South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-02
APRIL 2. 1920.
ELIMINATING THE WET" ISSUE BY
ELIMINATING THE DRY"


district chairman and have It confirmed from
Plymouth by County Chairman Kitch Of Marshall
county that the story from Goshen exposing an al
legged action OF the district committee recent
meeting in South Bends slightly exaggerated in
directions.
The general purpose sought to be attained that OF
blazing the for an open and unopposed race for
congress by Mr. Robert Emmett Proctor. of Elkhart
appears TO have cotton to Goshen informant
correctly was rather the solicitation of inter
ested PARTIES from outside the committee than Of
its own concocton. and the committee took no
ton individual county chairmen, due to
their liking for the project chose to cooperate to
such end upon their responsibility.
That helps! It helps decidedly We are pleased
10 learn from Dist Chairman Denlson TOO. that ne
is of those cooperating; that he does not
regard 81 the committees business: that anyone
who wants 10 for congress has right to do
taking the responsibility for their own candidates.
upon themselves; that wherein their associations
fitness. platforms bring them criticisms. it is
their lookout. II appears have been Mr.. w.
A. McInerny of this city. the only representative Of
the local democracy at the meeting that called the
attention to the wet issue that the filing by Sen
George Y Hepler had Indicted into the campaign.
and thereupon Mr. Fred Henoch, former wholesale
liquor dealer at Laporte. forward with tho
name of Mr. Proctor-asking substitution for both
Hepler and Ralph \. smith-which Henochs
way Of having the wet" issue eliminated
OF course. the purpose was to get rid Of Smith.
Mr. Henoch it seems. was decidedly solictous that
the wet" and dry issue not brought into the
campaign. and therefore he proposed to eliminate
the dry" Assuredly could be exr ected of
MIN to think Of such a thing as eliminating the
wet" With either Hepler or Proctor. or Hickey
in congress. the liquor interests would consider
themselves well protected any time that a con-
diton could arise giving them half a chance
vote for the wet cause
We say this too out OF a great deal of personal
respect for Mr. Proctor. Barring the fact that he
has long been regarded a wet leader in north
Indiana; ne has missed an oppor-
tunity make a wet" speech when needed; that
he made awful himself o
perance by his fathering Of the nefarious
Proctor law. he might be regarded COMPRESSION
al timber Fact of the matter IL. like him per-
sonally; like him for his congenialty and person
ality. but congressional timber picked therefor
after the manner that he was picked the other day
amount OF protestation his part or the
part of his promoters. can blot out his past record
servant OF the liquor interests what ne might
do with the possibilities OF the future.
Why all that opposition smith; this anx-
iety to get rid of him anyway? Is it the old demo-
cratic idea. prevalent in this district for long.
that dry democrat has rights that the party
is bound respect Mr.. Smith a quite
as much intelligence as Mr.. Proctor. He has gone
down the line with the democratic party and sup
ported II all through the years As canpaigner
he has equal in the district. not excepting Mr..
Proctor lie has record as clean as they make
them. the ideals of a modern democrat. and will
give the administration I'm Washington support
will be a credit district in
Why then an this opposition to him. strong
that the county chairmen Of the district should
consider feeling called upon to so violate their
proper functions to presume ask him to get
out Of the way?
know the reason and so does everyone else.
II is the old way of the democratic leaders OF this
section Of seeking TO maintain party harmony.
ways eliminating the "drys' and letting the vets
have everything their way. on yes. the dry"
democrats should always vote the ticket and tho
but let dry show his head and suggest an am
bition for office. and forthwith there ushers forth
an avalanche OF invective and abuse calculated TO
him aside-sometimes yea. obscene profan-
ity nj only for the foul mouths which in them
selves beteu their inspiration.
Thanks to the democrats OF Goshen for putting
us wise to what took place here under our noses
even they informed us with some vagueness
When representative was invited TO stay out OF
the meeting; why that was an right of course We
saw. 90 be sure that Fred Henoch was right there.
Mr.. Proctor was there and Mr. William A. Nc
Inerny was there. and several others not county
chairmen. were there-but then. We never did any
thing for the democratic party. nay not in 1914.
IsI6. 1918. everything would have gone over