St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-13
SERVED THEM RIGHT.

The GLOBE is willing to accord to the
prohibitionists the credit of sincerity.
They 10 doubt believe the liquor traffic
to Oe great evil, and are DESTROYS of
notwithstanding or utterly destroying
its influence IN the politics Of the ma
ton. Yet with all their sincerity they
sometimes display a woful lack of judg-
ment, lamb-like simplicity, and a de-
gree of stupidity that almost passes
comprehension.
Iowa has been for many years the bat
tie ground of the prohibition cause.
More than thirty years ago the Maine
liquor law was transplanted to Iowa.
and for time was enforced with the
utmost rigor. Yet in all the river towns
it was persiStently eyaded, and finally
openly defed. The law was .impotent.
Public sentiment was against its en-
forcement, and no man could be elected
to office pledged to execute it. A few
years ago more stringent measure was
adopted. 1t was made felony to sell
Or to buy intoxicating liquors, or to have
them in ones possession. Prosecutions
for time were rigorous, and several
to drink, much as they had done before
the passage of the law. and finally all
effort to compel compliance with its
provisions ceased. Four years ago, on
the election of Gov. Boies, a more rea-
sonable plan was adopted-a plan that
practically amounted to local option. In
communities where the sentiment was
strongly in favor OF prohibition the state
law was enforced vigorously; in COM
munities where the majority were in
favor of the personal liberty of the citi-
zen-of his right to eat and drink what
he chose-the enforcement of the law
was less rigid.
This policy did not suit the prohibit
tionists, although the results were high
~ beneficial, and drunkenness was de-
creasing rapidly. They insisted upon
their right to prescribe the mode of
living of others, and to make liquor
selling and liquor drinking fell
ony. At the last election they
practically abandoned their own state
ticket and united in support of the
Republican candidates. The result
has been precisely what might have
been expected. Now that they have
regained control of the state. the Re-
pubicaDs announce that their first work
will be to obliterate every vestige of
the prohibitory law from the statute
books. And there is no doubt what
ever that they will fulfill their threat.
for the prohibitionists, after abandon
ing the Democrats, who had honestly
sought to promote temperance by giving
to temperance communities the right to
interdlct the sale of liquor. abandoned
their own party, and are left poWerlesS
10 resist the dominant organization.
The unanimous verdict of all disin-
terested persons will be that the pro-
hlbitionists have been served right.
They sought to infringe upon the per-
sonal liberty of all citizens. and were
not content that the sentiment of the
majority of community should govern.
They trusted party that had betrayed
them repeatedly before. and find them
selves again betrayed. 1t was not the
fault ofsthe prohibitionists that the Re
publicans betrayed them once; it was
their fault that it has had the oppor-
tunity to betray them second time.
In their present predicament they will
receive no sympathy, for they deserve
none.