The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-11-17
Dilemma
(WaShingtOn Starr


Senator Simeon D.. Fess, chairman of the Republican
national committee, looks rather darkly upon the future
Of the g. O. P. when considered in connection with the
prohibition issue. Himself an ardent dry, MI. Tess in
sists that the Republican party must come out squarely
in its platform in the presidential election year. 1882, in
support of national prohibition. To do otherwise, Mr..
Fess insists, would be suicidal. In view of the recent cam
paign, however, and the declaration of the Republicans
in some of the most populOuS states of the Union, an
out and out stand in favor of the continuance of the
dry laws as they now exist might be as perilous for the
Republican party.
linois, and the no less wet former Sen. j. w WadsworthI
| Of New York, have Immediately replied to Mr.. Fess'
proposal that the G. @. P. become the dry party of the
nation, calling attention to the very large number OF
Republican vets. Mr.. Britten makes a demand for the
prompt retirement of Senator Tess from the chairman
ship Of the Republican party. It appears that Mr.. FeSs
has started something"
In the past the Republicans have been able to
minimize the prohibition issue in their party. They
have been able to convince the voters, even those with
wet sentiments. that other issues were paramount-partic-
ularly prosperity under continuance of Republican rule.
In their party platforms they have declared for strict
law enforcement. which has satisfied the drys. But
during the present year prosperity ceased to be a raj
lying cry for the Republicans. The wet and dry issue,
agitated more and more by opponents of prohibition,
forced its way to the fore. In Illinois. the Republicans
in state convention and many of their candidates for
congressional office also declared they would vote in ac-
cordance with the views expressed by the voters in a
wet and dry referendum. The referendum in that state
has gone strongly against national prohibition. New
York Republicans in state convention also came out for
repeal. True, the Republican candidates for governor and
senator in these states were overwhelmingly defeated.
But If they had come out dry instead of leaning to the
wet cause, would they have Jared any better?
In Massachusetts and Ohio, two other states which
usually are counted Republican, the dry Republican can
didates for senator were defeated by large votes by wet
Democrats. The dry Democratic candidate for gov
elnor in Ohio won in a contest with an even more dry
Republican. But the dry Republican candidate for
governor in Massachusetts, suffered defeat at the hands
of a wet Democrat.
Senator FeSS expresses the opinion that the Democratic
party i'll 1882 will espouse the cause of repeal of the
eighteenth amendment and that the Republicans will be
forced to meet the issue by coming out against repeal.
All of which brings to mind the fact that the Demo-
cratic party is not entirely out of the woods on this
prohibition issue. There still remains the Democratic
solid South, devoted to the cause of prohibition in the
past. to be reckoned with on the other side Of the
poitical. fence. However. Demo cratic leaders for the most
part appear. like Mr.. Fess, to be convinced that their
party will nominate fer president a wet as it did in
1928, and that the party will have to attack the present
dry laws and their lack Of enforcement in it's party plat
form.
The situation in this country growing out OF the
failure to suppress the bootleg traffic in liquor has
convinced many persons strongly opposed to the old
saloon and the domination Of politics, in many places,
by the liquor traffic. that there must be some change.
1t remains to be seen whether within the next two years
some plan for the better control Of the liquor traffic
can be worked out. IT such a plan is devised and is
acceptable to a great majority of the voters, the liquor
issue will fade as campaign material. If no such plan
can be developed, the issue Of national prohibition. as it
is, will be forced into the national campaign in 1892 even
more strongly .han it has existed in the campaign lust
closed.