Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-03

WASHINGTON. December es5-Pro-
hibitioh is the great nation wide issue
of to-day. That ia the message
brought to the capital by legislators
from every section of the country.
Where local liquor laws are not an
Issue, prohibition in 1920" everywhere
is discussed. and enthusiastic drys pre-
dict the map of the United States Will
be "all white" even before that year.
1t is curious, and at tho same time
important. fact that the list of States
which reelected President Wilson
parallels very closely the roster OF dry
commemorative.
I'VE don't need the old pivotal States
any more" says the Anti-SaIoor Lead
ers. The West and South with Just a
little help from elsewhere, will do it,
The solid South and the solid West.
the latter new factor in politics.
elected Wilson. This is, of course. n
generalization. One or two Southern
states are not dSy yet and one or two
Western States voted for Hughes. But
the antliauor and new Democratic
iinc-ups form a prvtrS. close parallel,
as parallels go
When William J. Bryan announced
few weeks ago that no would devote
the next four years to making the
",
not cspouSc hopeless cause, so fntelIi-
gent and well-nformcd observers her.
say. and they add that IL the Demo-
cratic party holds its convention first
ana adopts platform featuring ma
tionai prohibition, the Republicans will
lind 1t hard not to follow their on
poncnts' example
FOUR STATES VOTED
DRY THIS FALL
Just to sum up again the liquor
situation as IL stands to-day: -Four
states voted dry this fall and two more
elected Legislatures pledged to drv
laws. making twenty-five assured dry
states out of the forty-eisht. or a
majority of two. Sixty per cent OF the
population and SIS per cent of tho area
OF the United States is now under pro-
hibition.
Every present Democratic state but
eisht is either dry or has made ar
engagements to go dry. Every dry State
but six is now Democratic with n dry
Michigan, Detroit becomes saloonless.
breaking the rule that all the large
cities OF the country are wet territory.
Mr. Bryans call for n dry nation was
contained in the issue of the Com
moher, his weekly newspaper, just at
ter election. 1t read:
Let the dry Democrats begin work
at once to secure control of the Demo-
cratic organization, State and national.
Nearly half the States are now dry, and
the number Will be swcllcd to nearly.
If not quite. thirty before 1920 To
take the side of the saloon Is to invite
disastrous defeat. To take the side of
the nome is to draw to the party the
strong young men who are coming out
nd
WILL within few years. be the DOM
nant force in politics. Again in the
nations life the old question , mands
an answer: Choose We this day whom
yc will serve"
SHEPPARD AMENDMENT
Is VERY DRASTIC
Senator Sheppard. of Texas, has
brought to Washington this winter a.
proposed prohibition amendment much
more drastic than the Hobson bill,
which was pressed at several sessions.
The Hobson amendment proposes to
stop the manufacture OF liquor for sale.
The liquor men say this law, il enacted,
would make every man his own dis
tillcr or brewer. Such was the ex-
@-erience of Sweden. which tried ma
tionai prohibition. and was driven back
To license with a heavy tax on spirits
and almost no tax beers and light
wines
The Sheppard amendment Is moro
sweeping and would make the nation
about as dry as legislation alone can
do. The Texas solon will also push
bills for prohibition in the District OF 3
Columbia and a dry measure for thu
Hawaiian Islands. Behind Mr.. Shop.
pard is the national legislative COM
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