The sun., 1918-03-14
SAY WHITMAN
WILL VETO DRY
REFERENDUM
Governors Advisers Con-
fident He Will Urge
Action by Assembly.
SENATOR HILL HOPEFUL
Believes Upper Body in AL
bany Will Favor u. s.
Amendment.
SENATOR HILL HOPEFUL


albany, March 13.--Gov. whitman. 1t
,s believed. will send a message to the
Assembly by Monday night announcing
that he will veto the measure for
referendum on the Federal prohibition
amendment and urging that the ratifica-
,on measure be adopted in It's original
form.
The Governor had long conference
on the question to-day with some OF MS
closest advisers and 1t was said after
ward that he had about made up mis-
mind on the veto message. Gov. Whit-
man afterward left for New York city.
The measure as amended by the AS
sembly yesterday will como up for fnal
passage at Monday nights session.
The success Of the wet" advocates In
saving of vote by the Assembly on
the original proposition Is the main topic
of conversation at the Capitol. The
Brewery and liquor lobbyists who have
been swarmng about the legislative
,,ls are highly elated, insisting that the
a.h; against Federal prohibition in this
sa;e is now all over but the shouting.
..Drys' Not Discouraged.
The temperance forces. however, have
recovered from their surprise and are
slowing no signs Of discouragement.
BACKED by the expectation of the Gov
trnors veto message they are even con-
adent that the Assembly will reverse its
referendum vote Of yesterday. Speaker
Sweet was asked about such possi-
h.lity but would not venture predic-
ton. He declared. however. that the
referendum bill could have no effect on
the ultimate result Of the fight.
~ believe New York State Is going to
rn,ify Federal prohibition" he said.
and a referendum can only delay It a
year. Even II q majority of the people
vote against the ratification the men,
b-rs will be influenced by the vote in
their districts and not by the total State
vote. and l am sure that at least
seventy-six upstate districts will show
dry majorities. The representatives of
these districts. I believe. will vote ac-
cording to those majorities They would
be sufficient to adopt the ratification
next year"
Then you believe that It IL possible
for a minority Of the population In .
majority Of the districts to control in
their case?" he was asked.
The Duty Of the Legislature.
That same situation exists" he re-
Piled. "in the provision requiring three
fourths Of the States to ratify a consti-
tltional amendment. That Is in the
FEDERAL Constitution. and you and
didn't draw up that Constitution. The
legislature now has no right to dodge
his issue. We should vote conscien
'lously for or against ratification. We
have no means Of knowing what propo
stions are going to be brought before Il
when we are elect.d to the Legislature
We must act upon them as they come
according to our convictions. and II l,
our duty to do that in this ease"
Speaker Sweat et.ttwas asked II tht
changing Of a concurrent resolution int
bill az was done when the Assembl,
amended the ratification resolution yes
terday, might not hs questioned.
Il should have ea$tl1e that the action
was regular. The sakne thing was don,
right in this Assembly when the resolu
ton to ratify the Fifteenth Amendmen
was before It,"
The temperance forces believe tina
there would be no doubt Of their flna
victory at this session IL the vote on tn
ratihcat.on resolution could be put OF
until after the city local option election
On April Is.
DRY" Majority Expected.
They expect that loca: option election
will be held in thirty-siX Of the smalle
tiles, and are predicting such an over
Nhelming dry vote as to leave no doub
m the minds OF any legislators how tn
people feel on the question. The sessio
will last until April 10. and possibl
April 26. so that such a programm
might well be carried out.
Senator William H. Hill, one OF tn
irtroducers Of the ratification resolution
feels certain that the drys can force
vote in the Senate on the measure In II
unadulterated form He Is confider
mat II it gets out on the floor of the w
rer house he cen get enough votes
pass 1t. An effort to accomplish tn
will be made Wednesday.
The opposing wet and dry forces in II
Sens,e to-day agreed that a close ca
should be ordered for that time. whe
Senator Wellington OF Troy will NAL
his motion to discharge the Commit,
IN Taxation and Retrenchment from fu
tner consideration OF the Federal amen'
Wsut
senator Brown in agreeing to this a
'angement said that II any Of the 9th
prohibition measures were brought ,
before that time the Wellington mott,
could also be made at the earlier date.