Imperial Valley press., 1916-08-21
ADVERTISEMENT
A STORY NAILED

lAdI oiSOh 4NOt odtlsldCtOTy DTy SdnOl-
date.
In some of the papers of San Ber-
nardino county there appeared recent
y an article entitled, Strong Letter
from F. A. Leonard on Harbison's s
Anti-Liquor Record"
This letter was brought out as a
reply to an article, "Why Should Mr..
Edwards Withdraw" which was writ
ter in behalf of the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union and which set forth
facts connected with the supervisorial
contest of 1914 when Mr.. Harbison's
paper, "The San Bernardino Sum-" was
supporting the two "wet" candidates
for office.
In his effort to show that Mr.. Har-
bison is satisfactory to the Prohibition
PARTY, Mr.. Leonard said he had heard
the story (and had been told it was
a true story, that long prior to Mr..
Edwards candidacy for congress two
Of the higher-ups of the Prohibition
party had solicited Mr.. HARRISON to
become their candidate, the inference
being that if Mr.. HARRISON was salts
factory to the "higher-ups" he would
Re satisfactory to the rank and file
of the Prohibitionists.
The important feature of this story
which Mr.. Leonard heard is, that it is
untrue. Mr. HARRISON is not salts
factory to the Prohibition party and
was not asked to become their candi-
date. An investigation of this story
brings out the facts as set forth in a
letter from the two men who inter-
viewed Mr.. HARRISON prior to the San
Diego convention, but after Mr.. Ed
wards had been in the field for weeks.
The letter is as follows:
Dear Mrs. Fargo:
"On the evening of June 20 we had
a conference with Mr.. HARRISON for
the purpose of securing if possible his
support of Mr.. Edwards candidacy.
81 am a dry man myself" said Mr..
HARRISON, "and do not see any need
of Mr.. Edwards running in the event
of my selection"
"Would you accept the Prohibition
nomination if offered you?" we asked.
eyes, gladly" Mr.. HARRISON replied.
"Would you agree to be the Prohibi-
tion nominee if you failed to secure
the Republican nomination ?" we asked
him.
"No," replied Mr.. HARRISON, "that
would be impossible. am a Republi-
can and could not run against the
choice of my party"
"Then the Prohibitionists could not
endorse you in view of the possibility
of being turned down by you later?"
we said.
"But in the event of my nomination
ty the Republicans will Mr.. Edwards
withdraw" asked Mr.. HARRISON.
"There is absolutely no chance of
his withdrawing" we answered, "for
he is already in the field and pledged
to run. On the other hand, why
should you not support Mr.. Edwards ?"
we asked.
'"I can hardly be expected to sup
port Mr.. Edwards when l am candi-
date myself" replied Mr.. HARRISON,
"and in any case there is gentle
mans agreement among the candidates
who go before the San Diego conven-
ton that they will support the choice
of the convention"
"But," we urged, "if a wet man
is the selection Of the convention, will
you support the wet man in preference
to Mr.. Edwards, the dry man."
"Well," replied Mr.. HARRISON, "this
is a stand-pat Republican paper"
We asked the question several times.
Mr.. HARRISON seemed unwilling to
answer. When pressed he finally
said, ~ don't cross any bridges be-
fore I come to them" But let us not
forget that Mr.. HARRISON said earlier
in the convention that there was a
gentleman's agreement among the
candidates to support the choice of
the convention; and that agreement
binds him to support man, even if
he is a wet. something which Harbi-
son has done before.
E. A. ROWELL,
8. W. GRATHWELL.
There is little need of comment il