River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-04-16
The Prohibition Movement in Iowa.

EDITOR JoURNAL:-Since the November
election of "a much has been said about
prohibition both pro and con. Some as
sorting that the bold step taken by the
temperance party at that election has set
the cause back twenty years, others as
strongly affirming that it has thereby
leaped forward toward attaining its pur-
pose in a like ratio. Which prophecy is
| the true one time alone can decide. In
the meantime let us turn our eyes to
| those places where the prohlbltory laws
have been more recently enacted, and
see how they prosper.
In Iowa one man claims that the law
is a total failure, another says its grand
success; one says that drunkenness mas
greatly increased another as firmly be-
fieves that it has greatly decreased. One
| newspaper proclaIns the law dead-let-
| ter. while its neighbor heralds triumphs
| of law and the conviction of law-breakers.
Whom are we to believe?
In order to investigate this matter in
an impartial manners circular containing
the following questions was sent into ev-
| ery county in the state. 1t was sent TO
| LAWYERS, doctors, merchants, ministers,
| college presidents, editors, county officers
and to many whose business was not
| known at the time. AS rule, 1t was
sent without knowledge of the political
status of the party addressed. The ques-
lions asked were as follows:
l. Has the number of open saloons in
your county increased or decreased since
| July 4. 1884?
2. Has the number of drunken men
seen on the streets increased or decreas-
ed since July 4, 1854?
| 8. Do YOU think that the amount OF
| ,Nrivata hos Increased or de-
creased since July 4, 1884?
4. Has the number of arrests Except
| ing for violation of the prohibitory law
| increased or decreased since July 4, 1854!
| 5. (a) How many arrests have there
| been for violation Of the prohibitory law!
| (b) How many convictions?
s. Has the county suffered lit licenses
were issued beforej in material prosper
| tv bv reason of loss of income arising
| from licenses?
| = Do YOU think that there would be
| much change in the proportion OF the
vote if it were retaken; if SO, IN which
way?
S. Did your county vote FOR OF
+. AGAINST the amendment?
9. Would you prefer to have the pres
ent law repealed?
| 10. Do your replies cover all OF the
county, or only part of 1t?
| In to date. replies have been received
from eighty-seven of the ninety-nine
counties of the state. The twelve coun,
ties not vet reported, are scattered all
over the state, some of them but thinly
settled. In the river counties, and es-
pecially in the large cities, the law re-
ceives the least support.
1t would no doubt be of interest to
many of your readers to have a summary
of the replies to these questions given
| Int as this would consume several col
umns of your valuable space we can only
| add that the returns show that the law Is
doing effectual work in three-fourths o.
the state. That such result Las been
obtained in so short a time, with such
| odds to confront them, speaks volumes OF
praise for the citizens of Iowa as law
biding, temperanee-loylng people.
Respectfully yours,
| A r