Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-10-18


UNDER the heading of an "Unfortu-
nate Experiment" the Pioneer Press OF
Tuesday discusses the recent election in
the Dakotas, so far as it relates to prohi-
bition, as follows:
The two Dakotas have adopted prohibi-
ton; South Dakota. apparently, with en-
thusiam and of deliberate intention; North
Dakota to her own surprise. and to the dis
gust of good many of her citizens. 1t is
mites should have engaged in this unfOrtu-
nate experiment at time when prOhibi-
tion is discredited everywhere else, and
when Washington, where there was more
reason to expect success, rejected it by an
overwhelming majority. They will prob
ably regret it at leisure. We say ''unf0rtu-
nate" advisably, because there never is
and never can be any excuse for embOdy-
ing the prohibition idea into a constitu.
tional amendment If there is any chance
for even moderately successful enforce
ment OF it, it is in community like South
Dakota; where the sentiment in its favor
is strong and of long growth. But even
then it has no place in a constitution. The
people have right to distrust any notion
which dare not trust itself to the ordinary
process of law making, and demands a
constitutional protection against the prob
able future dissatisfaction Of the people.
There is nothing in experience toy en-
courage the advocates of prohibition. On
the contrary, every day goes to show that
such a policy for state is both folly and
misfortune. Take Iowa, for example, than
writer in the "Open Letter" department of
the last Century attempts to prove the sue
cess of prohibition and from statistics, but
proves nothing. He shows a decrease in
crime and in the costs of criminal pr0secu-
tiOns OF certain years as compared with
certain others within the last decade. The
Pioneer Press has already taken occasion
sofa and Iowa. Several other states, in
which there is not and has not been
any prohibition law within the period
named, show a like decrease of
crime and of the number of per-
sons confined in state penitentiaries.
of course the attempt to prove the good of
prohibition by the increase of industrial
every western state is growing richer and
industrially more complete. Not even the
ardent prohibitionist pretends that the law
is enforced in the larger cities of Iowa, or
that it ever will be. The net result, then,
shows this difference between prohibition
and local option; that either can be en-
forced in rural districts. and in small
towns where public opinion is against the
public sale Of liquor; but that such sale is
open and unrestricted tin the large cities
under prohibition, where local option sur
rounds it with wholesome restrictions and
places it under heavy burdens.
The lesson of Maine is far more instruct
i've, for it is there that prohibition has been
the law of the state for a longer continuous
period than anywhere else in the country.
In Maine the failure is conspicuous and
disastrous. Even the friends of prohibi-
tiOn no longer deny the immense proper
ti0ns of the liquor traffic in the state
Lewiston, for example. the second city in
the state, is credited with from 25O to 800
saloons. Bangor and other large centers
are similarly Overrun. In these places the
saloons are levied upon by the authorities;
but the fines they pay go into private
pockets, instead Of into the public treas.
ury; and wholesalers are able by their
private influence to guarantee retail
ers against police interference as long as
no liquors are sold which they do not fur.
nish. The whole system has become
hOneyc0mbed with fraud, and public
morality is worse off than it could be under
any system except unrestricted liberty tC
every citizen to peddle int0xicants when
eyer and wherever he might please. The
longer aprohibitory law stands unrepealed
the more patent becomes it's impotence
from it. The DakOtas will have to learn
result of attempting to make law or q
constitution enforce Q standard of con
duct In local communities to which tht
habits and opinion of majority IN thos,
communities are fndextbly opposed.