Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-01-13
Fight Against Demon Rum in
Progress Actively Since Be-
fore Days When Constitu-
ton Was Framed.
AMENDMENT LIKELY
TO ENCOUNTER TROUBLE
One of Shrewdest and Best
Organized Lobbies Ever
Known at Santa Fe at Work
Against Measure,
(By r.. Il. ID. McAllister, Staff Core
SDOndent)


spondent.)
Santa Fe, Jan. 12.-The agitation
for statewide prohibition, which has
been smodering in New Mexico ever
since territorial days, blazing up spas
medically at intervals only to be beat
en- out and subside and smolder again,
has now burst into a steady flame
which will not be quenched. 1t may
burn out on election day--for after all
no one can say with authority until
the votes are counted what the senti-
ment of the people regarding prohi-
bition is--but it will not again be
smothered in legislative committee
or showed aside to give place to dis
cussions of partisan politics.
The fight on the demon rum first
took definite form back in the days
when New Mexico was knocking at the
door of statehood. There was a sect
that went so far as to prefer to remain
outside the union to coming in under
a constitution that did not provide for
the prohibition of the liquor traffic.
The Bulgin revivals in Albuquerque
are we'll remembered by those who
have lived in New Mexico for seven
or eight years. The fight against the
adoption of the constitution made by
extreme prohibitionists left scars that
have not yet healed. The cause of
prohibition undoubtedly was set back
by the Incorporate methods of its
devotees at that time.
In the First Legislature.
The first session of the first state leg
islature saw its proposed constitutional
amendment for statewide prohibition.
Sentiment in it's favor was sufficiently
Nsstrong in the house of representatives
to keep an unfriendly political man.
agement stunning it from one COM
rnittee to another in order to prevent
its getting into the open; and finally
it found permanent and peaceful rest
in the committee on finance! 1t was
at this time that Eugene Chafin, can
didate Of the national prohibition par
ty for president of the United States,
delivered an address to the legislature,
directing his remarks mainly to the
finance committee and arguing, in a
semi-humorous, semi-serious vein,
that prohibition would be a good fl
nancial investment for the state.
Looking back, it seems an incon-
ceivable blunder on the part of the an
ti-prohibitionists to have pursued the
tactics that they did at that time. APP
parentlyJ there was little sentiment in
New Mexico for prohibition--certain-
ly there was much less than there is
now. If the matter had come to
vote the state would in all probability
have gone wet. To defeat prohibition
at the polls is to give it setback-to
prevent it from coming to a vote Is
only to postpone the evil day and
make more certain it's eventual pas
sage.
Two Years Ago.
AS evidence of this the second leg
iclp +,rrn hoI pnll lar
Der of pronibitionists than the first
and the demand for the submission of
a dry amendment was more insistent
than ever There is no politics to pro-
hibition, but it so happened that the
democrats in the legislature two years
ago were almost a unit for submits
sion, while the republicans were di-
vided. Republican leaders for the
most part were antis. Those who
were prohibitionists feared the effect
of the injection of the prohibition
question into the affairs of the state
at time when party harmony was Of
the utmost importance in preparation
for an approaching national cam
paign,
Republican discipline is proverbial
The word was passed out that the pro-
hibition question must not come up
before the presidential election. A
few ardent prohibitionists in the par
ty were inclined to rebel and combine
with the democrats in an effort to
bring the submission amendment out
of committee. 1t was necessary to ex-
ert the last ounce of party pressure to
prevent this being done, but the Sec
ond state legislature adjourned with
the prohibition resolution still in
committee.
Lines Drawn at Last.
And now the third state legislature
is on hand with both parties pledged
to submit to vote of the people the
question of statewide prohibition, with
an alert and ever-vigilant lobby COM
posed of the most influential demo-
Gratis and the most influential repub-
licans on hand to see that party pledg
es are kept, and with H. O. Bursum,
unofficial head Of the "Bursum leg
islature,' openly lined /up with the
prohibition forces of the state. 1t is
far cry to 1912. when the prohibition
bill was referred to the committee on
finance for interment.
Let no one suppose, however, that
the prohibition amendment will pur-
sue an untroubled course through
the present legislature. Let no one
get the idea that the antis have laid
down their hands or given up the
ghost. One of the shrewdest and best
organized lobbies that Santa Fe has
ever known is now at work to defeat
the Mcdonald resolution, or, failing
to defeat it, to defeat its purpose by
so amending it that it will be obnox-
ious to the voters of the state and b"
repudiated at the polls.
Present indications are that the
house will be the battle-ground where
the vets and drys will have it out.
The house is the more numerous body,
and by the same token there is a