Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-18
THE DIGEST STRAW VOTE.
THE LITERARY Digest ha


/ printed its first installment of
its ten million straw votes on the
subjects of prohibition and the SOL
diers' bonus. The first returns
cover about 100000 ballots, and
they split rather evenly on the
question of the soldiers bonus, and
on the prohibition question they are
about two to one wet or moist. The
figures are as follows: Those in
favor of the continuance and strict
enforcement of the eighteenth
amendment and the Volstead act,
32,445. Those in favor of a modi-
fication of the Volstead law to per-
nit light wines and beer, 1866.
Those in favor of a repeal Of the
prohibition amendment, 22,547.
Each person can mark only one OF
these questions on the dry side;
those who arc against repeal of the
amendment and against modifica-
ton of the Volstead act are counted
together. 1t would probably be
fair to count all those who favor
repeal of the amendment and those
who would amend the enforcement
act also, on the theory that those
who are opposed to all prohibition
and probably also opposed to strict
enforcement as provided in the
Volstead act. That would give
62,2oz wet or moist votes to 32,445
dry votes.
On the soldiers bonus question.
the vote was 46,60e for the bonus
to 47,4oe against the bonus.
On the prohibition vote. the
heaviest voting came from the mid
die Atlantic states, New York, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania. These
states cast 14,5o5 for prohibition.
1s,4oo for modification and 1856
for repeal of amendment. The next
heaviest voting came from the east
North Central states, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin. The
vote stood 1913 dry. 1894 for
light wines and beer, 6,962 for re-
peal of constitutional amendment.
The next heaviest vote came from
the New England states, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachu-
sets, Rhode Island, Connecticut.
1t stood, dry, 1850; modification,
1851; repeal. 2,Sos. While all the
states are represented in this first
installment of votes, the votes from
other sections are light and scat
tering. Montana has only IS votes
recorded, II dry. 1o for light wines
and beer, and 8 for repeal OF
amendment.
The total votes recorded in the
first installment are not enough to
give any very good idea of public
sentiment on these questions, but
as the Digest editor tells US that
votes are coming in at the rate of
nearly 100000 a day. next weeks
table should be more representa-
tive. If anything like the ten mil
lion ballots sent out are returned,
politicians and others ought to get
a pretty good tip on public subjects.
And yet even at that a considerable
element Of doubt will remain. 1t
is the quiet, silent vote that counts.
This ballot will represent the views
of that portion Of our citizenship
which feels enough interest in the
question to fill out the forms sent
them and mail them to the news
paper. Many will not do that who
will vote at the next election. Yet
it is apparent at this time that the
question of a congressional candi-
dates attitude on the prohibition
question and the soldiers bonus
question is going to cut some ice
IN THIS ClCCtiOH. 1"O JSoAo o6S'
the prohibition question was not
raised to any great extent iii the
congressional election. Very few
candidates stated their views on
that question publicly. This year
in most congressional districts, one
or more of the candidates have
publicly announced their views on
the question, and where they have
not, both the prohibition leaders
and those who favor modification
of the Volstead act or repeal OF the
amendments are demanding to know
where they stand on this matter.
Also, organization for a campaign
on both sides is now being pushed
by the leaders. 1t is evident that
at the next election the question OF
a congressrnan's convictions on
these two questions is going to
gain or lose him some votes. Per
haps in close districts it may de-
eide the election. Most OF our