Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-07-17
A STRAIGHT OUT ANSWER
SENATOR BENNETT MAKES A
POSITIVE DECLARATION

TO REV. o. o. SoVDE, REV. HALVoRD
RoALkVAM. AD0LPH G.. BRYE, ESQ.
and HELGE LARSON. esq, Of the Town
Of COON.
GENTLEMEN -
Your open letter asking that
! state exactly hax 1 sapld vote at the coming
session Of the legislature on the ratification Of
the federal Prohibition Constitutional Amend
ment, has been submitted TO me.
To these persons who are readers of "The
American Issue the official organ Of the
Anti-Saloon League, 1t win not be news for
me TO say that during my single term as your
Senator | supported every temperance and
restrictive reform measure proposed for the
control Of the liquor traffic, voted against laws
to weaken the present laws, offered many
amendments to strengthen them, and that my
record ought to be entirely satisfactory to
trse who favor the ratification of the amend
Eent now pending. In the 1917 session lead
the fight in the senate for the Referendum
Prohibition bill. vetoed by Governor Philip.
The governors action will am certain. cost
him thousands of votes. The brewers now
desire a referendum the national question.
referendum now cannot be had because the
federal Constitution provides for ratification
of Constitutional amendments by the Legis-
latures of the various states. At time when
a referendum could lawfully be had state
prohibition, the brewers opposed II.
You have a right to demand, and no man
chsuld east his vote for any candidate who will
vote on the national Prohibition amendment
TO make the entire nation dry--without de-
manding a plain, unequivoeai stafsfent from
! such legislative candidate.
II | am reelected. shall vote for immed-
late ratification Of the Prohibition amend
ment 10 the Federal Constitution.
II has been passed by large majority Of
both houses of Congress. Il must be ratihed
or rejected by those whom you ELECT NOW
and my record should assure you that my
vote will be right. No ether candidate has a
Senatorial record this question. Having
lead the fight for state prohibition In the SEN
ate, and having introduced a bill 10 tax the
war pr0fteers in Wisconsin four million dol
lars year. as estimated by Secretary of State
Hull. which would tax one OF the larger brew
ers Of the state about 100000 year more
than before, II Is not surprising that my
candidacy should not meet with favor by
certain interests and that should be marked
WHY is IT THAT NEARLY ALL THE
MEN WHO VOTED DRY IN THE LAST SIS
SION, THOUGH THEY HAVE HELD But
| POSED FOR Tif VISIONARY SECOND
! TERM WHO 49, HACK OF ITg The only
| occasion for opposition 10 me Is such record.
/ Consciously. or unconsciousiy, innocent per
sons are being used and will be used to en-
| compass my defeat II possible. Opposition
will APPARENTLY be placed upon this ground
| In this section, upon that ground in another
section, and without any reason at all in still
! other places. This is the peoples fight and
| it is up TO them to protect themselves and see
| TO ii that dry district u not represented by
wet man.
ANY candidate who does not declare his
position is satisfactory TO the liquor interests.
Before you vote end out what uneauivoeAi pub
Il
I your best Judgment as TO whether you tbink
| his promise can be relied Upon.
! Those who desire the amendment ratihed
| should therefore vote for me- My candidacy
! furnishes the referendum now. Let US not
I delay the matter manipulate il that any
Governor. whether financially interested or
/ not shall be permitted to veto the measure.
| II We formally vote for the amendment reso-
! luton without any strings attached to II, no
| governor will have chance TO veto IT. Let
/ us therefore omit the twine.
| TaHa we
| sugar. a iessened quantity of coal, BY signing
proper certificates. and we are also permitted
! -four by buying twenty-five pounds Of subssi-
| tutes but those engaged In the manufacture
! of liquor are given unlimited quantities. Are
the liquor interests entitled to this favor a.
| against the peOpIe7 There Is much being said
| as 70 the "C0uservatton of Food'-bnt less
| being said about the conservation Of human
| life
| be suggested than wartime prohibition, and
no better means Of keeping the world safe
/ for Democracy after the war than permanent
Prohibition. and this be secured by i'm
/ mediate ratification Of the Amendment 50 ov'
| erwhelmingiy passed by Democratic congress
/ This in turn can be secured by compelling
| candidates for the Legislature to openly and
| unequiyoeaIiy declare their position now and
| what their position. will be If elected, Ensn
| the roll Is called
| / trust this public statement is sufficiently
! explicit. Yours very truly;
| viroqua. July .. J. HENRY BENNETT
The above reply TO q leading question m
| VOWED In the present campaign y franky
| met hy Senator Bennett II IL eharaetsris-
tie Of him to say things plainly and positively.
/ His Legislative service has been OF that quar-
| ity. Up to date ne has seriously at
| tempted TO offer suggestion or poIt gu.
| one real aaw in his Legislative record that
should bar him from the customary reelection
Superintendent Waller OF the
Southeastern was over from La Crosse
~, b,,o;pase vaaterdav