St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-04
Harrison's Hawkeye Heads
man Has His Ear Close to
the Ground.
He Is in Touch With Anti-Pro-
hibition Republicans in
Iowa.
Startled by the Sentiment of
His State Expressed by
Ballots.
Shrewd Attempt to Head Off
the Victorious and EXult-
ant Democracy.

WASHINGTON. d. c., April 3.-A re-
porter called on First Assistant Post
master General Clarkson to-day and
asked him in regard to the causes which
resulted in the state conference of the
anti-prohibition Republicans in Iowa,
and for his views as to the action taken
by the convention. Mr.. Clarkson said:
cit is best to admit frankly that this
conference was made up of influential
Republicans headed by Ex-Governor
Kirkwood, formerly United States
senator and afterwards secretary of the
interior. 1t is impossible for any one
outside of Iowa to understand the pres
ent feeling there unless they know
all of the facts. Iowa is very
strong temperance state. When the
Democrats had control of it
in the fifties the sentiment even
then was so strong that that party en-
acted a prohibition law, prohibiting the
sale of all kinds of liquors, wines and
beers. The Republicans. at about the
beginning OF the war, largely under the
influence of German immigration,
amended the law SO as to permitthe sale
of ale, wine and beer, while alcoholic
liquors still remained absolutely pro-
hibited. Temperance agitation went
on, and at last grew strong enough to
demand prohibition. Finally it took
the form of
A Popular Movement
for constitutional prohibition amend
ment, and two Republican legislatures
took the ecessary action to submit the
amendment to the people. A nom
partisan election was ordered for the
27th of June, 1882, and prohibition was
carried by about $4,000 majority. The
supreme court afterwards declared the
amendment invalid because OF some
technical error in the preliminary legis-
latiOn for its submission. With the
amendment thus overthrown, the tenn
perance people demanded of the Re-
publican party the enactment Of a pro-
hibitory law. and the party, recognizing
the instruction of the people at the
polls, enacted the present prohibitOry
law. 1t went into effect July -4,s
1888; it has therefore been on
trial for nearly seven years. l speak Of
it from the standpoint of one who sup
ported the amendment and afterwards
supported the enactment of the law
not because l believed it to be infalllbly
right, but because all other methods
having failed in efficiency and this be-
ing deemed good method by large
body of the people, l felt, and the Re-
publican newspaper men generally
felt that it was worthy of trial. 1t
has had seven years. trial, and while it
has proved an admirable law for the
agricultural counties and the smaller
towns it has failed to find the public
opinion to enforce itself In the larger
cities and in the counties on the Missis-
sippi river which are largely settled by
people of European birth. 1t is an open
fact that it
Can Not Be Enforced
in such localities without state con-
stabulary, which the temper of the Iowa
people would never permit. The legis-
latiOn to enforce it has been as severe
and autocratic as would ever be per-
mitted by free people. am frank to
say that it has failed in these large
cities. In perhaps eight-five counties
of the state it is well enforced, and has
largely emptied the jails in fifty or
sixty counties; and the people in such
counties are very devoted to it and
would not surrender it. The Republi-
can party has never been united in the
support of the measure. AS many as
SO, 700 or 10000 Republicans have been
opposed to it, but have gone along
with the party willing to see the
experiment tried. Now that 1t
has been tried seven years,
and has failed In part, they IN
sist that the law should be amended, so
as to give prohibition to the 80 per cent
of Iowa, where public opinion favors
and enforces it, but that some other
methods of regulating and repressing
the traffic should be given to the 20 per
shows that it never can be enforced.
This convention of "Wednesday, was
of these $4,000 or 60, 900
The most Of them are as
loyal to the party as any others. They
feel that having served with patience
seven years trial of prohibition, the
party should now take such action as
will utilize the wisdom gained by this
trial and experience and modify the
law, making prohibition the general
rule i'll the state and give to large cities
The Option CT License.
My own judgment is that some such
should be made. OF course
it would cause some injury to the party,
but it is pretty plain that greater injury
will be caused the party if it is not done.
Besides, if is right, it ought to be done
on that account. The demand of this
convention for silent platform will not
be successful. 1t is not the temper of
the Iowa people to be silent on any
question. The present legislature
should, in my Judgment, modify the
n dn6 t.rr hn 4ct
actual trial. That will give to the pro-
and it will give to the cities where pro-
hibition cannot be enforced law which
will gain the maximum Of control of
the traffic. The suggestion for another
vote on constitutional amendment
does not meet the question. Seven
years. experiment should be followed
by action. Besides 1 do not believe it !
right to vote anything OF an expert
mental character into constitution. Ex- |
periments may be tried by legislation |
and can be tried as well and the consti-
tuition is not the place for such expert |
ments. lido not think there is anything
very serious in the matter. The COM
mon sense of the Republican party of |
Iowa has always served it we'll, and | |
am sure it will in this instance. The
people are generally tolerant and the
anti-prOhibitiOn Republicans consent
ing to trial of prohibition for seven
years, the Prohibitionists should now in
turn be willing to see the communities
which have shown themselves to be
anti-prohibiti0n
Try Some Onher Method.
All temperance legislation is expert
mental. No one knows what is in
fallibly right. All good people wish to
reach such legislation as will be nearest