Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-14
THE ''DRY" AMENDMENT

IrHERE is always something to
take the joy out of life for the
average legislator. No session
of the lawmaking body in Pennsyl'
vania is without an issue or two tc
worry the solons. The General AS
semtly of 1919 will be no exception
Already the shadow of the prohibi-
ton amendment is falling across the
pathway of the prospective candi-
date. It will be submitted to the
next session for approval or rejec-
ton and there are signs now that
opponents of the amendment will
endeavor to focus public attention
on the governorship while they elect
whom they will to the House and
Senate, knowing full well that the
next Governor will have nothing
whatsoever to do with the dry
resolution, which would not require
his signature in any case.
This trick has peen worked before
in Pennsylvania when local option
was an issue. The liquor interests
care nothing as to the fitness of a
man for office, nor as to his party
politics. Republicans and Demo-
Gratis all look alike to them, just so
they vote "wet" 1t therefore be-
comes of vital Importance to the
prohibition cause that the issue be
not involved in party politics, but
that dry" candidates be set up for
the Legislature by all parties and
an effort made to nominate them
at the May primaries.
But even in this great care must
be exercised in the selection of
men to make the fight Candidates
for the Legislature to insure popu-
lar support must have more quail
fications than simply that they are
pledged to vote for the prohibition
resolution. Important issues other
than that of prohibition will be be-
fore the next Legislature and the
stress of the times requires that
now, If never before, big men be
chosen to the House and Senate.
The serious error of electing men on
their temperance sentiments alone
is shown in many counties where
unfit candidates for the judiciary
have been chosen because they were
either dry" or wet" but entirely
without qualification otherwise for
the office.
1t ought not to be difficult to find
big. broad, able men in any COM
munity to run for the Legislature,
whose vote on the prohibition ques-
ton would be with the "drys," If the
matter is taken up at once by those
who have the movement at heart.
Opponents of prohibition never
sleep. One campaign is scarcely
over before they begin to plan for
the next. If the dry" amendment
is to have any chance before the
next Legislature, it's advocates must
begin now to induce candidates to
get into the field for the primaries
who will not only be pledged to its
support, but who will commend
themselves to the public in other
ways as well.
The prohibition resolution passed
Congress by nonpartisan vote. It's
great hope for success in Pennsyl-
vania lies in keeping it as free as
possible from partisan entangle-
ments. The measure is in no sense
partisan. but candidates for the Leg
islature must expect the question to
be a part of the campaign. Above
all things, it should not be used as
a political club, one way or another,
and those who participate in the
conventions called for this city and
elsewhere to consider ways of pro-
curing the adoption of the amend
ment should see to 1t that selfishly-
inclined politicians be not allowed
to use these gatherings for their
own ends.
The worst possible thing that
could happen to the prohibition
cause in Pennsylvania is that it
should be permitted to utilize a
great moral and economic question
merely for the promotion of indi-
vidual or partisan ambitions. On
the other hand, however, any can
didate who tries to evade the issue
must assume responsibility for the
consequences.
IF, as the liquor men claim, more
liquor is sold in dry" territory than