The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-01
LIQUOR FORCES IN
INDIANA WORRIED;
EVENTS STIR THEM
Members of Brewers Associa-
ton Taken by Surprise at At
titude of Democratic Leaders
DRYS FOUND THEM
ASLEEP AT SWITCH
Temperance Forces and Those
Partisans Who Follow Lead
of Bryan Are Joining Hands
in Effort to Get Legislation.

indianapolis. Ind, Nov. 90.--I.-lne-
diate alignment Of the wet and dry
forces for the fight over a statutory
Statewide prohibition bill at the COM
ing session Of the Legislature will he
attcmp pied this week Members of the
Brewers Association. who were taken
by surprise by the attitude Of the lead
IRIS of the Democratic State organi-
cation who are IN favor of prohibition
and womans suffrage meeting here
this week.
Anti-Saloon forces are organizing
rapidly under the leadership OF Super
intendent Shumaker. of the Anti-Sa-
loon League They will circulate peti-
tons in every county and present
them to the Legislature.
Representatives of the Brewers AS
sociation, privately expressed the OPP
inion that the liquor folks have been
asleep at the switch" and that they
have permitted the drys to nominate
and elect a majority of the members
of the Legislature.
Shumaker says the Anti Saloon
forces were never In better shape for
a. fight In the legislative halls.
Liquor men had hoped the Demo-
Gratis would stand by their platform
of the last few years, but the drift
among the leaders Of the minority
party is said to favor the enactment Of
a prohibition law.
May Ask Submission
II would not be surprising II the
liquor men should now turn in and
ask the Legislature to call a constitu
tional convention by which q prohibit
ha S7i1n a.
to the people.
Some Of the liquor dealers have con-
cluded that they would stand a better
chance before the people than in the
Legislature, where many Democrats
are likely to be against them for the
first time. The sudden change of
front by the Democrats has enhanced
the chances of success for the radical
elements that seek a constitutional
Convention
Some business men in Indiana al
ready are beginning to show signs of
Opposition to the proposal fayoring a
constitutional convention, which they
fear would enable the radicals to in
tect into the code the initiative, refer
endum and the recall.
The Republicans are not on record
lin behalf of a constitutional conven-
ton, and It is not known what attitude
they will take.
1t is not believed. however. that the
Republican organization will attempt
Ito prevent enactment OF prohibi-
ton law
Hope for Cooling OF
Liquor men are expressing the hope
that the Democrats will cool off be-
fore the Legislature is convened in
January and that they will see that
the liquor interests were not RESPONSE
I hle for the Republican victory in
Indiana.
Dry Democrats, including many
men who have followed William J.
Bryan for many years, are losing no
time getting their organization under
way and by the end of the week they
expect to have committees appointed
for every county, They probably viii
join hands with the Anti Saloon
League during the legislative session.
Brewers and liquor dealers gener-
ally are protesting that the defeated
Democrats are showing an unjust dis
position to make them the goats Of
the situation" They deny they were
responsible IN any way for the defeat
of the Democratic ticket
Superintendent Shumaker, in an ad-
dress at Richmond. said ono of the de-
feated Democratic State officials came
ITO him after the election and urged
him 10 make arrangements for local
loption election here. While he did not
give the name of the official, il has
been reported for three or four days
that Homer L. Cook, secretary Of
State, is the man he referred to
Cook was Speaker of the House in
1913, and largely on account OF his
services then he was elected secretary
or State. He had the support of the
liquor element two years ago. and
there was nothing TO indicate that 1t
was not with him and the other Demo-
cratic candidates in the recent cam
paign.