The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1920-07-21
KEYNOTE SPEECH OF
CHAIRMAN watkins.
Continued from Page ~

ing for adoption and great twentieto
century problems yet to be solved.
I'VE do not face bold, defiant and
despotic liquor power as in years
gone by, but so long as leading states
men sidestep the question of law en-
forcement and governors and legisla'
lures plan for the notification OF the
national constitution, SO long as tenn,
perance men sleep in their tents ana
wet forces plan midnight attacks, so
Icing will the great dominant issue OF
our party be a living question.
1--WE still demand as in former
years that parties and officials shall
respect the laws and their own oaths
of office, or If they have conscientious
objections to loyalty, honor. and de-
cency, that they step aside and turn
over the task of law enforcement to
the friends of the cause. Former IL
quor selling places all over the land
are being held intact, with fixtures
and possibly liquor, in expectation OF
the time when indifference and toler-
anee on the part Of the officials will
change to positive friendship.
I'm many cities, the law Is openly
violated and officials who are dry IN
sentiment are withheld from enforc-
ing the law by the fear of the party
loss, who will not risk the alienation
OF any considerable number Of voters.
Parties are suspicious Of each other
and will neglect plain duty for fear
the opposite party will gain a tempo
rary advantage. While we are thank
full for the progress made and hope
full of the final outcome, we cannot
ignore plain facts nor build false
hopes.
Our motives for nating the lisuor
traffic are becoming stronger year by
year. The testimony of science is
more crushing and the demands Of
business are more exacting than ever
before. The experin ent of even par
tally, enforced prohibition has been
SO eminently satisfactory, and the
demonstrations of moral and indus
trial improvements so convincing that
millions Of halters between two opin-
ions have been convinced beyond a
shadow of doubt. Empty jails and
decreasing prison population, increase
in collections and bank deposits and a
Ealt in the alarming growth Of insan-
Try; all these and more are now
speaking in trumpet tones of bet
ter day already upon us.
Our mothers, sisters and wives
who have been seeking the ballot as
legal weapon. with which to beat of
the moral and social wolves from the
door of the home, must still find us
true. AS we were their earliest polit
ical friends, so we must stand by this
reform until the victory is finally com
pleted
while we retain the right as indi
viduals to use our influence agains
any and all evil habits and practices
we must not scatter our forces o,
weaken our position as party on thu
real political issues,
I'VE must place in the field tick
ct of real presidential size and make :
campaign that will win the respec
Of all thinking men and women. W.
must be radical in doctrine but digni
fled in manner; and, above all, vi
must be optimistic and aggressive
with no apologies to any man for GU
faith, and no fear of any one excep
the Lord and enc more victory will
be added to the long list now STANDING
TO the credit of the only political par