Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-01
kNTI.SALooN LEAGUE AND
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES.
Elsewhere In this issue we print a
htter from Rev. Mr.. L. c. Prcttyman.
superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League Of Delaware, replying to an
editorial in Every Evening Of We'd
ncs,iay i'm which reference was made
20 the election of Republican senators
who favor the liquor interests in the
adjoining state of Maryland, and to-
the activities Of the league in opposi-
tlon 10 Thomas r. Bayard. Democratic
candidate for mayor. at the recently
hold municipal election in Whining
ton. Mr.. Prettyman takes exceptions
10 Every Evenings specific references
- the apparent partially Of the
lcaguc for Republican candidates,
even when they stand in favor Of the
liquor interests. and cndeavors to
show that our comments arc With
out merit
To the most ia grant instance, tho
defeat OF David ]. Lewis, the Demo
cratic candidate for United States
uat.r in Maryland in 1a16--only
little more than four years ago--Mr.
Pro1tyman makes the surprising. but
very convenient, plea of not being
f,Sr
occurrence was comparatively recent
and was most notorious. Mr.. Lewis,
the fairly nominated Democratic can
didate. and a man with a record of
excellent service in the House of Rep
rcscntatincs. was consistently in favor
Of temperance legislation. and was
nominated with the fun knowledge
os this fact. lie was bitterly and
publiclf opposed by the liquor inter
csts. and they brought about his de-
feat by a majority Of about 1000. at
an election when the Democratic
state Of Maryland gave 2o.o00 major
ity Tor President Wilson. We do not
believe Mr.. Prcttynan viii pretend to
deny that the influence Of the Anti
saloon League in Maryland. had Il
been exerted in favor of Mr.. Lewis.
would have saved him. But the ANTI
Saloon League apparently was con
tent TO sec The liquor interests
slaughter this unexceptiouabie and
creditablo Democratic candidate, be-
cause he was dry.
The election OF Weller, another
whisky Republican, at lasa fails cleo
ton. also is significant. He received,
as Every Evening said, $4,000 fewer
votes than were cast for Mr.. Harding
in the great landslide that involved
Maryland as well as other States, but
we also pointed out that Senator
Smith received about II 900 less votes
than were cast for Governor Cox. Mr..
Prettyman essays to prove that the
largely reduced vote for Weller was
due to the influence of the fight made
against him by the 4Anti-Saloon
League. and perhaps it was. But if
most OF these $4,000 protesting Re-
publicans We're actuated by Mr.. Wei
ler's championship of the liquor
r.,,so 4bcfs .z,a1 i, 1,ot,.4e - tt.sr
own cause was not sufficient to bring
themselves to the point OF voting for
Senator Smith, the Democratic can
didate, who suffered severely from the
opposition of the liquor interests
Probably they would have regarded
voting for a Democrat, even though
he was favorable to the temperance
cause, as Senator Smith was, as too
much of a sacrifice of their partisan
ship. Had half Of those who voted
against Weller supported Smith, the
latter would have been elected. But
Senator Smith is a Democrat, and that
is crime in the eyes OF many Re-
publicans. even though they are ar
IDENTIFY in favor of prohibition.
Weaker than anything else. is Mr..
Prettyman's endeavor 70 make fair
showing of the refusal of the ANTI
Saloon League to print the answer
made by Mr.. Leroy Harvey. Rpub-
lican candidate for mayor at the recent
city election, after Mr.. Bayard, the
Democratic candidate. had made his
reply public. The inference Of this
failure to show how MIR. Harvey stood
is significant, to say the least. and the
belief that il was mainly because he
was the Republican candidate is
largely natural. Also, we venture to
suggest ~ Mr. Prettynian that il is