Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-09-19

people OI Dakota are largely AWAKENED
on the subject.
Joseph Ward Of Yankton---I do not
think this the time IL submit this to
the people with or apart from the con-
stitutiOn. As much as am in favor Of
prohibition l must say | think it will
endanger our chances of statehood.
For the sake of temperance and prohi-
bition itself l think this not the time
to bring up the issue. To press it now
Is to take away our hopes Of success
and weaken the cause of temperance.
l think q large proportion of the votes
will 60 against the constitution and the
issue of temperance. When we battle
for temperance We must stand on even
ground. 1t is only matter of good
hard sense.
II. j. Campbell Of Yankton Il desire
to meet the Issue fairly. As l underi
stand it, if we adopt the report and it
carries at the polls it becomes a part of
the constitution. and oppose it. The
caption Ito be separately submitted
amounts to nothing. am opposed to
either submitting the issue to a vote or
incorporating prohibition in the con-
stitutiOn. 1t was decided by body of
representative prohibitionists at Yank-
ton before the Huron convention was
held, in consultation with eminent adj
vocates of statehood that 1t was mad
visable to confuse the temperance issue
and. statehood. that these prohibition
representatives would support the con-
stitutiOn without the prohibition issue
being submitted.
Mr.. Campbell offered an amendment
to he incorporated into the constitution
giving the majority of the people pow
er to petition the legislature for and
making it incumbent upon the legisla-
ture to pass prohibition or other laws
upon the request OF such majority.
Eli johnson Of Hyde opposed placing
prohibition before the people now. in
humorous language and expression,
warning the advocates of the issue
against inviting the defeat of the con-
stitution by the money ofthe brewers.
John NJ. Pease Of Dawson urged the
sense OF the proposition to vote upon
prohibition us IA matter of right and
politics. The ladies in the gallery gave
him a round OF applause when he said
the temperance people of the territory
must be in the ascendency il one judg-
ed from the way the opponents were
lighting shy Of the issue. and a bouquet
was sent down to him.
J. f. Knox of Faux warned the TEN.
perance people agaist dallying and
urged the submission of the issue. lie
hoped the desire of those who had pc
titioned the convention be needed.
A. :. Jones of HutchinsOn-(;entle.
men have said they could see no reason
why the question should not Ike sub
mitted with the constitution. They
lose sight of honor. We are in honor
bound not to have anything to do with
any other issue than those belonging to
the adoption of a constitution. The
people OF Hutchinson county would
defeat both the constitution and prohi.
bition ii they are submitted together
1t has been repeated that the people de.
sire prohibition submitted. deny it.
for they all understand in the call for
| the convention it was understood that
| the issue OF temperance would not be
raised. 1t has been raised by those
who want to defeat the constitution.
l desire this movement to statehood
should he successful, but if we submit
this issue it will not be successful
G. E. Brooks of YanktOn-Since it
mas been understood that the work OF
this convention be non-partisan, and
the prohibition is partisan, would it
not abSolve the cOmpacts which bring
this convention together to take up
! this issue.
Mr.. Knox said the gentlemen from
| Yankton came here instructed. and
hence their expressions were of no
more weight than those of individuals.
He did not propose, he said, to bow
down before individual sentiment. He
received bouquet from the gallery.
AlOnzO Converse of Sanborn said ne
did not come with instructions one
way or the other, but he thought the
people OF his county sufficiently intel
ligent to vote for or against the prohi-
bition; he could leave the issue with
them, and favored submission. There
was vigorous applause from the gal
lery as he proceeded, saving he did not
recognize the powers OF the brewers,
but thought we should 60 right ahead
in the discharge of duty in the light of
right. He could not see anything in
the preliminary work of any conyen-
ton OF which the present was an out
growth precluding the submission of
the subject with the constitution. 1t
would not be Il partisan issue, since
the prohibition party was made up of
both political parties. He compared
the issue to a cyclone, and thought the
only way to get past it was by meeting
it at the polls.
At 1925 the convention adjourned
to2P. NJ.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Upon the reassembling of the con-
vention, at 2P. NJ, the consideration Of
the question of prohibition was re.
sumed.
W. W. Bookings of AIinnehaha said
he favored temperance. but ne did not
favor prohibition. The business men
were largely against prohibition. and
would defeat the constitution, he
thought. The temperance people who
have been so energetic here of late on
prohibition never took the trouble to
close saloons on holidays and election
days. His native state, Maine. had pro-
hibiti0n, vet the liquor traffic was run
ningg wild. A good regulating liquor
law was better than prohibition.
| While he thought it would be voted
down, two to one, he favored submit
ting it to the people to get out full
vote. He thought the ladies should
keep their bouquets to decorate the
grave Of their cause after the election