Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-11-12
DRY LEAGUE
WATCHES HOUSE
Seems as if They Will Have
Say in Work of the Re-
publican Majority

Autf-Saloon League is maneuvering
to have a say in the work of the Re
publican majority in organizing the
/ 1922 House of Assembly is evident
l from the talk that Speaker George
| Hobart, of .he 1921 session, has en-
dorsed one Of his Essex colleagues
Philip ID. Elliot. for the G.. q. T.
| leadership in the coming assembly.
This is significant from a dry
standpoint, because Mr.. Hobart is
a leader of these forces and a year
ago he won the speakership OF the
assembly in a great because
of the support the Ant-Saloon
League lined ny TO. him among the
dry members of the House then.
The name most frequently heard
in connection with the Hous ma
iority leadership Of the 1922 ses-
sion has been that of William w.
Evans. OF Paterson. Passaic county.
He will begin his fourth year in the
House next January. whereas MT
Elliot starts only his second. Evans
is regarded as a wet" and the Anti
saloon League, of ourse wants TO
have a man in the leaders chair
who wifi see to it that the a Ness
Law is kept on the statute BOOKS
and who is also capable of meeting
any wet" moves.
Evans is the logical choice n his
experience fits him for the place, nut
If the league goes after him on the
IioI,or question il may be possible 10
whip enough of the Republican AS
semblvmen into limo to accomplish
his defeat.
The caucus vote on this question
would likely be about twenty-six
"drysAo twelve "wets." which does
not include the three votes from
Camden county. However, If the
contest included a question of Unit
ed States Senator Edge supporting
Evans. as he was credited with do
ing a year ago for Assemblymah
Hershfeld from Passaic against Ho-
bart for speaker Camden would
most likely be found in the ranks OF
Evans opponents. On the other hand
Bergen three dry" votes woul ike
" be found n the Evans column, as
Edge has the Bergen organization.
It will be recalled that a year ago
former Senator David Baird, former
Governor Il. C. Stokes and National
committeeman Hamilton F. Kean
astutelv got the anti-saloon league
into line with Hobart for speaker as
mart of their scheme to defeat Edges
man. Hershfield. The same situation
NAV arise on the leadership this
wear. The above figures do not in
cIude the three Essex members
Mrs Laird and Assemblymen Frank
lin and Menninger.
The position of these three MEM
bers will be different from the other
''drvs'' in the next House in that
they are pledged to changes, at
least the inclusion of a jury trial, in
the Van Ness act. How they will
line ND in the event of a contest for
leader, therefore, remains to be
seen.
one of the interesting fights of
the coming session will undoubtedly
hinge over the retention or repeal
of the Van Ness act and all its works
and pomps. Samuel Wilson, assist
ant superintendent Of the Anti
Saloon League, in a statement on
the election this week predicts that
the law will stay.
There is no reason why the Re
publicans should disown their own
baby" declared the dry" chief.
Larson Regarded Dry
A total of twenty-nina Republican
votes. together with two Democrats,
one from Hunterdon and the other
from Sussex, or a required majority
of thirty-one in the House would
appear at this writing to be against
the repeal of the act. The senate
dry forces having been increased
by the election of +. Morgan Larson
in Middlesex. a Republican, sue
ceeding Senator Thomas Brown,
Democrat and wet" and by che ac-
cession of Senator-elect David II.
Agans, dry Democrat from Hunt
erdon in place of the doubtful Sen
ator George Martens from that
county u the defeat OF any re-
pesler on that side.
Not only that but the acquisition
of the new Middlesex and Hunterdon
senators to the forces of the Anti
Saloon League mean that the eigh-
| teenth amendment will likely be rat
flied by the next legislature, thus
taking New Jersey out of the ranks
of the few states which have refused
to put their approval on the prohibi-
ton clause in the constitution. Last
year the senate by one vote failed
to ratify. although the assembly
was ready to give its approval
There will be votes and to spare in
the senate in 1922 and the mex
House will undoubtedly go on rec
ord for ratification also.
Although the Van Ness act viii
likely remain on the statute books
it may undergo some changes, but
il is too early 10 say whether the
dry" forces are sufficiently strong
10 keep the act intact as it was pass
ed by the 1921 legislature.