Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-08-10

Austin, Tex. Aug. with upwards
OF $50 counties in the state absolutely
dry. half a hundred partially dry.
scarcely a dozen that are still adhering
to the ranks of the anti-prChibitiOn-
lists, and these constantly threatened
~ an invasion from the prohibition
orators, Texas Is at present in the
thrOes OF one OF the hottest prohibition
fights that any state or any section
would care To encounter.
There are 243 organized counties in
the state and tweuty-fOur unOrganiZed
counties. the latter being attached to
organized counties for judicial pur-
poses only. OF all this number liquor
can be sold in scarcely more than half
a hundred counties, and even in this
number some counties have dry pre-
CiuCts I'm them.
The counties that are entirely wet"
number only eleven. and to these can
be added those with some wet and
some dry precincts to the number OF
nty-hve. These counties cOnsaiI> ali
the large cities Of the state, places
which always vote against a prohibit
ton law.
on the other side are ranged the re
maiuJer of the state. where prohibition
has full sway and i'm more than $50
counties the saloon is believed ban
tsL-I fer sOOd.
Titus .u a nutshell is presented the
results OF untiring work upon the part
OF the prChibitiOnists in Texas, cover
ing a period Of five years of active
work. They have been unrelenting in
their warfare. and proudly proclaim
that they will not cease their efforts
until the entire state has gone prohibit
ton 10 Is not likely, however, that
they viii seek to force a general state
election to throw the state into the
hands of prOhibitionists. as they are
afraid that they might fail II they at
tempted IT,
Some years ago the prOhibitiOnists
forced a state election and lost the
battle by a Zig majority. This cured
them OF presenting the issue as a state
one. They rested a few years and
then began the quiet work OF carrying
precinct elections. This plan was car
ried out without attracting any special
attention. and before IL was known
quite a number OF precincts as we'll as
counties n the state had been carried
for prohibition. All of these precincts
and counties were in what might be
termed isolated sections that attracted
little attention at the hands of business
interests generally.
About two years ago the prohibition
leaders. growing embroidered by their
successes. made an open attack up-n
north Texas. and with such encourage
meut as almost to intOXiCate them with
their surprising success. They carried
an the smaller counties In the black
land belt. or at least those counties
that dad not have any cities i'm them to
outyute the country population.
In this manner the prOhibitiOnists
carried much OF north Texas. Then
and not tiu then did their actions be.
gin 20 attract the attention of the bus
mess men OF the state and the liquor
interests.
Since attention was thus attracted
some eighteen months ago, the onward
march of the prOhibitiOnist has been
checked en- Texas. He has not been so
euressfuI I'm carrying counties as he
was. and i'm all cases where any city
population was to be counted in the
voting question the ppohibitiOnist has
lost. He is stitf a formidable factor in
Texas political and financial future
however. and promises TO remain so.
10 the pr0hibitiOnist desires TO force
a state election. which il. is not be
ueyed he will 10. he viii have TO wait
uhui January. 1905, when the next
regular legislature meets, and secure
action by means OF a constitutional
amendment calling for a general eleS
lion 10 settle the issue. -..- ....
M Is not believed the prOhibitiOnls'
will seek the constitutional amend
mont election. however. as he is more
sure OF success by working on county
by county. A stale election would re