The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-06-01
VETS FEAR CHICAGO VOTE
WIN. H. ANDERSON
Wins BIG VICTORY
BEGAN IN ILLINOIS
Forces Cities Local Option
Bill Through New York

New York is conceded to be the
wettest state in the Union, and so it
is with great appreciation that we
notice the recent enactment of the
Hill-Wheeler city local option law
in that state. It is of interest to the
citizens of this state that w. H. An
derson, now State Superintendent of
New York, led the fight for the tenn
perance forces that gave them that
law.
He is native of Illinois and for
six years was the Superintendent of
this state. He has certainly made
good in his campaign in waking up
the Empire state on the anti-saloon
issue. The many friends and ac-
quaintances of the League men who
have begun their work in Illinois and
have gone into other states follow
these men with interest and are proud
of their achievements.
Among them are James X. Shields,
now Superintendent of New Jersey,
who is doing great work in that
difficult state; George D. Conger,
State Superintendent of Washington,
who has succeeded in leading the
fight to vote that state dry; DIR. Geo.
B. Stafford, now Superintendent of
Minnesota, began his League work
as a member of the Headquarters
Committee of the League in Illinois.
Watch Minnesota and see her join
the list of dry states in their refer
endum vote in 1918. Sam Fickel of
The American Issue is one of the
Illinois boys of whom we are very
proud He is doing good work as
managing editor of The American
Issue with headquarters at Wester-
vile. There are also many other
League men throughout the country
who are successfully filling respon-
sible places in League work who got
their start in Illinois.
The Hill-Wheeler law for which
Mr.. Anderson, now Superintendent of
New York, and his staff are largely
responsible, will give to the cities of
that state a chance to vote out the
saloon. 1t is interesting to note that
the cities, when the chance is given
to them, are making great showing
against the saloon. Many big cities
having tried Prohibition are return
ing large majorities against the open,
licensed saloon.
AS to the Anti-Saloon Leagues
part in securing this legislation, we
quote from letter written by Sena-
tor Hill, dry leader of the New York
Senate. His statement is as follows:
Without in any degree detract-
ing from the credit due Governor
Whitman, without whose help
the passage of the Hill-Wheeler
bill would have been impossible,
or due Speaker Sweet and those
members of the Legislature
whose aid was indispensable, it is
only fair to say that all efforts of
legislators and public officials
would have been futile without
the support of the Christian tenn
perance people of the state, or
ganized and active upon the
omni-partisan and interdenomi-
national basis of the AntiSaloon
League.
1t was the Anti-Saloon League
that first suggested to me the
possibility of passing an inde-
pendent measure under cover of
the curtain of fire which it main
tanned on its more radical pro-
gram, and released me from my
promise to introduce its own
official legislation in order to
devote myself to the Hill
Wheeler bill The League also
did the necessary preliminary
work in holding the cities to-
gether as unit for this bill in
stead of mussing up the situa-
ton with flock of local bills.
There is no question but that the
Leagues tremendous campaign
for advance legislation during
the past three years paved the
way for this victory and its cor
dial certifcation that the spon-
sors for the Hill-Wheeler bill
were honestly seeking the ad-
vancement of the temperance
cause and that the Hill-Wheeler
bill was good bill as far as it
went, won and held for it the
support of the temperance ele-
ment without any injury to the