Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-11-19
~PaoHlslTloN DRtsATsD.
The Vote Upoa \ Rspssi % Article
T~wenty.four.
IA Review by A. E. Carhart.l

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IA Review by A.. f. Carhaxt.]
EDITOR COURIER;-I take pleasure
in complying with your request for ID
article relating to the vote upon the
repeal of the %prohibitary clause in our
state constitution.
So far a. l know no really trustworthy
statement as to the total presidential,
or Of the so called ''resubmission' vote
has yet been published. Official re-
turns forwarded by the auditors Of
nearly all the counties form a fair basis
for conclusions.
The aggregate vote Of the state this
year approximates $1,000. 1t was near
ly $4,000 seven wears ago. At that
time 39, 500 voted for prohibition, while
&c. 56 voted the other way. This year
about 81, 500 voted to repeal the pro-
hibitary clause, and not for from 49,
600 voted for its retention.
Seven years ago nearly 5000 who
voted upon other questions failed to
express themselves on that of pro-
hibition. This year about $4,000 re-
NAMED silent upon this point. Thea
the prohibitionists had over SO per cent
Of the total vote. Now they have 80
PEI. cent. The opposition had then 43
per cent Of the total vote, to only 3S
per cen this year.
1t Is significant that while less than
81, 900 voters expressed opinions favor
able to some modification OF rigid pro-
hibition, at least $1,000 failed to en-
dOrse their views.
1t cannot be claimed that the losses
Of the radical prohibitionists are more
than negative gains to the liquor men
The latter will be compelled to con-
tent themselves with very moderate
demands and to conduct themselves
with remarkable circumspection or
their 28, 200 open enemies backed by an
almost equal number OF reserves will
call them speedily o account.
More than this, it is confessed that
probably One-third of those who voted
for repeal did so. not from love OF the
saloon, but in the hope hat some way
of reducing the evils Of the liquor
traffic more effectual than prohibition
might be attained.
1t is really doubtful II much more
than half those who voted against con-
stitutional% prohibition can be counted
upon as steadfast friends of the saloon.
But what caused the great falling Of
In the prohibition vote? WHAT led to
= nominal victory for the legalized sa-
loon. There were many causes. To
review them let Us return to the m
ditiOns in 1889. AT that time the pro-
hibition forces were we'll organized.
under strong leadership, tull Of en-
thusiasm and sufficiently supplied with
funds to command much OF the finest
talent in the nation. Columns adv0cat-
ing prohibition we're maintained in
nearly every newspaper. and the
churches and school houses were few
in which temperance songs and I'D
dresses were not heard. At that time
more than half the counties were un-
der actual prohibition.
With the liquor men the case was
different. They were not organized,
| disciplined and welded by a single
master as now. Their command upon
| outside influences was not so great.
Their party alliances we're of small
account. They had not yet perfected
| themselves in the arts Of multiplying
laws enacted for their restrain and IN
| political manipulations.
Nearly all organization and effort
was abandoned by prOhibitiOnists s0On
after 1889, while with liquor men ex-
| Rctlv the reverse was true.
There has been no session OF our leg
islature, since we became q state, that
has not had its liquor lobby. The re-
submission act was fathered by Moses
kaufman, of the Sioux Falls Brewing
Company, backed by Gunther Of the
Pabst Brewing Company. The blind
and ambiguous form In WHICH the ques-
ton was submitted upon our ballots was
due to the evil genius Of these men.
Few were able unaided to divine the
meaning Of the "FOurth Amendment
TO serve their cause the Pabst Bew-
Ing Company OF Milwaukee lao we are
told on authority that We believe to be
reliable. issued zoo, GOO copies Of q dup
licate ballot sheet, which were scattered
by special agents throughout the state,
giving instructions to the faithful. The
back of this sheet was occupied with
statistics gotten up to show that prohi.
bition begets drunkenness, crime, pau
perism, depopulation. the abahdment OF
churches and schools, loss of business
and every other kind Of misery. There
we're the proofs printed by the liquo,
men upon this sheet.
Too few people are wise enough V
reason that II all this we're true the
liquor men would be the last in the
world to oppose prohibition, since tina,
system by their argument must i'm
measurably augment their sales.
Again the uncertain character OF the
question u 1t was submitted led to q
great deal OF confusion In voting. The
evidence is abundant that because 81
this thousands voted contrary to their
purpose. Necessarily such mistakes
were far more frequent among the dis
organized prohibitiOnists than among
the rich and disciplined liquor forces
As there are o than 1000 voting
rsnninn<a - tho ukofo IL Ia oncu - CO.