature in Lansing come stories of
their plans for the next year and
echoes OF greeful chortlings over the
surrender OF the liquor interests.
For the first time since the organ
izatjon OF the Anti-Saloon league In
Michigan by the Rev. George w. Nor
row. in 1905, the senate OF Michigan
is TO be presided over by an avowed
temperance worker ieut.-G Luren
ID. Dickinson. This assures commit
tee on liquor matters which will not
permit tha liquor organization to
again throttle beneficial legislation by
smo thering II In committee. This com.
mittee will promptly report out bills
providing for statewide prohibition OF
the liquor traffic and OF the traffic in
cigarettes, and Knocking out the Mich.
igan Bonding 4 Surety Co.'S monopoly
or saloon bonds. Other legislation
will have chance, especially the re-
submission OF the woman suffrage
question. which will surely carry the
next time.
In the house OF representatives the
mighty temperance forces OF the state
can be sure OF fair treatment by
Speaker Smith, who has always been
sympathetic with the prohibition OF
the liquor traffic and whose home
county, Lapeer. will undoubtedly re-
turn 10 the dry column when the vote
| Is taken in the spring election. This
means that all temperance legislation
will be fought out on the floor OF the
house and senate, and that no senator
or representative can avoid going on
permanent record on the subject In
past years. too, many OF the peoples
representatives In both house and
| senate have avoided a record vote on
! ten pc rance matters by inducing slav.
| ISL committees to serve their liquor
enriched masters by keeping bills in
|
ators have then gone home to their
Christian constituents and reported
that they did everything in their pow
er 10 get chance 10 vote for prohibit
ton but that the matters were held
I in committee.
| Several reasons have contributed to
the present favorable situation for the
drys. One is the growing of the an
ger OF the people against the domina-
tion of the liquor interests in political
matters. The politicians themselves
are the first to discern this develop
ment of the public mind and, whether
they are sincere or not. the effect Is
the same, they respond to the quick
ening OF the public pulse.
The next Ia the growing distrust
upon the part or the saloonkeepers OF
the state OF the good faith OF the
wholesalers and manufacturers OF
whisky and beer. They have frequent
| ly heard one OF the largest whisky
dealers In Detroit say that he makes
more money while counties are dry
] than when they are wet, and that he
gets cash for whisky shipped TO con-
sumers In dry counties while he had
1 to extend credit and take many loss
es while dealing with saloonkeepers.
They have discussed among them
selves the oft-repeated charges that
the big brewers In Detroit, Grand Rap
( ids Saginaw and Bay City have actual
| ly contributed funds 10 help make the
smaller counties dry 40 that they
would moi have TO deal with saloon
keepers but could ship direct to con-
sumers and for cash In advance. They
have heard OF frequent statements by
brewers that the small counties are
sure TO be dry anyway and that II Is
1 waste OF money TO try to keep them
wet. They have heard brewers and
whisky makers in their conventions
declare with self-healing unctuous
grace that the whole prohibition move.
ment Is due TO the avaricious and
terminal habits OF the saloonkeepers.
The hotelkeepers OF the state have