The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-03-20
THE EXTRA OUTRAGE.
IF,om n. B.r,inotoa. IONA. HawIsy.

From the Burlington, loiva, Hagkeysl
The Hapkeye has waited until the facts
IN the case were fully understood be-
fore commenting on the recent dastardly
outrage at Extra, in Audubon county, in
order that II might do no injustice to
innocent persons. It now appears that
saloon building was blown up in that
town as part OF the efforts Of the pro-
hibitionists TO enforce the prohibitory
law, The DesMoines Register account Of
outrage says: "There is no doubt
that the deed was instigated by one or
two fanatical prohibitionists." Further,
that, There is no doubt but plenty of
testimony could be produced to convict
the guilty parties, were 1t not that wit
nesses dare not tell what they know
through fear of being blown up some
night"
Here We have fine example of the
results OF the prohibitory law and the
attempt of the fanatics to enforce IL.
| There Is more TO the occurrence than Is
shown by the hare facts connected with
the explosion. The prohibition fanatics
have been raving and ranting because
the people of the State have shown 30
little respect for an odious law, and
straightway commit terrible crime
with the purpose of achieving their OBJ
jects. They commit great crime to
punish q minor offence against the laws.
They become dynamiters, not to resist
oppression but to strengthen oppres-
sion.
The DesMoines Register and the pap
ers who sneeze every time 1t takes snnfi
have been at great pains TO point out the
alleged inconsistency of those papers of
the State which have condemned mob
law and opposed prohibition. 1t places
the law against murder and the prohi-
bitory law on the same plane, and main
tains that all who call for the enforce
ment of one should help the enforce
ment of the other. The HdWkeye has
pointed out the difference between the
two laws and showed that the inconsist-
ency was with those of the Register stripe,
that the Register, between the lines,
practically condoned mob law, or MUIR
der, while it was shouting for the en-
forcement of the prohibitory law. But
Inconsistency is to be expected from the
Register.
But the chief point lies not in the atti-
tude of the Register. 1t lies in the fact
that the prohibition fanatics, who rave
and rant because their pet law cannot
be enforced, are themselves guilty of o
greater crime than violation of the
prohlbitors law can ever be. To main
tain their power and achieve their ends
they have adopted the methods of the
dynamiter and the nihilist. In their
fanatical schemes to achieve the impos-
sible they have descended to crimes
which place them outside of the pale of
civilization. The deeds Of the prohibit
ionists, like the outrage at Extra and
that in Missouri, just across the Iowa
line, several months ago, have the same
moral effect as do the workings of a mob
law. Take the Extra instance: "Wit-
nesses dare not tell what they know for
fear Of being blown up" And this is III
Iowa! The men who are trying to en-
force the prohibitory law are trying to
silence the tongues Of the witnesses OF
their violence by threats OF dynamite
human life is held so cheap in Iowa? Is
it strange that an obnoxious law cannot
be enforced when its adherents commit
felony in order to achieve their objects?
The whole occurrence points moral
which the people of Iowa should not be
slow to observe. 1t IS that an obnoxious
law, like the prohibitory law, breeds
greater evils than those it is designed to
correct. We have seen that the prohibit
tory law cannot be enforced, we have
seen that it draws dlscredit upon other
and worthler laws; we have seen felony
committed in the interest of prohibition
by men who pretend to be law-abiding
citizens.
The truth is that the influences and
efforts of the prohibitory law have been
bad from the beginning; that its results
have been bad with all the factors with
which it has been connected; morally,
financially and judicially, it has been as
the upas tree, poisoning everything
which 1t has reached and influenced.
The prohibitionists may say that the
outrage at Extra was the deed of few
fanatics, and that the majority condemn
it, which may be true, but the fact re-
mains that prohibition is responsible
for it. Before the prohibitionists abuse
newspapers and people for the non-en-
forcement of their pet law, they would
do well to reform the spirit within their
ranks that leads to mob law and dyna-
mite explosions.