New Britain herald., 1917-10-02
Win Over "WetS' by Unbeard of
 Majority of A JOHNSON DEFEATS HART
Final Forty Per Cent. Receive Orders to Report -F1remen Plan Celebra- tion for Drafted Men-Celebrate 18th Wedding Anniversary.

"aeIHl1S VACIOFy over IHo WeIS tO tho tune of 319-275 in favor of the prohibition party. Although the vote boiled during the day was small, only $40 exercising their right of suffrage members of the two parties were busily engaged during the day round ing up voters. When o'clock came and the machines were about to be opened each party was confident of victory. With a crowd of breathless onlookers the machines wore opened by Custodian John Lamb. Moderator Freeman announced that tho first mo- chine showed that 133 votes had been cast for license with only 123 votes aginst it. The hopes of the liquor men scared to the heavens but received a sudden jolt and were dashed to the ground when the figures wl:ich regis tered on the second machine showed a majority of 54 in favor of the pro- hibitionists. Thus it was that after a fight for many years against liquor the no-Hcense men finally won a de- cisive and clean cut victory
 The license question was easily the big issue of the day and everywhere interest was manifest in a spirited battle which was being waged be- tween the advocates of the two par ties. People in all walks of life argued the question pro and con and 9. few days before election a few warm verbal battles were pitched in various places. A number of the citi- zens who were of the opinion that Plainville should go "dry" or retain it's license turned out with the sole purpose of voicing their opinion of the subject.
 In the neighborhood of 20 years ago Plainville entered the "dry" column following the example of New Britain which had gone "dry'' the preceding year. The next year it swung back into the license column, the liquor men winning by a large majority. There it had remained ever since until through the organized ef- forts of some of the prominent men in town coupled with the enlistment of several of the heads of manufac- turing concerns it was voted to in definitely rid the town of John Bar leyCOrn.
 This morning dire predictions were heard to what will happen to the town when the law goes into effect in November. The liquor men are still strong in spirit and are of the opin- 1Ou IlldI IldluVlllS Will SuH0r mater tally during the ensuing year. They especially emphasize that it will hurt the manufacturers who will be unable to secure labor, the business interests of the town because the drinking man will secure his purchases where he
 buys his liquor and last but not least that there will be considerable boot logging in the town after November l.
 Advocates of no-license are of an entirely different opinion and prophecy
 that stringent measures will be taken
 and enforced to see that liquor is not
 sold in the town during the "dry'
 season. They also state that efforts
 will be made to cope successfully with
 those who go to New Britain. Bristol
 and other towns to secure their stim-
 ulants. One of the no-license agita-- tors stated that any returning
 "drunks" after November 1 from
 neighboring cities should be immed-
 lately arrested and given a heavy jail
 sentence to avoid repetition of the
 occurrence.
 Men who were behind the move
 ment to place Plainville in the dry" 1 column assert that the move was ! not made with the sole idea of hay. ing prohibitive legislation but to clean up the center and rid it of few drunks who are very much in l evidence in that vicinity. During the | year Plainville has had as many ar rests as any town in the state of its i, size and it has been necessary to keep i one policeman continually on the i lookout for offenders.
 It may be possible that when the 1 center has been cleaned up that the | town may at the next election re- 1 cover it's right to intoxicants. It all 1 depends on what happens during the l ensuing year. If Plainville suffers to | any extent the town will surely swing | back into the license column. If the | residents and business men and man. i ufacturing interests are satisfied with | prevailing conditions prohibitive legis- l lation will obtain.
 ! In the contest for First Selectman l Johnson will remain as incumbent of 1 that office for another year. It was
 a foregone conclusion that he would be the victor although some thought l that the voting would be close. His opponent, William c. Hart, in spite of predictions did not poll a large vote, Johnson defeating him by ma- 1 jority of 145. Hart, however, will re- 1 tain the position of third selectman. l C. II. CdlOI, tie uO1ulllCO O1 Cllc 1S- publican ticket for second selectman
 was an easy winner, 390 votes being 1 cast for him as against PAP for his i opponent, Frederick S. Spencer. 1 Minton A. Norton, who for years 1 has been the democratic choice for
 grand juror was defeated this year 1 bv Albert H. Dresser who won by the 1 small majority of 12 votes. The other 1 grand jurors remain the same. Cor 1 nelins Con" Anderson, member of i +1,o local Mfa1>ce, for years, will ha ua