The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-16
CONVENTION PRELUDE
TO VICTORY IN HOUSE
Great Host of Temperance Workers Will for Final
Constitutional Amendment Counted Out in Ohio But
There Are Twenty Seven States Already Prospectvey
Dry With Others Whose Wet States Are Few in Number

again as often as IL likes, but once
the Legislature votes to ratify, that
action cannot be annulled.
Dry leaders say they are greatly en-
couraged by the results of the No
vember election. They tied New Mex
seven states that are either dry or
that have taken the necessary steps to
go dry.
Delaware Around the Corner.
Every voting unit in New Castle,
Del. except the city of Wilmington,
voted on November to Danish the
liquor traffic. The drys say that with
Wilmington the only wet spot in the
state. Delaware will easily ratify the
federal amendment.
On the face OF official returns the
vets of Ohio have defeated the drys
by somewhat less than 2.000 votes,
The Ohio drys are entirely dissatis-
ned with the count, and the Anti
Saloon league of that state Is being
besieged to demand q recount, and
such action Ia extremely probable.
The drys believe with all their hearts
that the so-called mistakes in the Gin
cinnati vote are mere camouhage, and
they charge openly that the vets of
Hamilton county padded the wet fig
ures when 1t became apparent that
the state had gone dry. Governor
Cox has issued a statement in which
he says that there must be fair
and square count. and that IL the state
has gone for prohibition 1t must be
SO reported.
Fraud Sitiates Precinct Vote.
Under the so-called honest elections
law of Ohio. which was drafted by
Wayne b. Wheeler, of this city, at
torney for tile Anti Saloon league. If
q ~ ella t.
the vote of any precinct may be
thrown out II it be shown that there
was fraud in the count or in the
voting.
But even should II be revealed that
the drys have lost. Anti-Saloon league
men say that the result In Ohio was
practical victory for them and their
allies, inasmuch as in two years the
wet majority has-heen cut down from
1000 to less than 1000 The league
will try the stunt again next year
with full confidence in the outcome.
DR.. p. A. Baker, superintendent OF
the Anti-Saloon league. yesterday Is
sued this statement:
The bringing up OF the prohibition
resolution In the house in Decenl Der
win be the beginning OF the end so
far SIS the national fight is concerned
With adoption Of the resolution the
scene OF action will be shifted from
Washington TO the states. where the
fight win be for ratification. This
ratification. we believe. will be easily
accom- plished
BY, the result OF the votes cast on
November 6 New Mexico is added TO
twenty-seven in all Delaware will
the Risterhood OF dry states, making
be dry except for one wet spot at
Wilmington. In New Jersey the
forcea -faxoring local option won Their
Tight for the election OF a legislature,
Il am afraid we were counted out
In Ohio. There il evidence OF fraud
The explanation OF mistakes in Gin
cinnau does not explain. Without
doubt the majority OF voters in Ohio
favor prohibition
While am sure that W. had the
votes and that they were MOI fairly
counted. / am sure also that had a
few more stay-at-homes gene to the
polls the dry majority would have
been so clear the vets would not have
dared to tamper with the figures.
There are 5.7Ss precincts in Ohio, and
one to a precinct would have given
us comfortable lead"