The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1916-12-05
Dry Sentiment Strong
AS Shown BY Precinct Elections All
Over State Saturday

~ SUCCESSFUL. "A ulSpdLcn from rank
fort to the Louisville Post said:
Frankfort, KY, Dec 4-The
strength and intensity of the feeling
that has been aroused against the
Stanley administration and what the
Democratic opponents of the State
administration call "liquor control of
the Democratic party was shown at
the election of Democratic precinct
committeeman all over Kentucky
Saturday afternoon.
| These precinct committeeman chose
the county committees in every cOun-
ty of the State for terms of four
years, and from sucn returns that
are in there seems to be no doubt
that friends of Senator Beckham and
Mr.. Percy Haley have been victorious
in three-fourths of the counties of
the State, while in other counties,
anti-Stanley committeeman have been
elected, although not identified with
the organization of Mr.. Beckham and
Mr.. Haly.
On the whole the election of pre-
cinct committeeman indicates
strong dry movement inside the DEM
ocratic party in the State, and many
State Democrats predict that the
Democratic party in the State, will
in the near future, show itself to be
as strongly favorable to the move
ment to submit a Statewide prohibit
ton amendment at the Legislature
of 1918 as are the Republicans since
the declaration of Mr.. Hert, Mr.. Has
well and others. The league of which
DIR. A. ]. A. Alexander, of Wood
ford county, is chairman, and which
is working for a Statewide amend
ment inside the Democratic party,
undoubtedly exerted large influence
on the election of committees Sat
urday.
There are others who explain the
election of Saturday was as much
desire of the State Democrats to re-
spudiate the Stanley administration
and the Governors pardon record as
an indication of an overwhelming
rush toward Statewide prohibition.
] In Greensboro, Tor instance, the
Stanley men are beaten in every pre-
cinct in the county, but the success
full committeeman are neutral on the
wet and dry question.
In Greensboro the anti-Stanley. an
ti-Hager men swept every precinct,
electing f. j. Greenwich, advertising
manager of the Messenger, city chair
man, over L. W. Hager, son of S. W.
Hager, and defeating Mr.. Hager in
his own precinct.
In Henderson, Gov. Stanley's
home town, the 'drys" claim a ma
jority, and in the Courthouse pre-
cinct, where Governor Stanley votes,
Oscar Letcher defeated for precinct
committeeman John o. Byrne, Il
strong Stanley man, who has been
committeeman for 35 years.
On the face of the returns the or
ponents of the Governor have car
ried a clear majority OF the precincts
in Franklin county, but the adher-
ents of Governor Stanley and of Col
lector of Internal Revenue Marshall
are getting up contests. These con-
TESTS will be heard in the first in
stance by State Executive Commit
teeman William F. Klair, of Lexing-
) ton. Mr.. Klair won his own fight for
control of the party machinery at
! Lexington.
Il Western Kentucky where the DEM
i ocratic vote is very large, is report
, ed to have elected precinct commit
: teemen in almost every case opposed
. to liquor control of party affairs,
and in many cases staunch advocates
; of Statewide prohibition.
, Reports received here show some
remarkable victories for the anti
Stanley-"Dry" forces.
II The Drys led by John T. Hinton,
captured every precinct in Bourbon.
, In Graves county, Senator Frost,
: one of the original ''Srate-widers,"
led the dry forces to an overwhelm-
ing victory.
, In Mercer, the anti-administration
: dry men captured almost every pre-
cnct as they did in Henry, Spencer,
Lincoln, Trigg, Lyon, Caldwell, Lo-
] gan, Clarke and Lewis.
. In Floyd the Drys won II out of
16, and in Lawrence they captured
large majority and will elect M.
F. Comfy, former Prison Commission
err, chairman.
big Chief" Vansant swept the
: platter clean in Boyd county, while
the Drys led by B. B. Cozine and
Will Beckham captured twenty-one
out of twenty-five precincts in Shell
| by county.
t In Ballard, William Henderson led
: the anti-Stanley men and scored a