The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-04-11
i BOLD PLOT EXPOSED;
CONSPyrING TO DESTROY PROHIBf-
eION IN OKLAHOMA.

CONSPfrfINGST TO DESTROY PROHIBf-
IN OKLAHOMA.
Tile ,Nat:onal Whisky Power Trying to
Enact the Nebraska Code OF Laws, In.
Guiding. high I.iecnse, for the New Ter
ritory-Opposftion tn the Scheme.
Washington letter to tia yoice.]
One of the most audaciDus attempts
eyer made by tbs national whisky owe
and its political serv nts In that being
exerted now Il Congress to pass an act
for abrogating prohibition In Oklahoma
IN ! substituting a high lisense code of
laws in that new Territory. This effort
is Carried on with characteristic secrecy.
The VIII sky plotters have avoided discuss.
son, and no doabt have hoped that the
measure would go through before the
country should awake to q realization of
their scheme. Oklahoma was opened to
settlement in April of last year. Lying
en- rely within the Indian Territory, it
was naturally expected that 10 PROPOSE
ton could possibly be made for estab-
fishing o license policy in Oklahoma,
since the entire liquor business is rigidly
prohibited throughout Indian Territory
by Federal laws, and since no liquor could
be got into Oklahoma without being car
riet across Indian Territory-and that
would have been q violation of the stat
utes. But the rum power coveted Okla
homa, and Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue Mason actually made the aston
ishing ruling that liquor could be law
fully carried into Oklahoma. This was,
Of course, overruled by the Attorney
General and Secretary Window, and since
then the whisky bosses have kept hands
off the new Territory until now.
There is pending in the House a bill to
provide a temporary government for the
Territory of Oklahoma, ami it has been
reported favorably by the Committee on
Territories. It contains a provision
which, if not eliminated, will infict the
high license laws of Nebraska upon that
r%egion--as follows:
SEC z. That the general statutes OF Nebraska,
which are not locally inapplicable or in conflict
with this act, or in conflict with any law OF the
United States, nre Eereby extended to and put
in force in the Territory. of Oklahoma until
after the adjournment of the first session OF the
Legislative Assembly of snid Territory.
The only man who has thus far openly
exposed and opposed, upon the floor of
the House the trick Of the liquor con-
spirators is Congressman J.. A. Picker
of South Dakota. In a speech on the
Oklahoma bill he said:
The Government of the United States has re-
fused to allow the sale of Intoxicating liquors in
the Territory of Oklahoma. And wisely. Mr.
Speaker, did the Cove nment refus Sc to allow the
shipment OF Intoxicating liquors into this Terri.
tory. In my Judgment, had liquor been allowed
ment, no such record of order end hloodless
history of occupancy would have been known as
has become the history OF Oklahoma.
1t seems to me, Mr.. Speaker, that during the
coming contests concerning the organization
OF counties, the location of county seats, the Sc,
lection OF the cal ital of the Territory, the cleo.
1 fyr1, - r nHfnnrc. arnl. ,,,,, f1o... - II p. L. o-. H..
conte SITS concerning the ownership OF the lands
and town lots of ills Territory. wherein one
man viii be Tisprseesaed and the tide declared
in another, and in the many other ~excitin,
scenes and contests that must ensue in the or
ganization OF this Territory, it would he ia,
better that the Congress of the Unite st tie:
should continue 1hs policy heretofore parsued
by the General Government of preventin : the
sale OF intox eating liquors in this Tertitor.
until they are organized and have themselve.
lesislated upon this question.
AS l understand it, under the laws Of Ne
braska, which under this bill govern this PEG
pie. and to which 1 object, upon the petition o
thirty freehoiders q license is granted fol
the sale of Intoxicating liquors. Under this Law
from 300 to 500 saloons will be ore. e l in Okla
bona in u remarkably short time utter the pas
sage of this act.
Mr.. Speaker, in the interest of a reaceable or
gnuization of that Territory, i'll the intsres It OF
the harmony and good name of the people, who
are u grand people, and for whom. after months
OF intimate intercourse with them, 1 have the
highest respect and regard, l do not believe
| COl5TeSS SllOulQ permit Ills great promoter OIL
distord to be brought among them.
Why not substitute the laws of Kansas in.
stead of Nebraska? 1 believe one-fourth of the
people in that Territory were former residents
of Kansas they are acquainted with the laws OF
Kansas and the administration of Kansas laws,
and the procedure in Kansas courts. Mr.. Speak.
er, they have acted largely under Kansas laws
in their proceedings SO far in this Territory. TIL,
city OF Oklahana adopted the laws OF Kansas il
it's organization.
This Territory is in the jurisdiction, of til.
courts of Kansas. the. United States Marshals
ordered to that Territory to preserve the peace
are Kansas officers, and they are the officer:
who now are in this Territory preserving order
Prisoners arrested therein are sent to Kansas
for trial. and from every standpoint it seems t,
me Kansas laws should be the ones for the pres
ent government OF this people. and under thes
laws the gale of Intoxicating liquors would b
prohibited. And l know it is the desire of tn,
pc ople OF that Territory that Congress shoul,
protect them in this regard rs the Government
has in the past.
When Mr.. Picker made his remarks i
was supposed the bill would be taker
from the committee of the whole ant
passed by the House-which would have
cut off the right to amend. The House
however, refused to do this, and it is still
in the committee of the whole, ant
amendments may yet be debated. AL
amendment will undoubtedly be Offered
substituting the laws of Kansas for the
laws of Nebraska.
Mr.. Picker said, i'll an interview will
me, that he was present in Oklahoma, as
a representative of the Federal Govern,
ment, VIXEN the Territory was opened tc
settlement, and that he knows from his
own immediate observation what a boor
it was to have liquor prohibited there. q
cannot possibly understand" said he
how there can be any opposition to let
ting those people live in peace, as the,
have done even without laws. The fac
is, the American people don't seem te
need laws for the preservation of good
order except where there is whisky"
Numerous other Congressman ex
pressed to me their disposition to vote
for tEc Kansas amendment; and it may
surprise many people to know that ex
Speaker Carlisle is among these. 81
would not object to Kansas laws for Ok.
lahoma," said he; "you can put me dow1
for Kansas"
Leaders among the temperance Con
gressmen feel confident that the license
job can be defeated if sufficient publicity
is given to the facts and pressure is ex
erted by the people.
The Work of Christian .Woman.