Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-10

BOWEN + kINGsBUKY, FYop.s.
Regarding the political situation III
Ohio prlor to yesterdays election an In
telligent correspondent writes, under
date of October 7th: From the outset ii
hes been difficult to forecast this coming
Ohio election, complicated, as it is. With
petty local discoids in one party, and
the temperance question in both parties.
The suddenness with which the prospec,
OF the second amendment becoming
part of the constitution dawned upon the
leaders of both great parties is pAenoal-
email. In 1874 when the question of H.
csnse or no license was submitted to
separate vote of the people along with
the constitution. which they rejected,
fifty five counties gave majorities against,
and thirty-three ma]orlties for license,
and it was defeated in the state by ma
jority Of a trifle above 1900, in a total,
vote of 10000, in round numbers--or
about half as much as the probable vote
% next Tuesday. The surprise at the
time OF that vote was that twenty-three
OF the counties giving majority against
license were democratic; and of the
counties giving majority in favor of Ii.
oense, nine were republican. The pres.
ent indications are that there has been,
in both parties, latent sentiment IN
favor OF restricting the sale of liquors
pervasive to an extent never dreamed of
by the leaders of the two parties, until
since it has been called into activity by
the tremendous campaign of the advo-
Gates OF the second amendment. There
is speck Of danger in the way of the
full vote on this amendment availing.
The amendment as presented is COM
pound one-namely. "For license, yes or
no." For prohibition, yes or no." There
is very prevalent notion that any voter
may vote for both these amendments
and have both his votes count. The
Hamilton County Temperance alliance
called upon eminent legal counsel less
than week ago, and learned that voting
for both amendments would be equiya-
lent to voting for neither, and conse-
quently to throwing such votes away.
This and other complications in the
count and after the count are likely TO
embarrnss this amendment, even if it
should get the requisite majority of
votes. No political party in this state on
any occasion ever made suc, tremen.
dous and thoroughly searching canvass
as the Temperance classes have made IN
this campaign, ,and that without any organ
in the shape Of daily newspaper. Many
bold that it is possible for both clauses
Of the temperance amendment to pass
inasmuch as the sale OF liquors for other
purposes than as beverage would not
be prohibition, and that license for the
sale for unlawful uses would not be in
compatible with the prohibition of its
manufacture and sale for unlawful pur-
poses. In 1874 the counties were clas-
sifed as forty-one republicans and forty
seven democratic.
The great question which seems to ag-
itate the public mind is whether the
second or prohibitorv siiendment Will
pass. tbs acknowledged on all sides
that it will poll tremendous vote, some
even predicting 100000. AT the present
time the indications are that nothing
less than very full vote will defeat it.
1t is pretty well understood now that Its
passage would virtually place the liquor
traffic back where it has been, which was
free whisky. 1t would annul the Scott
law, which now brings S2,OO0,o0o annual.
lv into the treasury. Many liquor sell
lers are working hand in hand with the
prohibitionists. knowing full well that
such provision would be dead lette,
from the start, and that the tax now lev.
led would be removed.