St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-10-28
The Temperance Wave Dissipating Itself
in Iowa and Prohibition a Very
Dead Issue.
Some Ominous Precedents in the Empire
State and the Plums Ripening for
the Next Governor.
Roscoe ConkIing Pleads PitifulIy fol
Surcease of Newspaper
Notoriety.
The Democracy Finds a Majority In
Indfanapo1is--Brook Navy
Yard Affairs.
Prohibition a Dead Duck.

Special to the Globe
DEs MONIES, Oct. 27.-A little over
three years ago the state of Iowa was in
state of mind analogous to that of the aver
age community during brisk revival. That
sympathetic and receptive frame of mind
pervaded the whole state, and resulted in
majority of $4,000 for the prohibition
amendment. On the third st. Johns day,
as June 81, 1882, was christened by the fer
vent register, even saloonkeepers ac-
cepted the banquets rendered by the maidens
at the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union stalls, and, with whisky-laden
breaths, deposited their ballots in favor
of prohibition. But the supreme
court decided against the meas
ure, and in order to give
the Prohibitionists, who had been goose
egged in the first inning, Senator Donnan,
in good faith, brought forward the late
amendment to be enacted as statute. But
the Prohibitionists were ravenous with
their enforced delay, and through the
leadership and management of Senators
Eastman and Clarke and Donnan the bill
was strengthened by the injunction feature,
and rushed through under the whip of
party pledges to the Prohibitonists. For
several months a vigorous warfare was
made on the saloons, and for time it
seemed probable that the law would be
| measurably enforced in all communities
| where public sentiment was not unmistak-
ably against the law, and for those be-
nighted communities the temperance al
lance announced they had a rod in pickle.
| The next legislature would establish state
| constabulary for
THE RECALCITRANT COMMUNITIES.
But change came about last winter.
| Lawyers at Council Bluffs discovered a loop
! hole of escape for the saloonkeepers to the
| federal courts, and now the saloonkeepers
all over the state have taken their appeals
to the United States circuit court. This
| step has, for the present at least, paralyZed
the Temperance alliance, who must now
await the leisurely action of the federal
| judges. Meanwhile the saloonkeepers are
collecting the sinews of war for the de-
ferred contest, and they are doing it by con-
tiuuing their business without let or him
drance, so far as can be learned, in all the
principal towns III the state. In
many towns they pay no license,
| while in others they pay a
nominal. though clearly Illegal sum, for the
| privilege. AS a rule they are making money
! fast, though in Des Moines the number of
saloons has become large and the competi-
ton so keen that one saloon at least has
| announced two glasses of beer for a nickel.
This state of non-enforcement of the most
vigorous and peremptory law in the Iowa
statute books has worked a tremendous re-
vuision in the public mind. The sympa-
| thetie feeling in favor Of the ''schOOl-houst
on the hill as against the saloon in the
valley" mas worn Out-in fact,
THREE-FOURTHs OF THE VOTERS
Of the state are wandering miles away from
prohibition grace. This explains why the
Republicans hedged in their platform utter
anees in August, and instead of a boli
declaration for prohibition, as in the three
previous platforms, all they now
ask is that the law have {
fair chance, but without stipulating wha
fair trial might signify. This also ex-
plains why the Republican organs and
orators studiously evade all discussion O.
the question. Still worse than this, evi
dence is rapidly accumulating that the Re
publican leaders i'll their blood sweating
over the danger they stand in next Tuesday
are secretly negotiating with the saloon
keepers and offering them immunity from
prosecution if they will vote the Republi
can ticket. On the other hand they init
mate that all the mechanism OF the Spanish
inquisition will be employed to punish bee
dispensers if they do not obey their be
hests. But suppose the Republican mana
gers lose the election, how shall they b.
able to punish the saloon men? The fac
is, prohibition is a dead duck in Iowa, anC
it is pretty safe now to make the prophecy
that it will be repealed this winter or tw
years hence.