Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-21
LIQUOR THE ONE
BIG ISSUE, SAYS
BISHOP BERRY
Absolute Prohibition Is De-
manded and Calls on
Public to Join

fhlladelphia, Feb. 2l.-Bishop Ber-
ry' of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, i'm a statement issued yes
terday, said that I'VE are for or
against" political leaders "only as
these leaders are for or against
rum"
Reports are current that if Will
liam c. Sproul should be elected
Governor and the Legislature pass a
local option bill, he, in his capacity
as Governor, would sign it. Bishop
Berry now. serves notice that local
option was good enough for yester-
day, but not for to-day"
He also says that there must be
mo sidestepping" upon the question
of ratification. His statement fol-
lows:
81 am delighted to learn that the
Church Federation of Philadelphia is
to take a hand in the fight for the
ratification of the prohibition amend
ment. That. to my mind, is legiti-
mate church business. / am telling
my ministers that just now it is
more important to organize their
forces in favor of prohibition than
to do any other one thing.
Not Church Affair. He Says
But this crusade is not "a church
affair 1t is a statewide movement
of sober citizens to free the COM
monwealth from reproach which
Pennsylvania has carried for years,
that of being ruled by politicians
who are ruled by rum. Tens of
thousands of voters who never go
near a church are ready to join the
colors.
1T is not easy to keep up with
the mighty sweep of this movement.
Kentucky, with its great distilleres,
and Maryland, with its vast invest
ments in liquor manufacture, have
just voted for ratification. The New
Jersey Legislature, elected on the
local option issue, and which has
just passed a local option bill, lacks
only a half-dozen of enough votes
to ratify the prohibition amend
ment. The outlook in Pennsylvania
has improved fifty per cent. within a
month. 1t is a wonder to me that
our astute politicians do not realize
what is coming. The avalanche can
not be held back. He who stands in
it's way will go down.
THE bate lines are forming
throughout Pennsylvania. We care
little for parties or factions in par
ties. We are not TO talk of the
tariff this year No President or
United States Senator is to be elect
ed Party lines will be thrown aside.
;,,.,N Do, SO
or Mr.. Ware or Mr.. Sproul or Mr..
Scott or Mr.. O'Neil only as these
leaders are for or against rum. The
people are determined that this is
sue shall be kept at the front. Side
stepping will not avail. The soft
pedal is out of repair.
mo, 1 am not to conduct cam
paign of my own. l have simply
volunteered to aid the allied tenn
perance forces of the state in such
campaign work as they may assign
to me. If I can do the most effec-
tive service by going upon the stump
l shall do so. / have no doubt that
Bishops Rhinelander and Garland,
splendid temperance leaders that
they are, will gladly give their large
influence to the cause. Other church
leaders will do likewise.
Calls on CtiHens 10 tlEnt
81 am criticised ror dabbling in
politics, did you say? No doubt. But
[ care absolutely nothing about such
criticism. | am not raising my voice
in behalf Of any party or faction. !
stand for a principle-a principle
which underlies the economic, social
and moral well-being of the COM
monwealth. The booze issue is i'm
politics, 1t will stay in politics un-
til it is settled. 1t is the duty of
every good citizen to get into poll
tics without delay and see to 1t that
his voice does its utmost to strike
to it's death this monster of devil
try and DEATH
But suppose Senator Penrose and
Senator Sproul would now agree to
a local option law, would that be
acceptable?
mo, sir 1t is too late, Local OPP
tion was good enough for yesterday,
but not for to-day. 1t now belongs
on the pages of ancient history. rms
is not the time for regulation, but
for annihilation.
"Will any one question the TACT
that a majority of the men of Penn
svIvania are against the liquor traf-
dc? They would like to see it out
lawed. If that sentiment can be
crystallized and organized, it will not
he difficult to elect a Legislature
which will promptly ratify the pro-
bibition amendment. The trouble is.
the whisky people and the politi-
clans register and We do not. The
Immediate task before the patriotic
men of Pennsylvania is to get the
entire vote of the state registered
and recorded. When that is done
victory has already been achieved
Only One "BROMO QUININE'
To get the genuine, eau Tor inll Il