Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-02
AN UkGRATEFUL FACTION.
The Radical Prohibitionists who Propose
to Rule or Ruin.
ST Paul Pioneer-Press

The Radical Prohibitionists who Propose
to Rule or Ruin.
ST Paul Pioneer-Press
Poor in numbers and weak in authority
to represent any considerable number OF
south Dakota voters as was the conver.
ton OF prohibitionists which met at
Huron ii was large enough to demon.
strate 10 the people what those OF others
localities are learning by experience
that it is useless and dangerous to make
any concessions to the fanatical advo-
Gates OF prohibition. They will have just
what they ask and ali that they ask, even
though 1t imply the yielding to them OF
virtual supremacy in the state aud the
subyersion of doctrines of personal
liberty as old as democratic government
itself; or else they will turn, and rend
first the hand that has been most lavish
of favors to them. The men who framed
the constitution adopted by the
Sioux Falls convention made a
mistake in yielding the slightest
advantage to the small but noisy party
which came there threatening to defeat
every measure that Dakota might hold
most dear if they were not allowed to
have their way in the matter of prohlbi.
ton. Events elsewhere should have
taught them that it is necessary, in com
batting this particular heresy, to either
make an open fight without quarter OF
submit uncoDditionally. Instead OF tax
ing either of these courses, they struck
a weak compromise in the hope of saw
ing themselves from the dangers which
they foresaw in both directions. They
dared not incorporate prohibition pure
and simple, lest the larger and clearer
knowlede of the nation as to the nights
and privileges of citizenship should
reject their entire work by reason of one
such glaring error. They feared to take
| the only manly and logical ground
that prohibition Is practically both a
failure aud an injustice. and that it has
no shadow of claim to place in any
constitution-lesti its friends should carry
out their threat of hostile action. And
SO they adopted section which is the
| weakest and worst portion Of their work.
declaring that if 5000 legal voters should
unite to ask any amendment at the
hands of the first legislature, such amend
ment should be submitted to a popular
vote without farther delay. And they
are likely to get their reward for this
piece of folly. The prohibitionists do
not seem eager to accept the bribe.
Those of them who we're present at the
Huron meeting declared their intention
of opposing the constitution, and pledg-
ed themselves to work against its adop-
ton. They propose to organize a
separate party on the issue that il
south Dakota is not to have prohlbito.
ry constitution it shall have none at all
The prohibitionists have not been won
over, while the men who sought to paci.
fy them have been committed to pcsi.
tion that is indefensible In every psrtic.
ulsr. 1t is not undesirable that the plain
issue should be made whether or moi
governments exist for any other purpose
than to prescribe what their subjects
shall eat and drink aud wear and think
but it is a great pity that an otherwise
admirable work should have been marrec
to no purpose by provision which nc
one of unbiased judgment can approve
The result will not affect the fate of tn,
new constitution 10 any considerable de
gree, but it is to be hoped that it will
lead to a clearer apprehension of the mo
tives and methods of that species of po
litical piracy which holsts the flag Of pro
hibitien.