The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1898-11-26
CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION.


At The coming session OF the Idah,
legislature the prohibitionists OF tn,
s,ase will make a determined effor
20 have a resolution passed spblnittin;
TO the voters constitutional amend
inent forever prohibiting the manufac
tnre and sale OF alcoholic or malt liquors
The matter is in the hands OF the Inter
state Temperance Alliance aud will b,
brought before the legislature, baekst
by petitions from every county in th,
state. The claims for recognition will b,
based upon an increse of two hundred
per cent. in the prohibition vote at tn,
reconciliation, which, the prohibiticnist,
say, justify them in asking the legisla
fure tosubmit the question to the people
for their decision at the ballot box in
1900.
In a letter TO the Pass, E. B. Sutton
gwell known prohibitionist, SAYS: ave
ask every minister Of the gospel 10 bring
the matter before his people. secure sig
natures to the petition anu forward the
same to the treasurer, II. L. Campbell,
OF Boise"
All temperance people, temperance
and religious societies are asked to co
operate and assist the movement in
every Uay possible, and We believe it
will become gate formidable BY the
time the legislature meets The strong
ct argument TO Re presented to our leg
islAtors vii. be that they are not asked
10 eRaet prohibitory law, bat simply to
snbEiit the question TO the people, on
the ground that they have right 10 de
termine whether or not it should become
q fundamental Law of the state.
The good motive OF their claim none
will deny; the honesty of their purpose
and their sincerity will not lie questioned,
and their right to have the matter sub
mitied to the voters cannot be success
fully assailed.
A majority OF the people favor temper
Rnce, but not all these favor prohibition.
a great many temperance people are
convinced that the traffic cannot be pro-
hibited BY law, and are in favor OF lpgis.
tion only that will curtail the evil and
keep it within bounds They favor a
high license and strict laws regulating
the business. and hare the experience Of
a number Of prohibition states to back
them mp in their arguments. Where
prohibition has been tried It has proven
failure. North Dakota is q recent ex-
ample Of this. That state has consiiaa.
tionai prohibition, yet in every town Of
any size-with rare exeeption-saIoon:
are openly run in violation OF Law that
the people are poHsTless to enforce
Drunkenness is frequent, and respect fol
the law has decreased as the people have
seen failure after failure to convict it:
yiolators. as n result Of the inability O.
courts to convict. The experience o.
other states is repetition of that Of
North Dakota. IL We had snch a law in
this state the same would be true here
fOu cannot Iegislate morality into the
people; neither can you regulate their
stomachs by law, and until that time ar.
rives when the moral condition Of the
masses has reached point where they
voluntarily abstain from the habit OF
using intoxicants, prohibition, no matter
how strict the law, will prove a failure.
However, there is no Disgusting the
fact that the prohibitionists will meet
with much favor in the legislature, and
ii the matter is submitted to the people
it will receive heavy vote at the polls.