Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-21
THE WET SIDE OF 1T.

Manson Democrat
The democracy OF Iowa, as usual.
grabbed the hot end of the poker in
their state convention and threw
away the chance to elect a governor
this fall They adopted an endorse
ment of prohibition with all its giarlng
hypocrisy and attendant lawlessness
and dlsrespect for state authority. Not
ga tisfied with the strongest prohibition
resolution that Candidate Meredith
could write they adopted another res
olution that pledged the party to enact
more enforcement laws, IF neces
sary,'' that would out Cosson all the
Cosson laws ever enacted by the crank
legislatures of the past.
That is the sad story in as few
words as possible. In baseball par
lance, the democracy of Iowa made
the worst bonehead play 1t has been
guilty Of in years, il no, in ali its his
tory. And there was not a pinch hit
ter anywhere in the convention who
could save the game. No amount Of
pleading and argument could move
Unanimous" for the prohibition
plank, with seven voting for it and
four against it. Be it said to the
eternal credit Of Senator Caswell Of
Crawford county, who represented the
Tenth district on the resolutions com
mittee, that he stood firm to the last
the gentlemen who we're determined to
have prohibition plank in that plat
form Their eyes were dazzled by the
sunbeams Of dry republican votes and
they muffed the ball.
A committee on resolutions that
was conceded to be reasonable by at
least eight to three was driven insane
In the committee room and same out
against the scouting OF the party in
the slough Of prohibition. A. no time
in the proceedings was he an accessory
to the crucifxion of the party on the
scarecrow of prohibition and the cut
ting OF it's throat upon the altar Of
fanaticism
1t was conceded by those of the party
who did not wish to endorse prohi-
bition that an endorsement Of ie
action of the Thirty-sixth general as
sembly in allowing the question Of pro-
hibition as constitutional amsndme nt
to go to a vote OF the people in 1917,
would be acceptable, but their offer
was spurned almost Indignantly No
body but rank prohibitionists were al
lowed to have a voice in the making of
that platform. To save row the con
servatiye men on the resolutions CON
mittee decided not to take a minority
report before the convention. The pro
htbition resolution was so adroitly
worded into q personal endorsement OF
Candidate Meredith that 1t might
easily be misunderstood and the very
wording Of 1t might have carried II
thru to victory had vote been taken
on 1t on the floor of the convention
Permanent Chairman Healy, III SYM
pathy with the Meredith resolution
pounded 1t through with characteristic
enthusiasm. The ayes" were enthus-
iastic. It is true, but the noes" were
just as enthusiastic and more EN-
phatic. Chairman Healy yelled. 1.-The
ayes have IT," and Iowa democracy
bonehead play had been made and
entered on the score sheet.
How much better it would ntve been
to have been conservative in the plat
form will be known when the votes are
counted. That is the only way to prove
1t TO the fellows who were determined
to try prohibition-perhaps rot sc
muCn tnat tHey wanted 10 Try prom
bition as to rub it into the men who
have been against prohibition. Like
all prohibitionists, the drys of the
democratic party in Iowa take delight
in scoring and insulting those who de
not wave the prohibition banner. Thu
man who does not think and act a.
they do, in their eyes, is a hopeless.
! dirunhht.Traa, bum and a man OF genera