South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-20
First Battles Will Undoubtedly
Be Fought in 1917 LeglS-
Iatme Over Prohi-
bition.

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. Nov. 20
Enters the arena in Indiana today
the heroic and ancient figure Of
politics-the liquor question.
II Is back again. in the center Of
the entire political picture in this
state. with a suddenness and a sure
intent that already has startled
every party in the state.
As usual. IL is more full OF posi-
biIities than any other question.
The liquor question is 20 be first,
last and all the time in the session
If the Indiana legislature. which be-
zi1s early in January. Already the
big contending forces in Indiana
have started the fight and the mem
oers or the new legislature are the
battle-ground.
GOV. RalstOn came into the pic
ture with a bound yesterday when
ne issued formal statement. say
ing he intends 10 recommend 10 the
legislature the calling of "A consti-
tutiOnal convention. In order TO
show that ne n ms what he says,
ne pointed out in his state
ment that republicans and progress
sives. in their 1912 platforms. had
declared unqualiredly for a cOnsti-
tutional convention He further
showed that every advocate Of WON
an suffrage in Indiana should be be-
hind the proposal TO call a consti-
tutiOnal convention.
Rryan Comes 10 Indiana
William Jennings Bryan came TO
Indiana today, after sending a tele-
gram here yesterday in which he
said he would appear at a confer
ence with dry" democrats The
w. G. T. L. national convention met
here this week. That's what
brought Bryan here. Bryan's plat
form for 192O-national prohibition
already is known far and wide.
The calling Of constitutional con-
vention In Indiana means Just one
thing "a bitter fight TO incorporate
statewide prohibition in that con-
stituton.
The result OF these various ma
neuvers is that the average citizen of
Indiana is awakening slowly TO the
realization that liquor is again 10 be
the center of the fray in the coming
legislature. And. therefore. it is the
predominant question in state
politics now.
Strong democratic leaders here
have said since the election turned
against the democrats in a state way
that the brewers in Indiana turned
against the democratic ticket in the
campaign. There must have been "A
reason. these democrats declare.
They are declaring. some Of the
more bitter ones at least, that the
brewers dOuble-crossed the party
because Of an arrangement of some
sort with the republican leaders. and
because the brewers felt that the
advocates OF prohibition in the dem
ocratic party were becoming too nu-
merous to make that party a safe
refuge for former elements that
were wont 70 assemble about state
conventions
Acted On Own Initiative.
The announcement from Gov.
iAal5AoH AAldN ne favored the CtllinE
OF state constitutional convention
shows. to a great extent, how the
democratic wind is veering. although
tas governor told the writer OF
these dispatches that mot one man
in my own party knew the COVER
nor was going 70 take such drastic
action as he did yesterday
IL is known that as soon as the
election was concluded agents OF
both the vets" and the "drys
scurred out into the state 70 find
the legislators. In fact they had
been doing some travelling before
For this reason there are two di-
Vergent stories i'm Indianapolis now
of what is 10 happen in the coming
legislature. Representatives OF the
anti-saloon forces contend privately
that they already have corralled
enough votes in the Oncoming legis-