Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-09-18

carried off its feet. IL am neither a
dr,lnHard nor rum-seller," he said.
delegate.
YOU'RE right, and 1 always expect
to be" retorted Mr.. Wood.
A. IL. Melville OF Beadle-I would
rather do the right amid the frowns of
the world than do the wrong and re-
celve all your bouquets and smiles.
When L came here | thought / might
vote for submitting the issue, but since
see it will split us, and that it will he
breaking faith with the democrats to
do so, 1 would not submit it. We are
here to adopt a state constitution, with
out any new issues or doctrines. and
when that is accomplished to present
it to the people. l am sorry that the
temperance people should force this is
sue now. They say it is fair. It is not.
We were not sent here to consider the
temperance question and it is not fair
for us to break faith with our constitu-
ency to do so. l hope no one, for the
mere sake of pandering to public clam
or to present the issue, will support this
measure. We should avoid every issue
upon which we are liable to split.
AlOnZO Converse of SanbOrn-I DEFY
anyone to say l have sprung party poll
tics, or to say whether I am a democrat
or republican. | have not implied, as
l have been charged with, that the re-
publican was Il party OF prohibition.
There a be no line drawn between
political parties on the prohibition
question. l favor the submission of
the question, because it will bring out
a full vote.
A. 5. Jones of Hutchinson said he
had been accused OF representing his
constituency as being ignorant. The
accusation vas an insult. He repre-
sented an intelligent community, but
they did not want to vote upon prohi-
bition with the constitution. 1t was
an entirely separate measure, and he
was against any measure that made the
constitution secondary. When the
proper time comes he would favor sub
uniting the issue, but twas not now.
r. +. Pettigrew of Minnehaha--I
have heard a great deal said about Il
compact. I've heard of no compact,
and went into this convention free to
act, and if there is a compact I repudi-
ate it. | don't care what has been bar
gained away at Huron, Yankton or
elsewhere, we are free to act here. The
prohibitiOnists here asked as little us
they could ask, and | favor submitting
the issue, although l oppose it, because
it means free whisky. Let the people
have a voice, however, to express their
opinion. 1t is not a question of wheth-
er or not this constitution will be rati-
fled. 1t can be submitted entirely sep
arate and alone. We dare not deny the
the people a right to speak upon this
subject and express themselves fully.
NJ. Grigsby of Minnehaha-This is
not a question of the merits of prohibi-
ton, 1t is a question of policy of SUBJ
uniting the issue as collateral to the
constitution. 1 don't belong to either
side. IT l was a liquor man l would
organize a fight against the issue that
would not stop at the polls. but would
go to congress. The anti-prohibition-
lists are united and they will fight it in
congress, and how could we meet such
a fight: How would a republican peo-
pie with prohibition fare with a demo-
cratic congress? We would he defeat
ed. Money and whisky are both used
freely in congress. We want a consti-
tuition that will not only be ratified by
the people OF Dakota, but recognized
l W SolISI Voo ClSV, IN IL l. vas a plOll1-
bitionist [ would not favor submitting
the issue with the constitution. The
prohibition issue is a fight between the
liquor men and temperance people. and
has no place in the issue for statehood.
1t is Il scheme to defeat admission to
statehood. [Bouquets.]
Eli johnson OF Hyde-If there was Il
compact that conflicts with submitting
this question it was wrong, and it is
right to break a wrong compact.
Robert Dollard Of BonHomme-I am
in favor of giving the people Il consti-
tutional clause on prohibition, and am
willing to let them vote upon the
question Of prohibition, but not with
the constitution as it is now. There
was a solemn compact entered into by
the Huron convention against having
didn't these peopld raise the issue be-
though we had been holding out false
Lights to attract the people if we act on
this matter now. The prohibitory CO.
pie have nothing to lose; those wanting
statehood have everything at stake.
G.. G. Moody of LAWRENCE have
kept silence for the purpose OF being
INSTRUCTED. L usually come 10 con
clusion without difficulty, but this is
the most difficult question I've had to
deal with so far in the convention.
The people are expected to have opin-
ions and to act upon them, but this is a
new question. The liquor traffic is a
peculiar one, and it is held by many
that it is proper to absolutely prohibit
it. 1 have thought that the question
should go before the people before be-
ing dealt with in organic law. If I was
here preparing a constitution for a
state already admitted to the union. /
would not hesitate to cast my vote to
submit prohibition to the people. But
we are acting outside Of law. No act
Of law has authorized these proceed
ings, and we must act that our work
does not end as idle winds. 1 ask my
Temperance friends what there is to
prevent ballot-boX stutfing by the
liquor element? Nothing. The ques-
ton will be defeated. and your temper
ance cause will receive Il blow
you will not recover from
for years. l care not for liquor power
1t is not my friend. But wait, l ask,
until we have Il state before you push
your issue. That is the only way by
which you III reap any benefit from
y - "