New-York tribune., 1918-04-23
Vets, However, Lay Defeat
to Joy Riders and Defec-
ton of Hotel Men
Fairchild Faces Fight
Assemblyman Hill, One of
State Dry Leaders, May
Be a Candidate
By Charles T. White

ONEONTA. April 22.-Too much Joy
riding and desertion Of the wet forces
in Oneonta by the two leading hotel
men of the city made combination
that enabled the drys in the fight last
Tuesday and Wednesday to rout the
friends Of John Barleycorn.
Now that the battle is thing of the
past, and the vets were defeated by a
plurality of 2,29l votes out of a total
voting population of 5000, the vets are
looking at the matter philosophically
and waiting TO see what kind OF a city
Oneonta will be after October /, when
the high balls-what few there are
will be brought into the environs by
what is sometimes called the bootleg
express.
The hostility toward the liquor bust
ness In Oneonta was unusual, because
as the surrounding towns one by one
went dry the Sports" and these in
cluded many prosperous young farm
ers, made it weekly habit to spend
Saturday night in Oneonta. AS re-
suit, the barrooms and dining rooms of
the leading hotels of Oneonta on Sat-
urday and Sunday were we'll filled with
strangers, who, in many cases, made
themselves offensive.
Women Well Organized
When this practice became a regu-
lar habit on the part of the bibulous
1T got on the nerves of nearly every
body in Oneonta.
"Oneonta is dumping ground for
the boozer," was the verdict of the
people who didn't like it, and then they
got busy. The new women voters took
the initiative, using the woman suf-
frage organization of last year as the
framework for the fight against liquor.
There were eight election district lead
Alden, of the State Normal School fac
ulty; Mrs. A. H. Brownell, Miss West
ervclt, Mrs. L. 5. Greene, Mrs. w. I.
Bolton, Mrs. II. w. Lee and Mrs. w. S.
Burd.
Every woman of voting age in One
onta was canvassed. Out of 2,776
women registered. more than $500
voted. This efficiency has filled the
Republican and Democratic machine
leaders with astonishment and admira-
tion.
The other surprise of the campaign
came when D. T. Keyes and NJ. G.
Onecnta, came out on the side Of the
drys; or at least they were not in favor
of license.
Fairchild Faces Fight
Congressman George w. Fairchild,
who has served six terms as Repre-
sentative, is a candidate to succeed
himself. The district takes in Otsego,
Broome, Delaware and Chenango coun-
ties. His candidacy is pretty solidly
backed by his home county Otsego,
but. unless all signs fail, Mr. Fair.
child is in for the hardest kind of g.
fight. Assemblyman William Hill, of
Binghamton, father of the Hial- Wheeler
bill and prominent in the agitation
for statewide prohibition, is likely to
be candidate in the Republican pri-
maries.
Charles Smith, president of the Citi-
zens' National Bank, is backing Con-
gresham Faircnild. Secretary Will
lam G. McAdoo of the Treasury De-
letter eulogizing Congressman Fair
child and urging Republicans to re-
turn him to Washington Outside of
Otsego County the Republicans think
the letter was somewhat unwarranted,
and the Hill men predict it will! hurt
Mr.. Fairchin rather than help him.
Senator Adon r. Brown. of Leon
ardsville, Otsego County, is a candi-
date to succeed himself, and, doubt
less, will be returned. Senator Brown
is serving his first term. Assembly,
man Allen J. Bloomfield, of Oneonta.
is receptive candidate for renom-
ination.
Governor Whitman is not over pop-
ular with Otsego County farmers. In
the City OF Oneonta he is as strong