Omaha daily bee., 1882-11-14
DIES MONIES DRIpPINGS.
The Land Slide of Last Week
Still the Topic Of Talk,
Barbed Wire, Prohibition, Con-
stitutional Amendments,
Drive Wells and Other
Chronic Iowa
Bores.

DIES MONIES, November 10.-At
this writing the republicans are crawl
ing from under the land. slide which
overlook them on Tuesday. Explana-
tions are in order. How comes it that
the democrats elect a congressman in
that republican stronghold, the Fifth
district, a practical mschinist, with no
knowledge of statecraft, over lama
Jim Wilson? The reason may be
found in the prohibition amendment
and old postofice feuds engendered
during Wilson's former term In con-
gress.
Ii the Second district it was a weak
nan pitted against another weak man,
but backed by a dominent free whisky
element. In the Ninth district it was
a man personally unpopular at home,
with those who control votes, and pit
ted against a very able and popular
man with a ''barl," and backed by the
solid nti-prohibitionist element. In
short, it may be safely said the prohi-
oition amendment has cost the three
congressman. 1t may seem -,:radoxi-
cal, in view of the 10000 majority
given the amendment in the state.
But thousands of democrats voted for
the amendment. Last Tuesday they
voted for congressman, and the Ger.
mans and Irish voted with them.
THE DRIVE WELL CASES.
The lawyers are making their argu-
ments in the drive well cases. 1t is
expected the case will be closed Satur-
day. The defense has been carefully
and ably presented, to establish pri-
ority of use and the invalidity OF the
reissue of the patent. Among the
evidence for defense statements were
read from Dr.. Livingstone's travels in
Africa, showing that the natives there
bored holes in the ground with hollow
reeds to get water, seven years before
Green's patents were applied for.
H BARRED WIRE CASES.
The barbed wire monopoly have
failed in all their efforts in the federal
courts here to get injunctions granted
On shut up barbed wire makers who
refuse to pay them a royalty. TIE
ground of the refusal of the court is
that Washburn, Moen & Co. have not
yet established their title to the patents
they claim. 1t is barely possible they
have no patent at all. This was quite
unexpected to the monopoly.
THE AMENDMENT.
The people are beginning to see the
wisdom manifested by Gov. Sherman
In not making haste to the
legislature. The decision of Judge
Hayes in the Davenport case raises a
very important question as to the
validity of the amendment. The Judge
holds that the records of tho senate
show that the following was the
language of the amendment which
passed the senate:
"No person shall manufacture for
sale, or sell, or keep for sale as a bev-
erage, or to be used, any Intoxicating
liquors whatever, including ale, win
and beer" That in engroEsiug the
amendment for presentation to the
house the words 'or to be used were
omitted, and that the house did not
vote for the came resolution as that
which passed tho senate. IL is singu-
lar that the ~engrossing clerk and com-
mittee should omit those words, and
also that the omission was not discoy-
cred during the last session, espe-
cially in tho senate, where tho discus
sion lasted nearly a week, and in
which Mr.. Hemmenway, tho author
Of the amendment, took an active
ard leading part, Ii is probably true
that those words were stricken out.
In tho original, after the words "or to
be used" were the words "for other
purposes" This cut off all use for
sentimental or medical purposes.
Senator WoolBon moved (says the
record) to strike out "for other pur.
poses" which was adopted, which still
left the very objection sought to be
comprised by Woolson's motion, which
he would not be very likely to do.
Several months ago / found the orig
insl manuscript of the amendment in
the office of the secretary of state,
copied 1t with care and compared il
with that published in the laws. They
were identical, except the punctus-
ton. Hence / do not believe the
words ''or to be used" were In the
amendment when the final vote In the
senate was taken, and the error Ia
with the secretary of the senate, who