A prohibition law was voted in by an immense
majority in 1912, but the undismayed "wets" propose to secure a
resubmission if possible. They apparently regarded the woman suffrage
amendment as an outer defense to be taken before the march on the main
prohibition fort could be begun; and every "wet," high and low, was
on duty. The "drys" who would do well to study Napoleon's rule of
strategy, that is, "find out what your enemy doesn't want you to do,
and then do it," were much disturbed as to what St. Paul would think
were he here, and concluded not to be over hasty about giving the
women the vote.
At the Democratic convention an anti woman suffragist spoke. The
applause in the gallery and in the standing groups filling the outside
aisles was uproarious and clearly represented an organized, carefully
planted claque. The leaders were an ex-brewer, an ex-saloonkeeper and
the chief liquor lobbyist of the state. It was evident that they were
there to intimidate the party, and they did. The Democrats threw
a bouquet to the women in the form of a plank and then quietly
repudiated it.
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