Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-03-15
THE PROHIBITION MOVEMENT.
From the Wisconsin Prohibitionist. ]

fact that three States have recently de-
cided to submit the prohibitory amend
ment to popular vote. These States are
New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Ne
braska. tits evident a strong and deter
the liquor A' power to retain its
hold on these States. The saloon
can stand the odium of public SEN
timent as it now is, can stand license and
is willing to if it must, but prohibition in
any form it can't stand and so fights it
with deadly hatred No amount of money
will be spared to save these States to the
saloon interest. What will be the out
come?
1t will interest our readers to take an
outlook through the eyes of the Christian
Union, q paper that has reputation for
candor and was never accused of being
fanatical.
In Pennsylvania the election will take
place on the 18th of June, which the anti
Prohibition papers are reminding the
friends of the measure is the annivers airy
of the battle of Waterloo. The Republi-
can majority of nearly one hundred thou
sand in the State is thought by many Pro-
hibition Republicans to give promise of
success in the contest. This, however,
seems very doubtful. Under the Brooks
law, passed last year, the State has one
day Of strict prohibition, and the number
of saloons, according to Prohibition testi-
mony, has been reduced from IA, 704 in
law was passed the Philadel hia Record
said: "in the high license law there is
the greatest bulwark against the intro
duction Of prohibitory amendment in
Pennsylvania. The success of the meas
ure in Philadelphia bids fair to enable it
to secure the anticipated results.
The number of commitments to the coun-
ty prison from June | to Nov. l,
1887, was 1851; in the corresponding
months in 1883 it was reduced to S,455.
The commitments to the house of correc-
ton during the same months decreased
from 2,663 to 1923. These results are al
together the best that have been attained
by any high license law anywhere in the
country. The opponents of high license
point out that the reduction in the num-
Der of the saloons was only in slight de-
gree due to the license fee demanded, as
is shown by the fact that outside Of the
counties in which Philadelphia and Pitts
burg are situated the number Of saloons
was only decreased $40. The action of
the courts in these cities in refusing two
thirds Of the licenses applied for involved
SO much of colorado monopoly and favor
itism that it is doubtful whether it is sus-
tanned by public opinion. Nevertheless,
until this policy has been abrogated, the
vast majority of the moderate temperance
people of these cities will probably refuse
to risk the good which has already been
secured by voting for absolute Prohibition,
which they surely cannot enforce. 1t also
seems probable that in many counties the
revenue derived from the present license
fees will be an argument with the heavy
taxpayers against adopting State Prohi-
bition.
In New Hampshire the prospects of
success for the amendment are even less,
for in this State two thirds of all the
votes cast are necessary for it's ratifca-
ton. The fact that bare majority of the
Constitutional Convention voted for the
submission of the amendment to the peo-
pie augurs badly for its success New
Hampshire already has statutory prohibit
ton of the sale of intoxicants, though
their manufacture is permitted Never
theless, in the city of Portsmouth, with
but ten thousand inhabitants, there are,
according to the Voice, $50 persons with
Federal liquor licenses. The Voice
naturally maintains that this disgraceful
violation Of the law is due to the influence
of the great brewery of Frank Jones. Yet
it the statutory laws can be defed SO openly,
it is not likely that two-t thirds of the peo-
pie of the State will favor the incorpora-
ton of prohibition into their constitutional
law.
In Nebraska the prospects of the
amendment ought to be better. In Omaha
though the number of the saloons has
been reduced to $50 by the ST, 200 license
fee, there appears to have been no diminu-
ton in drunkenness and crime In fact,
the statistics of crime in Omaha are ap-
pallirg. 1t is stated that there were last
year ll,9lO arrests, though the entire
population of the city was but ITO. 900.
OF these arrests, 1862 were of prostitutes,
who are every mouth brought before the
colrt and fined. The revenue derived
from this source last Year was SIS. sos,
most of which was paid into the school
fund. The Prohibitlonists assert that the
public conscience has been corrupted by
the adoption Of the license principle.
Another reason for hoping for the sue
cess OF the amendment in Nebraska is
that the population of the State is largely
agricultural, like that of the neighboring
State OF Kansas. and in Kansas the policy
of prohibition is apparently more success
full than in any other State in the Union.
Last weeks news brought us authori
tative reports as to the work of prohibit
ton in the two States Of Kansas and
Rhode Island the population of the latter
being as distinctly urban as that of the
former rural. In Rhode Island the law is
SO openly trodden upon that it is likely
to be stamped out The Providence
Journal prints diagrams showing the loca-
ton of 529 saloons in that city and these
529 do not include the drug stores or
clubs or the rooms in the observation-disclosures
which are suspected to be drinking
places. 1t would seem, therefore, that
the liquor business in Providence has
increased under prohibition. In Kan
sas, however, the situation is exactly
the opposite. In his message to the Leg
islature, Governor Martin, the retiring
Governor, declares that prohibition has
abolished the saloon, and also enormously
diminished crime. as proven BY the facts
that Notwithstanding ste sdy increase in
population the number of criminals in the
penitcntiary is steadily decreasing; that
many OF the iails are empty. and the rest
show marked falling off in the number
OF prisoners, and that the business of the
police courts in the larger cities has dwin-
died to one fourth its former proportions,
while i'll cities of the second and third
class the occupation of the police courts
is practically gone. This statement con
firms that recently made by Judge john