The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-01-23

1912. Eugene w. Chain. Arizona.
and Aaron s. Watkins. Onio. NS'923
votes.
1916. ]. Frank HanIey, Indiana. and
DR.. Ira Landrith. Tennessee. te14.3p
votes. I
The National Prohibition party.
curiopsly enough, has been rather op-
posed to prohibition BY constitutional
amendment. In the last Year book
t1916) we read:
although the Prohibition party
may be said to be committed by plat
form declaration to the adoption OF
national prohibition amendment. when
placed in power. the program OF the
party has never contemplated agita-
tion for nonpartisan amendment to
be enforced by administrations not ia
vorable to prohibition. Inc
general opinion seems to favor admit
ting the desirability Of the amendment
as the end to be accomplished. at the
same time emphasizing its impracu-
cabillty as a method. and denying Its
necessity as condition precedent 10
securing national prohibition.
The odds are so overwhelmingly
against the ratification of an amend
ment that they cannot possibly De
overcome through any reasonable ex-
penditure of time, money and enort 80
long as the liquor traffic exists to hght
for Its life" lIs.-r
The National Prohibition party Is
certainly right about the apparent
odds against the adoption by congress
of constitutional amendment and
Its ratification by the states. There
have been 1.757 amendments to the
Constitution proposed md IL of them
have been passed. Hereln>lies the mar
vel of the ratification of the eighteenth
amendment in about thirteen months.
1t has been figured that the chances
against the passing Of an amendment
are 10 to 1. The case is put thus:
The chances against ratification are
2 to l in the house of representatives.
and to l in the senate, and. there
fore 4 to l in congress. That is:
ShOhld the measure pass either house
by unanimous vote. the one-third op-
position In the other house would
block it In congress as n whole; In
other words, the resolution must he
supported on the two chances In each
house. while If the opposition scores
on Its one chance in either house. the
measure fails. The chances in the
state legislatures are 6 to ! against
the resolution; hence, In the congress
and the legislatures combined the
chances are 10 to l against passage.
In other words. the measure might
pass both houses of congress unani-
mously. and be defeated as whole by
the one chance In the states. 1t might
pass either house of congress and all
OF the legislatures unanimously. and
be defeated by the one chance In the
other house OF congress.
st. John Makes Stir.
John z. st. John was the first Pro-
hibitIon party candidate TO nuke a
real stir in the political world. Whit
he did in the campaign OF 1884 was
long remembered. ST. John was born
In Indiana md In the~>Civil war was
IIeutenant-colonel OF the One Hundred
and Forty-third regiment. Illinois vol
unteers. He was twice elected gov
ernor Of Kansas on the Republican
ticket and was defeated for re-eiec-
tion to this ofiice In 1882 by antl-pro
hibitiOn Republicans. who thought him
too warm friend Of the temperance
cause
Frances f. Willard and n delega'
tion oc women presented an enormous
petition to the Republican national
convention. urging consideration foi
the prohibition forces. The story Of
that time was that the petition was
not only laid on the table hut thrown