The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-31

The anti.prohibition papers are hav.
ing a fresh attack of trying to prove
that prohibition is failure in Iowa.
But their statements are misleading
for they present but one side of the
case. We give below q few facts,
CLEANED from the Iowa State Register
which put a different aspect upon the
question:
An examination Of the statistics COL
lected by the Davenport Democrat shows
that they are not quite 80 overwhelming
in their condemnation of prohibition as
some had expected. The field repre-
sented is not by any means calculated to
furnish fair showing of the working of
prohibition, Us thirteen of the twenty.
nine cities quoted are river towns or in
adjacent counties, and under what is
known as the river influence. In these
towns. as is we'll known, but little or no
attempt has been made to enforce the
law, and 80 it never l,as had fair trial
there. fthe twenty-nine towns that re-
port, thirteen furnish the opinion of
somebody, mayor, marshal, or clerk, as
being in favor, conditionally or uncon-
ditionally, of repeating the prohibitory
law. Of these thirteen, ten are from
river counties, where practically no effort
has been made to enforce the law, and
naturally enough it is believed a failure.
In those river towns the returns are
about the same in each case. They say
without exception that liquor is openly
sold, that there are about the same
number of saloons as before the law went
into effect, &c.
Of the sixteen towns that furnished
testimony not under the influence of the
river counties, but two, Boone and
Charles City, reported somebody in IA
vor of repeating the law. OF these
Charles City, that reports through its
mayor, admits that no liquor is sold
openly and no saloons are known to ex-
list. Boone reports more saloons but
less drunkenness. Charlton says that
while some saloons are supposed to ex.
list, no liquor is sold, and the arrests for
drunkenness as compared with last year
are less in the ratio of one 10 twenty.
AS only one drunken man is found to
arrest under prohibition where twenty
were arrested before the law went into
effect. the mayor observed that they find
their city revenue quite equal to the
demands without the income that the
saloons formerly paid. Anamosa, which
comes under the influence of the river
towns, reports no open sales of liquor,
and only one saloon supposed to exist.
Prohibition has been enforced there, it
reports, with almost complete success"
Cedar Falls reports no open sales, no
saloons known to exist, decrease in ar
rests for drunkenness, successful work.
ing of the law, and this closing advice:
-" Let us give it a fair trial" The mayor
Of Usage says there are no open sales of
liquor, nc saloons, and prohibitation is
sustained by the moral sentiment of town
and county. The mayor of Winterset
gives the same report, and says there is
not half as much drunkenness rs there
was year ago, when there were no
saloons but two club houses.
Manchester, which also Gomez under
the influence of a river county, reports
through its mayor no open sales of
liquor, no saloons known to exist, and
success i'll the enforcement of the law.
The mayor of Centreville insists that
prohibition does prohibit, and declares
that the law is enforced there completely
and absolutely. The most significant
testimony he furnishes is his official
statement that during the past year there
was but ono arrest foi drunkenness as
against 134 the year before. The mayor
OF Abba reports splendid showing for
prohibition in his town. No open sales
of liquor. No saloons, and drunkenness
decreased seventy.five per cent. In
answer to the question: elbow is the
revenue formerly derived from saloons
obtained now?" he says: "The revenue
is derived in the usual way by taxing
the city property. and not, as in the days
OF license, by taxing drunkards' wives
and children. and making them pay it
through the saloon keepers"
The Register goes on to name other
towns throughout the state where pro.
hibition has proved successful, and
closes by saying:
IF these reports show anything. they
prove that outside of the saloon belt
which fringes Iowa along its east and
west boundaries, prohibition is accepted
and enforced as faithfully as any other
law, and is proving of incalculable ben
eft to the people. A law which can
make such showing after but one
years use is certainly entitled to fair
and full trial before it is condemned.
Still more remarkable is the assertion
that this number GIG represents an in
crease of 146 during the year. In other
words, that during one year under pro-
hibitory law there are 146 more places
selling liquor in these twenty-nine towns
than there were before the law went
into effect; and right on top of this in
formation comes the demand for the re-
peal of prohibition. All of which is a
little to gauzy to be accepted by sober