The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-11-14
TIVE SCANDINAVIAN AND TIE TEN
PERANCE MOVEMENT.

1.-THE Wahpeton Gazette of North d.
kotah, has an editorial article, which we
quote as interesting to Vermonters, now
that the Swedish coloniz atom scheme is
agitated.
There are said to be about IL, 900 Scan
1inavian voters in North Dakota. Sew
en- heights Of these, possibly nine-tenths,
voted for prohibition. Most of the ma
tive born farmers alsJ voted for it; but
in the towns the native Americans,
though theoretically in favor of it. did
not favor it practically with their votes
as they were afraid of injuring their
business. 1t was the Scandinavian vote,
therefore, which earned the question at
the polls.
Interesting rumors now come to the
ears of the Gazette regarding fu Their &C
ton on the part OF the Scandinavians OF
North Dakota for the enforcement OF
the liquor policy recently adopted. II
10 reported TO US that these Scandinavian
voters are now forming mammoth or
ganization to raise funds with which to
defend prohibition, should it meet with
opposition in any quarter. 1t is said
that most of these $4,000 voters are to
nave tuCll ptODCItJ dooNooCu
tees chosen for the purpose, and regu-
lar tax levied upon them, in the same
manner as any civil tax, the rate Icing
sufficient to raise any desired amount
If necessary, they can raise $3.50, 900 pei
annum in this way, and turn the money
into use wherever it is most needed
with these "sinews of war; to draw
upon, the Prohibitionists are likely tC
cause lively tunes among the violators
of the law.
RThe motives which are said to infu-
ence the Scandinavians in this move
ment are first, pride in the good
name of their native country; second q
sense of duty to themselves, their fami'
lies, and their State; third a reflection
of the temperance reform sentiment
which IS sweeping through the Scandi
navian countries: fourth, desire to hold
supremacy in North Dakota by theil
physical, mental, aud moral worth, and
not by numbers merely. 1t appears tc
us that these are legitimate objects oil
Scandinavian pride, and that these PEG
pie are taking the logical method to galr
their ends.
The Scandinavian pride, and that thest
are leRltlmate OBJECTS Oh scandinavian
pride, and that these people are taking
the logical methods to gain their ends.
The Scandinavians now recognize al
cohol as their great political and socia
enemy in every line OF progress. In thi'
light, dry atmosphere. naturally prUduc
ing wIry and nervous people, they rec
ognize the fact that alcoholic drinks are
attended by peculiar danger-far more
so than in seacoast countries, where The
heavy air produces people of heavy stat
ure and slow motion. The use Of alco
hol by the average DAkotan is like thu
application of a whip to a runaway
horse, and can only end in the extinc-
ton of those families who persist IN 1t
Many of them will 20 out of existence
by the peDitentiary and almshouse route
or end their days in the insane asylums
But we sincerely trust that the present
movement among the Scandinavian
will result in delivering them-and the
community through them-from these
dangers.
1t must be remembers J, however, that
these are only rumors ae yet.