Imperial Valley press., 1918-08-23
FL CENTRIC MAN,
HOUSE ASP|RANT,
|SSUESPLATF0RM

~. V. NIitSoh, LSauihS -h''oA"Ss. h>~
plains Legislative Situation and
Asks for the Support of Voters of
This District.
In California we have two large
tiles and, like every state where
here is large city. the country men,
.ers of the legislature have difficulty
n obtaining needed laws affecting
heir own counties. This is due to
he organization of what is styled in
,olitics, "the machine" In other
lords, the members of the Legislature
rom the large cities combine their
interests and. votes and the country
members receive the crumbs"
At the session of the last legisla.
ure Imperial county received but one
If these crumbs" out of all of the
ills introduced by the member from
imperial county.
Our member of the legislature is
n able man, but he met with the
iifficulty common to all country
Members. He found that the men,
,ers from the large cities exercise a
,rge and controlling influence as sto
that bills shall become laws.
The next member of the Assembly
rom Imperial county will have still
lore difficulty than did the last men,
er, for the reason that when the
,gislature meets there will come be-
1re it the proposed amendment to
he constitution OF the United States,
ihich, if approved by sufficient
umber of states, will result in the
lppressing of the liquor traffic. We
ave in California an immense indus
v which puts upon the market wine.
he grape growing counties of our
tate are rabidly opposed to this pro-
7sal to make the United States to-
ally dry They have been SO accus-
omed to turning their grapes into
inc that the idea of raisin production
oes not please them.
The next assemblyman from Impe-
al county will be in duty bound to
lst his vote in favor of the dry
mendment. The tctal absence Of sa-
,ons here plainly indicates the scnti-
ent of the people on this question of
vet and dry"
Now when the Imperial county
ember seeks the votes of members
f the grape growing counties tc as
st him in passing law helping I'M
erial county he will undoubtedly re-
i've negative answer.
So all the diplomacy and discretion
lat the Imperial county member can
ut forth will be necessary in the rext
,gislature to acquire needed legisla-
on for Imperial county. Our next
1ember of the Assembly may have
good and meritorius bill, and he may
an able orator, but he will find
hat oratory and meritorious bill,
yhich he Z. desires to become law,
i'll avail him but little.
Until the grape-growing counties CT
'alifornia fully realize the sitGation
throughout the United States which
his awful war has brought upon US,
hey will continue to favor the pro-
;uction of wine and Intoxicating IL
'uors generally.
The United States is bearing today
he burden of producing the food,
'lothes and ammunition of all the
nillions of men fighting in the AL
led armies, or the money which is
he equivalent thereof. The future
'ebt Of the United States to be raised
'enceforth by terrific tax upon the
eople is staggering to the imagina-
ion. When we who breathe and walk
bout today have changed our homes
o the cemetery, the children yet un-
orn will bear this burden.
1t will take some time before the
people of the grapegrowing counties
f California will realize that their
,rapes must be turned into food in
stead of wine, and during that time
he members of the legislature from
the "dry" counties will have little
log rolling" with the members from
he "wet" counties. In other words,
here will be very little Of