The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1930-02-01

is the duty of observing the Constitution
and laws Of the nation and the common
wealth. Massachusetts, has always
been a stalWart supporter and defender
of the Constitution Of the United States.
Massachusetts, has always stood for law
and order"
Commenting editorially on these fine
words the Nashville Banner says:
Regardless of the effect which the
stand may have on Governor Aliens po-
litical fortunes he has performed a use
full service. At time when double-deal-
ing political eoWardice, evasion and du-
plcity upon this question are SO common
upon the part of public men who are can
didates for Office the chief executive of
Massachusetts, has set an admirable eX-
ample Of the timeliness of courage and
candor; and, whether he win or lose at
the November polls, the exhibition or
moral courage which he has made will
elevate his stature for all time in his
state"
We must, we will appeal to the states
to do their duty, both by their own law
and toward the Union; we must and we
will appeal to all of our citizens to sup
port both state government and to recog-
nize that when it speaks the Constitution
of the United States with its supporting
legislation is the supreme law of the
land; that it demands and will receive
loyal and hearty devotion and support
from every true American.
V. KEEP PROHIBITION ABOVE PARTY
POLITICS AND PARTISAN
CONTENTION
We must and we WILL as much as in us
lies, keep prohibition out of and above
party politics and partisan contention.
The Anti-Saloon League has always been,
is and will continue to be nonpartiSan
or omnipartisan organization Its one
qualification for cooperative effort is, "Are
you opposed to the beverage liquor traffic
and do you believe in its suppression by
the government by regular legal processes
and through regular constituted author
ity? If you believe this and wish to join
with us, welcome" We can join hands
in doing this without in any way affecting
our party loyalty or our support of our
party candidate-unleSs our party and
our candidates shall become so blind or
so venal as to espouse the cause of liquor
In that case hear it all We politicians and
party leaders, in that case here is moral
issue greater than party questions and
we will scratch.
The Anti-Saloon League has not only
been nonpartisan or omnipartisan in its
organization; it has fought always to keep
prohibition from becoming party queS-
ton.
It was not in any sense our fault that
prohibition became the chief issue be-
tween the major political parties in the
last national campaign. The responsibility
for that was upon the nominee of one of
the parties, who felt himself big enough
to bully his party, to jump its platform
and make his own, and on this basis go
out to win the presidency of the United
States by the "sure vote" of a whole great
section of the Union whose political solid
arity could never be broken, combined
with the vote of the Tammany-bred and
Tammany-t trained, liquor soaked element
in the metropolitan centers.
The result of that campaign is fairly
well known, even to those who read the
wet newspapers. The matter is referred
to here only to emphasize the fact that
we shall always do all we can to keep
prohibition from becoming party issue,
but that if any party or candidate steps
forward as the champion Of liquor and
on that ground asks the support Of the
American people, the DRAMA perhaps we
should say the tragedy, of 1923, will be
re-enacted on an even larger scale.
predict that never again will any party
allow itself to be so bullied and so led to
certain political slaughter by a candidate
and that hereafter both Of the major
parties will frankly espouse prohibition as
L. FL