The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-07-21
A Sign Of the Times.
Addison, July IL.

k"0 HSAssSse SN vi hO
time is the recent great majority of the
popular vote in Iowa, by which the
following amendment to the constitu.
of the state las been adopted:
"No person shall manufacture for
sale, or sell or keep for sale as a bever-
age, any Intoxicating liquors whatever,
including ale, wine and beer. The gen.
eral assembly shall by law prescribe
regulations for the enforcement of the
prOnlDillon norein contained, ana snail
the violation Of the provisions thereof"
That drunkenness is the cause of q
vast proportion of the crime with which
every community has to deal, aud that
it increases taxes enormously were facts
universally known, and the long cru
SADIE against intemperanco and liquor
selling is familiar. The Maine law, tho
bf3if6aI(( o 9pti3 Rnd lay, various forms Of pro.
adopted in various parts of tho country
Reports of their efficiency have differed
and the debate has been constantly re.
new ed, stimulated by "~praying bands
and damage acts. 1t has been very
difficult to estimate accurately the efecl
of this various agitation upon public
opinion. But the recent vote in lows
shows how profoundly the public
mind. in that state at least, has beer
stirred, and the result is unquestionabl,
tho most important event in the history
Of the temperance agitation.
The amendment is an absolute pro
hibition both Of the manufacture and
sale of all spirituous and malt liquors
1t forhids not only the sale OF q glass o.
whiskey over the counter, but OF o boz
of claret at a store. 1t closes the lager
beer saloon as we'll as the Off GO of tht
wholesale dealer. 1t is q measure NOR
complete and radical than the mos
teetotal prohibitionist probably believed
to be possible, and the majority is re
ported 10 be very large, so that there il
no doubt of the public determination
The population OF Iowa is 1,624,6l5, O
which only 261 $50 are of foreign birth
Ofthe foreign born S8,268 are German
and 44,061 are Irish. The number O
men of voting age in the state Ia 416, 1858
and of these there are 126, 1eS who ar,
foreign born. Iowa is essentially
rural state. Its three largest cities hav,
10000. These facts and figures largel.
explain the result. The cities, except
ing Des Moines, voted against tb
amendment, but the country voted 70
it. The liquor interest is understoO,
to have struggled strenuously agains
the measure, but 1t Is the deliberat
opinion of one Of the most intelligen
OF American communities that tn
traffic In intoxicating liquors should b
abolished.
1t now remains for the legislature +
pass laws to carry the amendment int
effect, and II Is here that an effort vii
be probably made to mollify in som
way the stringency of the prohibition
But the decided feeling that has bee
shown will affect the election of mem
bers of the legislature, and unless Their
should be some reaction from the YER
completeness Of the present success, th
sentiment 0fthe state will be so strOngl
represented in the legislature that th
trial of prohibition will be made. ]
will be watched with universal interei
throughout the country, and the resu.
In Iowa gives new interest to the Gle,
ton in Ohio, which will turn Target
glance at the figures shows that In Ohio
OF q total population of 3,198 ,062, onl
1914 ,943 are foreign born, and that {
this number 192,597 are Germans an
1882 are Irish. The neil of votin
age are 1926 1871, of whom 1911 1886 al
foreign born. Upon these figures, an
, considering the force Of the temperate
feeling In Ohio, Republican succel
: might be confidently anticipated In thi
A state If the native Democrat vote, whic
10 large, were not always to be reckone
against what 10 known as a temperate
I policy. The result In iowa and Kanss
however, and the situation In Obi,
, show that the question has nov becom
enc of political importance .-[Harper
Weekly.