The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-07-27
THE IOWA ELECTION.

The people of Iowa, at the election
held in tibet State, on Tuesday, June q,
adopted by majority of over $4,000
votes, the amendment to the State con-
stitution, prohibiting the manufacture
or sale of any intoxicating liquor what
ever, including ale, wine and beer. The
exact terms of the amendment are as
follows:
'sNo person shall manufacture for sale,
or sell, or keep for sale, as beverage,
any intoxicating liquors whatever, In
Guiding ale, wine and beer. The Gener-
al Assembly shall by law prescribe re-
gulations for the enforcement of the
prohibition herein contained, and shall
thereby provide suitable penalties for the
violation of the provisions hereof.
The large majority. In favor of the
amendment, is hardly a surprise TO any
one who has watched the legislation on
the subject in Iowa, and noticed under
what absolute control the fanatics have
had every Legislature that has assembled
in that State for fifteen or twenty years.
The same sentiment and influence that
secured the passage of the old pro
hibitory liquor law, and kept it on the
-.
the amendment in question; and this
same power will maintain it Gf they do
not enforce IT'D on the statute books for
some time, and may be forever.
This amendment has been adopted by
two successive legislatures, and now by
vote of the people. thus inficting upon
a large minority of the law abiding
people of that State, an unjust and
arbitrary sumptuary law that will have
as result a rich harvest of crime and
lawlessness to answer for In the very
near future.
As we have often reiterated in these
columns, such laws do not accomplish
the end aimed at-neyer have In the
past. and never will in the future. On
the contrary, their effect has always
been to promote the very vices they were
intended and expected by their makers
to prevent. They have nowhere pre-
vented or diminished in the least degree
the vice of drunkenness, but they have
everywhere added to it the vices OF lying,
perjury, law breaking. Nowhere has 1t
been found possible to enforce them
Inev have therefore tended to weaken
public respect for law, and to bring the
administration of law into contempt.
These evil consequences of their enact
ment have been nowhere compensated
by any good consequences. In their
production of new immoralltles and
their complete failure to prevent any old
immortality, they are among the best
exemplifcations of the folly of that
human credulity which puts faith in the
ministry of the police as an agency OF
morals-a folly which is as prevalent IN
Iowa as tornadoes, and may prove not
| less damaging.
| The main struggle in this contest is
yet to be fought, and that IS in the
enforcement of the laws that are to be
enacted to carry out the provisions OF
this amendment, and this is where it
VIII fail.
The effect upon the commercial inter
ests generally of the State will be marked.
| The pecuniary loss which inevitably
must follow from the closing of the
| breweries is incalculable, and the disas
trous influence of prohibition upon com
MERGE and business industries will sooI
be felt.
One of the plainly perceptible causes
of the success of the prohi lie:
in the fact that Iowa is largely settled
by the New England puritanical element
which found its way Westward, and this
element has always been governed by
fanaticism, nativism and narrow minded
ness.
We believe that their success in this
instance will serve to make them more
aggressive than ever in other States, but
at the same time we hope it will act as {
signal alarm for all friends of liberty IL
its widest sense. In the final battle
victory must be, as it always is, on the
side of those fighting for right.
To the brewers throughput the State
# =. a calamity, and to many it means
rnination a,,,a practical confscation o.
their property. and the , ,at;cr and savings
of lifetime. Millions of dollar o.
property, built up under the sanction
and protection of the law, is now render
ed valueless, and ruin and bankruptcy
stare many of these men In the face
In the river cities and towns, and the
larger cities throughout the State, there
will be but little attempt to enforce th'
law, and the breweries in those localities
will still be able to do more or less
business, but the large number OF brew
ers in the small towns will find it exceed
ingly difficult to keep their heads above
water.-EG.
The above extrrct has been published
by request.