The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-04-11
CHICAGO VETS
PROTEST FAILS.
Ballots Show Sentiment We.
by Less Than 3 to |
FIGURES REPEAL
DRY STRENGTH
Chicago Has More Drys Than Are
Represented By Congress
RIG WET FIGHT IS NOW ON
BIG WET FIGHT IS NOW ON

The Chicago campaign on the dead
issue OF saloons or no saloons iaiicd
to give the vets the results they de-
sired. Although the drys absolutely
made no fight, spent no money, ana
in no way endeavored to secure dry
votes. and while the vets used all the
means at their command to roll up a
big wet vote. the result was only 59l,-
200 wet ballots out of total regis
tered vote of S06,9S4 4l5,724 regis
tered Chicago voters either voted dry
or did not vote at all on the saloon
question. $4,000 voters who cast
their ballots for nnayoralty candidates
did not vote on the saloon question.
II can safely be said that the great
majority OF those who either were
registered and did not vote at all or
who voted for mayor but did not vote
on the saloon question were drys'
This is true because the we'll organ
lied and well financed wet campaign
resulted in the maximum number OF
vets coming to the polls and casting
their ballots in favor of the saloons.
Vets Call 1t Victory
From the standpoint OF vote on
the question which appeared on the
ballot the results can hardly be called
much of victory for the vets. The
promotion was only to in spite
of the fact that the vets controlled
the election machinery, were we'll or
ganized and had practically unlimited
funds at this disposal There can be
no doubt that if the saloon question
had still been an issue a great many
registered voters who did not cast
their votes on the saloon question
would have voted dry. Furthermore
great many unregistered drys would
have registered and added their votes
to the dry total. Another consider
alton which had an important bear
ing on the result was the fact that
thousands voted wet because they
were mislead by the unanswered
false arguments OF the liquor inter-
ests. In full page advertisements IN
the daily and Sunday papers, the vets
made claims and issued arguments
designed to mislead the thoughtless
or uniformed. This inevitably re-
suited in wet votes by many who
would have voted dry had the truth
been presented to them With every
Chicago saloon political headquar-
ters for the vets; with thousands OF
Vote No" buttons distributed
throughout the city; with wet workers
at all the polling places; with election
machinery in the hands OF the vets,
the dry sentiment in Chicago reflected
bv the results far exceeded the eX-
nectations OF the most optimistic drys.
The Protest to Congress
From the standpoint OF registering
4 protest to Congress, the wet cleo
tion was a complete failure. 1t not
only failed TO prove that Chicago's 5
sentiment was more wet than IT had
been considered by Congress, but
very conclusively proved the oppo-
site. The contention OF the liquor
forces was that the various state leg
islatures and the national Congress
did not reflect the real sentiment OF
the people when they voted on Ma
tional Prohibition.
The figures given out as the result
OF the Chicago election even if they
are taken to fairly express Chicago's 5
wet and dry sentiments show that the
Illinois Legislature and the National
Congress regarded Chicago more wet
than it really is. In the state Legis-
lature the Chicago representatives
voted to wet on ratifying Ma
tioeal Prohibition.
The popular vote as only appar-
emily .ascertained by the recent cleo
ton was only to l'wet. In other
words, the legislative vote was Is per
cent more wet than the popular will
It was supposed to represent. In
Congress the vote on National Prohl-
bition by representatives from Chi
cago was also much more wet than