The Iola register., 1891-07-17

what an Iowa safoon-keeper Did on Gov
srnor Boies, Election.

What an Iowa Safoon-keeper Did on Gov
ernor Boiss' Election.
During the convention at Ottumwa
there was one saloon that every faith
full democrat visited, and that was the
gilded palace of Stormv Jordan. AS
the Mohammedans turn to Mecca, so
the democrats turned to Stormy Jor-
dan ard were refreshed. His saloon is
on one of the principal streets. IT il
finished in solid marble and mahogany
and the bar alone is said to represent
an investment of $1,000. Over the
saloon is a gambling hall where the
tough and disreputable gather TO do the
DEVILS meanest work on earth. In the
windows below hang likenesses OF
Grover Cleveland, who is everywhere
the patron saint OF Ottumwa saloon
keepers. In the olden times Jordan's
place was boldly labelled THE Road to
He'll" Now it s''The Corn Exchange"
but, judging from the blear-eyed pro-
cession that wended through its por-
tails the change in name has not
changed the destination of its victims.
Alas the procession. and alas the wives
and babies that sit hungering in squai-
id homes because of the money that
goes into the till of this palace OF vice.
This man Jordan has had a career.
He has been one of the most persistent
violators of the prohibitory law. He
has denounced il as an infamous enact
tnent and cursed those who placed it
upon the statute books, After years of
violations the Law, at last, was Superior
to the defiance OF this one man. He
was arrested tried and convicted. Its
penalties were visited upon him with
deserving severity. He with his 80
p,unds of avoirdupois was allowed to
languish in jail This all happened
while Mr.. Larrabee was governor. Jor-
da1'S friends wanted 10 intercede for
him but he informed them that he
would rather rot in Jail than repent or
make any promises. But few weeks
OF daylight through prison bars salts.
fed him. He came to Governor LARA
bee and on bended knees begged 10 be
given his liberty. The governors heart
was moved-as it often was. He said
the people of Iowa did not care to prose-
cute or imprison any one. All they asked
was that the Laws of the state
should be Obeyed. The result
of the interview was that Stormy was
given his liberty upon his solemn decla-
ration that he would leave the state as
long as the Iowa liquor law was on the
statute books not again engage in the
forbidden traffic or frequent places
where it it is sold. Jordan went to
Nebraska, but he was i'll at ease. He
lOnged for the old saloon at Ottumwa
He wanted to direct more weary trav-
slers on the road to hell. He hovered
along the borders of the state
'exiles" they were called by the tear
ul Eiboeck-driven from their nBtive
and. When Boies was elected. Stormy
vas one of the first men that recrossed
he dividing line between Iowa and
Nebraska. The saloon was in the sad
lie again. He re-opened his saloon,
md the day OF the democratic conven-
ion sold over his bar 81, 1000 worth Of
iquor to the faithful men who had come
ogether to nominate the benefactor of
he saloon-Horace Boies. The old
still stands against Stormy.
nd word from Mr. Boies would land
i'm back in misery: but the governor
Tants Stormy Jordan's vote next Novem-
er and wants the votes OF his friends.
70 runs the world away. Such are
politics.-Iowa State Regis