Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-10-13
M'BRIDE AND THE WET QUESTION

The attempt of Mcbride and his supporters to
lul the voters into false sense OF security with
the notion that the present temperance policy OF
the state is not mperilled by either gubernaorlal
candidate. should deceive one. Governor
Listers position the question is so well known
that nowhere is there the least doubt about 1t;
McBride's prompt approval of the dry" laws as
soon as he is nominated but never before -
smacks too much of a sick-bed confession, to be
very convincing He knew and all of the Repub-
licans knew that Lister was 'right'' on the ques-
ton, according to the present popular view, and
that in contest over it McBride's past record
would defeat him, unless he hung out new ban
ner So Mcbride, driven to the act by political
expediency fastened to make declaration in
favor of the dry law and it's enforcement and
against the pending initiative measures 1t was
political pure and simple. He and his supporters
wanted to eliminate that issue if they could They
succeeded about as well as if the one-time propre
tor of saloon should SO announce himself.
For Mcbride record will not down He
undoubtedly nominated by the "wets,' for they
admit it and the man-on-the-street everywhere
knew it before the primaries and still knows it. The
''dry' vote was split between several candidates;
the s'wet'' vote went solidly to Mcbride so sodly
that the morning after the primaries the leading
Republican newspaper Of the state, the Seattle
Post Intelgencer, welcoming the party nominee,
attributed his nomination solely to the 'wets'
and declared it meant the injection of that issue
into the campaign again this year. He would not
have received that vote if the 'wets' had had any
doubt about him; the fact that he did receive it
makes it impossible for person to accept any pro-
testations he may make now of favor to the 'dry"
policy.
And what is his recordi When governor he
vetoed local option bill, offering many technical
reasons for doing SO without definitely stating his
views on the question, and it was generally under
stood at the time that the objections he offered
were entirely superficial and not the fundamental
ones. There was not one word from any source to
indicate that he favored the spirit and intent Of
the bill or that one could be drafted that would
meet his approval
In 1908 he sought the Republican nomination
for governor, and with more or less candor and
certainly no denials had the support of and was
the known candidate Of the liquor interests. The
secret order known as the Royal Arch, an organi-
zation Of liquor people to liquor interests,
was generally known to be behind him at the time
It was the states first experience with the direct
primary, however, and Mr.. Mcbride was not sue
cessfully put over, the late Mr.. Cosgrove being
nominated by the Republicans by second choice
votes 8
Mcbride has been quite within his rights to
favor freedom in ten distribution, sale and con-
sumption Of liquor in the past. He would be with
in his rights to favor it openly now. He has been
entirely within his rights to be on most friendly
footing, politically otherwise, with the wets.
But it is idle and does not square with the facts
to say that upon the liquor ISSUE paramount at this
time in this state, there is no choice for the
"drys'' between Henry Mcbride, whose associa-
tions, whose sympathies, and wrose official acts
are all against him, and Governor LISTER who as
man and private citizen and subsequently in his
public career has at all times commended persist
emily and effectively and regardless Of the effect
upon his personal fortunes, against the interests
of the "wets.'
THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF 1907.