Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-05-24
Arrests for
drunkenness
Year ending No. of License
A Few Iowa Facts-Onicial Figures That
Tell of the Laws Success.

Tell of the Laws Success.
At the third annual convention of the
First Congressional Temperance Alliance,
held in Burlington, Iowa. President w.
p. Blake gave the following information
about the results of the prohibitory law of
Iowa:
"A general manager of one of the lines
of railway in Iowa was asked as to the
effect of the law on the shipment of
now shipped one gallon of whisky to
whore there was shipped carload; or
one key OF beer to where there was
shipped Unload prior to the enact
ment Of the law.
From the statistics compiled by the
Secretary of State, it appears that the total
convictions for crime in Iowa were, in 1886,
l,645; in 1887, 1920; in 1888, s3s. The
report of 1888 is q few weeks short, owing
to change in the law governing the date
of returns, but will not exceed total of
1000. There were sent to the penitentiary
in 1887, 3O6; in 1888, 1856; decrease, 10.
Sent to county jails in 1887, 26l; in 1888,
l27: decrease, 1874.
statistics from the government books
show that the total number of persons
paying special tax in Iowa is about 1850.
Four years ago the number was above
10000. But take one very marked exam
pie: Polk County, which contains the
city of Des Moines, paid during 1887 for
expenses above $4,000. During 1888
the same duties have been performed, and
the expenses of that county have been re-
duced above $50, 900. In 1887 the law was
violated in the capital openly and defiant
ly. In 1888 the law was observed and
enforced as we'll as any other criminal
statute upon tho books.
Reports from the various counties to
the Alliance showed great improvement.
Louisa County reported the following
comparative criminal expenses: 1885,
S4,47133; 1886, S3,419.56; 1883, So, 582.56.
The comparative expenses for maintain
ing the poor in Louisa County were: 1885,
$6,s16.27: 1887. $4,O43. l6; 1888, So, 234.5O.
Jefferson County reported that at the
last term of the court there was no GRIM
inal business, and that the Jail was empty.
Commitments Reduced Is Per Cent.
The enforcement of the prohibition law
in Keokuk, Iowa, as vigorously admins
demonstrated the benefcence Of the pro-
hibition principle. Every brewery, sa-
loon and liquor selling pharmacy has been
proceeded against and closed. In some
cases large fines were assessed against
violators. In the last eight months the
fines thus assessed reached an aggregate
Of 9OO-more than enough to pay all
the expenses incurred by the county.
The closing of the saloons has had q
remarkable effect upon the peace, good
order, and prosperity of the city. There
has been a decrease of IS per cent. in the
number of criminal commitments. Retail
tradesmen say laboring men buy more
supplies than ever before. More new
houses have been built the last year than
in any former year for a quarter of CEN
fury.
The defeat of Mayor Irwin, which is SO
gratifying to the high license people of
the East, is regarded by the best citizens
of Keokuk as calamity to the city, be-
cause it may mean an interruption in the
work of enforcing so good a law as prohi-
bition has shown itself to be. 1t was not
brought about by the sober Judgment OF
the people of Keokuk, but by the manipp-
lations of Observation-Disclosures that ara
too often successful in allcities. 4,