The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-11-12
In IOWA,
DEATH BLOW TO THE MOVEMENT

In that stats-A Poll OF the Members Of the Lsrl,
lstars on the SuJset-Thc n'JaritJ Of Thsn
are Opposed 70 ssain sabmlttins the
Ansndn.at. to Popular Vote.
CHICAGO, November 10.-The Tribune
with view Of ascertaining the sentiment
of the members Of the mex. Iowa Genera
Assembly, which meets early in January
on the question OF prohibition, recently ad
dressed circular letter to each Of the III
members who will compose that body, re
questing their views on the following points
Firsl-Do you consider the amendmen
now 10 have d binding force in spite OF thu
adverse decision Of the Supreme Court?
Secend-Do you favor the submission
@ new amendment?
Third-Do you favor establishing prohi
bition by statueP
suRPRIsINa RESULTS. ~
The results are surprising. They sheB
first Of all, that the Prohibitionists them
selves have given up all hopes OF contest
ing further the decision Of the Supreme
Court on the prohibition question, anc
have decided to consider that as settled fol
all time. But the most surprising thing O.
all, as shown by these figures, is that pro
hibition by constitutional enactment In
Iowa Is dead and buried beyond hope oi
resurrection. The returns show that in
both the lower and upper houses Of the
Legislature exists strong majority against
the submission to the people Of the prohi.
bitory amendment, and this majority is SO
strong in each case that the most ardent
supporters Of prohibition cannot hope for
years to come, at least, to see this syst.m
engraited upon the Constitution OF the
State. The rthux in the opinions OF the
people OF Iowa has been 80 great that even
prohibition by statute will have close
call at best, the figures seeming to lean
against the passage OF any such law by the
popular branch of the Assembly, although
the Senate appears 10 be committed to this
method OF enforcing temperance.
In this summary the two branches of
the Legislature may be considered separ-
ately, as either constitutional amendment
or q statute would have to be passed by
each house. In the frat place, 10 the Sen.
ate, there are but few who consider the
present amendment binding in spite OF the
Supreme Court, while f3rty-flve consider
that decision binding and two are doubt
ful. The Senate consists of fifty members,
OF whom twenty favor resubmission Of
the amendment, twenty-seven oppose such
submission and three arc in ldouot. Ol
these fifty there are forty Republicans and
Fusionists, Democrats and Greenbackers.
That constitutional prohibition has lost
ground among the Republicans Is shown
BY the fact that seventeen Of them will
vote ggainst 1t, while three are doubtful,
thus showing the party split in halves on
this question. Three OF the Republicans
are against statutory prohibition, thirtv.one
will favor 1t and Blk are doubtful. Thus
the Senate stands thirty-one for statutory
prohibition, thirteen against 1t and SIX
doubtful. The Fusionists in each case vote
"No," and are generally very open in theii
opposition to prohibition in any form.
now THE LOWER HOUSE STANDS. IS
The returns from the lower house are the
most significant and will doubtless cause
sincere sorrow to many Of the Iowa Prohi'
bitionists. They show that the Republi,
can party has abandoned constitutional
prohibition and become committed to the
idea OF prohibiting the sale Of intoxicating
liquors only by legislative action-that is,
BY simple statute which may be repealed
at any time the maiorities may be reversed.
Still, there are enough Republicans oppos'
ed to even statutory prohibition to render
It's success q matter Of grave doubt when
the solid body OF Democrats is taken into
consideration. Only IA OF the 100 mem.
bers OF the house are inclined to defy the
Supreme Court aud consider the amend.
ment now in force, while IS look on itE
death as accomplished, and only on the
subject Of resu omission 80 Representatives
will favor 1t, while u will oppose 1t and s
are doubtful.
The House is divided politically into 90
Republicans, Al Democrats, and Z Green.
backers. OF the Republicans, q will favor
o resubmission, Is will oppose 1t, and are
in doubt. Three Greenbackers are COM
mitted to resubmiEsion, 2 are opposed to 1t,
and 9 have not yet made up their minds.
rhe Democrats will vote solid against 1t.
Thus II Is seen that but bare majority OF
the Republicans Ia committed to constitu-
tional prohibition. There is better show
/ ing for the milder form OF prohibition by
statute, but the returns show that the
strength OF the two parties Is 30 evenly
matched that doubtful vote may turn the
scale. Forty.eight will vote for Legis.
lative enactment, 81 will vote against 1t,
and three are wavering. The Republicans
are nearly united on this method, as AZ will
vote for II, ss sgainst only negatives and
l doubtful. OF the Greenbackers Is in
favor, A against, and 2 in doubt. The
Democratic phalanx Of Al will be unbroken
in It's opposition.
The letters, both open and confidential
show that there has deem great cnauge Of
public sentiment. Many class themselves
on one side or the other with certain reser.
vations or qualifications, but even these &C
10 show that public sentiment has aban.
doned those advanced Prohibitionists who
want to secure their ends by constitutional
enactment; that even statutory prohibition
| Is, II anything in the balance, and that
Iewa can no longer be clasaed as strictly