Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-07-15
CLEARLY DEFINED ISSUES.

This paper has s.sen criticized for Its nsstence
that Senator Harding define his policy as to prohi-
bition Our insisence goes farther than that: we
contend that both candidates should clearly define
their position upon every question of public moment
in this campaign.
Why hesitate to be explicit upon matters coming
within the scope of presidential activities? There
is but answer-to deceive the voter. Surely the
candidates hold definite views upon public questions
If they do not, they lack the mental equipment be
president If they do the voter is entitled to know
what they are.
Some citizens will vote for any wins is
the republican ticket without regard to his views.
Others will similarly vote for any democratic
candidate But there is a great, and constantly in
creasing. Neutrality-suspicious. vote which goes where
conscience and judgment dictate. This vote, hold
ing the balance of power. makes the parties respon
sive to the public will. under penalty of defeat.
Such voters want the facts upon which to formu-
late judgment. We go farther and say that they
are entitled to the facts. We so farther still and
predict that defeat faces the candidate who will not
give them the facts.
This is not contest to settle whether Senator
Harding Governor Cox shall have the high per-
sonal honor of being president 1t is a contest to
settle whether set of policies the other, shall
be the policies of the United States during the next
four years. The ambitions of either gentlemen are
of no importance to the voter, except he be the
chosen servant to carry out a mandate Of the
people.
Therefore. the basic thing is for the people to
learn definitely the exact policy which each can
didate represents. For either candidate to mislead
voters to whether he is wet dry, pro-leagre
or anti-eague, pro-abor or anti-labor is to seek
votes by false pretense Adroity pussy footing, or
blandy expounding amiabe platitudes, is pure po-
litcal buncombe and species of demagogery.
Millions of people are for wet nation. Millions
are for dry nation. To millions this issue is para
mount one. Whether the nation a whole is wet or
dry in sentiment, is not the immediate question. We
do not know We dry, personally the
Sahara desert majority of the people may be as
wet as the Atlantic ocean. If so they are entitled
to have their will. But man has, in all good con-
science, any right to misead people to whether
they are voting a wet ticket or dry
II is useless for Mr.. Hays and Senator Harding to
order back the tide The wave Of public opinion
is rolling in just the same. The vets have made
prohibition issue. The vets have no doubt about
Governor Cox--he is wet To leave doubt as to-
Senator Hardings attitude is to deprive dry demo-
Gratis of the high motive for supporting him and
consequently to split the dry vote along party lines
while wet republicans to Cox 1t is bad politics
But it is worse in principle The people are en-
titled to know where candidate, who seeks their
aid feaiy stands They going to, know or they
are eoinge To be indifferent. a.s3t
Smart politicians can, by manipulation, name