The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-08-13
ted in the old party. conventions
should startle the nation to action.

4 tea IN the OiQ party COuSCusioAA1
| should startle the nation to action"
! Liquor interests Busy.
Referring to the amendment of the
constitution as registering the YER
dict Of society in the most decisive
| and solemn manner and that the pur-
| pose In securing constitutional
amendment was to secure stability ana
to place beyond the reach of temper
airy changes and excitements q prin-
ciple upon which the well-being of
the people depended, he stated that
despite this purpose of the American
people, the liquor interests were now
engaged in Herculian and feroclous
assault to overcome the eighteenth
amendment. Defeated in Their efforts
| for an unconstitutional referendum
defeated decisively in the courts they
have now discovered 1t Is possible to
nullify prohibition through control Of
politics, the one field in which the
liquor interests have long been ex-
perts.
"Their first step is to amend the
Volstead Act by so defining the
term Intoxicating liquor as to in
crease the alcoholic content. Not
withstanding this attempt by the
old party candidates Is willing to
commit himself to the maintenance
Of the standard of the Volstead Act.
THE return of beer and wine
would mean the alcoholization OF
masses OF people with all that alco
holization implies. 1t would mean
the Increase Of The inmates Of jails,
warehouses; and charitable instItu-
tions which are now being depopulated.
1t would mean the return OF the sa-
loon with all its attendant evils. 1t
hn Lct hnYynrc In
addition to beer and wine as 1t would
be next to impossible to control the
| liquor sellers. 1t would mean furth-
er the continuance Of the liquor traf-
| fic in politics with all its blighting
effects.
"But it is not merely in the weak
ening of existing law that the vets
hope to achieve their purpose. II
they can succeed in naming two Of
| fcers--ths attorney general and the
commissioner of internal revenue
they could largely nullify prohibition.
| For that reason it. is exceedingly es-
sential that we have a president as
well as congress favorable to pro-
order that he may exercise his pow
er over appointments, his veto pow
hibition. A president is needed in
er, his message power, and the func-
tion as leader Of his party in behalf
| of prohibition. Furthermore the
personal character and personal SYM
pathy Of the chief executive give
tone and tendency to the admins
| tration. It is known that his sym
pathies are not in favor Of vigorous
fcers charged with enforcement will
be seriously weakened"
| Advocated Primary Reform.
DR.. Colvin then analysed the pre-
sent political. liquor situation and
and those aspects Of our political
system which relate to it and show
ed how 1t is that although prohibi-
ton is in the constitution the liquor
interests persist in politics. He not
ed the fact that they have taken ad-
vantage Of the completely of our
governmental system and have
maintained balance of power be-
in certain close states. The larger
parties still fear to ALLEVIATE the
wet vote in those close states and
view have the disgraceful spectacle O.
abe election TO the highest office II
the world being dependent upon tn:
worst elements in the electorate.
He declared that one of the mos
important political reforms Of ths
near future is a reform in the methot
OF nominating presidential candi
dates. The national conventions o
both old parties were dominated By
the wet interest and nominated can.
didates about as wet as could b.
found among The aspirants for the
nomination. Never before have the
two larger parties nominated sucl
inferior candidates for President a.
they have this year. They are typi
cal, natural product of the last ex
pfring effort Of an outIawed traffic
to dominate American politics.
He said that the prohibition party
comes with more urgent message
than ever before The issue Il
whether there shall be a rs-alcohoh
, zation Of mankind; whether consti
, tutional government shall survive
whether the will of the people as ov
erwhelmingiy expressed under con
stitutional forms shall prevail
whether our politics shall Re domi
mated by an outlawed traffic In
few close states or by the law -abid