Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-04
ANOTHER LOSER

n A good many states, and particularly in
New Jersey, there was a candidate for
public favor whose name didn't appear on
any OF the ballot sheets, and his name was
Barleycorn. He hasn't been heard from
since the polls closed.
Early in the campaign the impression got
about that Mr.. Cox was, IL not wet, at least
definitely moist. The Democratic candidate
and his managers made no conspicuous effort
to strengthen that impression. They didn' t
need to. The hone reflected in the rumors
OF Democratic tendency n look with SYM
pathy upon John was of the sort that springs
eternal to flourish without encouragement
and to grow even in spite of winds and fire
and all the dreadful misfortunes of earthly
life and experience. And IL Mr.. Cox did
not help to create it, he did nothing to
hinder it.
To any one who looked calmly at the
general question 1t was always apparent
that the present or future status of the liquor
business could not be materially changed by
victory for one or another presidential
candidate. But in many parts of the coun-
try, and especially in the North Jersey cities
like Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth and
Paterson, there was fixed belief among
many voters that victory for Mr.. Cox
Even in Pennsylvania this superstition con
tinued throughout the campaign. and it was
supposed that large and unreconciled vote
would therefore be thrown against the Re-
publican ticket. Predictions Of diminished
Republican majority were freely based upon
that belief. Tammany leaders in many areas
made light wine and beer campaign, and,
like minor politicians elsewhere who worked
to hot
gress, and Congress alone will deal in the
future with the general question of prohibi-
tion and that no President would care to risk
any effort to force change in the dry laws
Politicians of familiar school of prac-
ticc felt that they had a cinching argument
to offer for the Democratic ticket when they
talked of wet standard bearer. And it is
pretty clear that leaders higher up finally
succumbed to the same delusion.
How wrong all of them were is apparent
in the returns from Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey and the Tammany regions. Even the
centers of anti prohibition sentiment in New
Jersey returned record majorities for Hard
ing and his ticket. Tammany suffered a set.
back in its own strongholds and failed to
turn in majority in Manhattan. The
state Of New Jersey astonished even the
optimists on the Republican side with the
size of the Republican majorities And
what has been spoken of as the liquor vote
either was not cast in Pennsylvania or it
was lost utterly in the slide.
This means merely that the vast majority
of voters either had no interest in the louor
question or frankly opposed what seemed to
be an effort to restore Barleycorn to legti-
mate standing of any sort in the community.
1t seems now that general sentiment so
far as it can be reflected in great election.
was definitely inspired by wish to forget
the Nostead act and to deal normally with
immediate questions of government. No
politicians ever guessed so wildly as those
who believed that issues vitally important
to the progressive life Of the nation would
be subordinated by any considerable group
OF voters in the interest of liquor and license.
In New Jersey, more than anywhere else in
the United States, liquor was allied with
legitimate and necessary business. Yet the
anti Cox vote was almost twice us big as
Republican leaders expected it to be.
If there ever was in this country a worse
licked candidate than Barleycorn his name
has been forgotten.