Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-02-08
WANTS TO BE PAID
A North Dakota Brewer Asks Re-
Enumeration for His Use
less Plant.
IL All the Brewers Were Paid
the State Would Be
Bankrupt.
How Prohibition Happened TO Garry
i'm the New State-The Legis-
lators Have a Peck o.
Trouble.
Fay Asked for a Brewery.

BISMARCK, Jan. 2S.-Jacob Dobmeir,
a Grand Forks brewer, who owns one Of
the largest plants in the northwest, has
a petition before the North Dakota
Legislature asking SIS, 000. lie says he
actually loses that amount, as he is
obliged to. dispose of his brewery plant
and property for little or nothing on ac-
count OF prohibition. His property, he
says, has greatly deprecated in value
and he cannot stand the loss.
Strange to say, the petition is signed by
all of Grand Forks leading citizens and
a number of prominent prohibitionists.
If the Legislature grants this prayer it
will undoubtedly establish a bad prece-
dent. Mr.. Dobmeir is not the only ex-
tensive brewer in North Dakota. There
are several large plants whose
would rise up in their wrath If the bill
should be allowed. There are tho
saloonkeepers, too, and they are as fairly
entitled to recompense as the brewer
les. Bismarck and jamestown each
have large institutions. Over 5000, 900
were expended in the completion of the
Bismarck brewery. The proprietors
have not signifed any intention of ask
ing for remuneration from the legisla-
ture, but should the claim in one or two
instances be granted it is no more than
reasonable to presume that the balance
OF them would present their claims and
demand just consideration. Then the
question naturally arises, where is the
state going TO get all this money? The
Grand Forks account would bankrupt it.
The saloon men surely cannot expect
the state to make good their losses in
the financial condition il is now in.
Prohibition will be pretty tough on
them, but the majority are able 70 stand
1t, and they will never weary OF cursing
themselves for letting prohibition sneak
in on them as it did. A few thousands
judiciously distributed in North Da-
kota would have easily averte1 the
saloon mans calamity. But no
body paid any attention 10 prohibition
and don't know In fact hat they even
voted for it Prohibition, according to
the constitution, had to be printed on
svery ballot, for or against. Many Of
them were printed simply ''prohibi-
iion' at the bottom of the ballots, that
The voter might write for or against or
scratch it off entirely. 1t was the first
state election, thousands never before
roted n state ticket, and the bewilder-
ing array Of candidates was something
unusual and the seemingly insig-
aificant, innocent prohibitory amend
nent at the obscure foot of the ticket
escaped observation. 1t is generally
conceded that North Dakota made a
prodigious blunder when adopting con-
,titutional prohibition. South Dakota
IS sufficiently able to take care of itself.
while North Dakota lacks the most es-
,ential qualities-fnance and people.
IL prohibition were delayed a dozen
gears longer good results might have
oeen attained. but inasmuch rs the
country is SO green and badly in need OF
.unds, prohibition is regarded as a dire
,ul calamity.