Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-03-30

Inc annual meetlnS OF the state
Enforcement league is in session at
Minot with about twenty delegates on
hand The work of the past year and
what is hoped to be accomplished is
outlined in the address of President
Griffith as follows:
The North Dakota Enforcement
league meets in convention today, it
being the Eleventh anniversary of its
organization. Heretofore the conven-
ton has been held alternately in Far
go and Grand Forks. But the officers
of the convention are awake to the
only commercial centers of the state.
Nor are they the centers of greatest
population. The executive committee
of this organization recognizes the
Importance OF this beautiful city of
Minot. Hhey recognize also that the
western part of the state will have the
greatest influence in determining
what shall be our states future des-
tiny. Whatever policy shall be adopt
ed by the people in this section of the
state will in all probability ultimately
prevail. We are glad, therefore for
the opportunity of holding our con-
vention in this city.
An annual convention seems a fit
ting time to take a look backward, a
look around, and a look forward. 1t
will be my purpose to lead your
thoughts in these directions while l
speak of the interests of our cause.
Those of you who have lived here
during the early days of our state
hood will remember that ours was the
first state to enter the Union as pro-
hibition state and with the sale of
liquor outlawed. A prohibitory clause
| was incorporated in our constitution
and the law providing penalty for
same went into effect July 1890. SO
that we have had fifteen years of
prohibition. Early settlers will re-
|
dictions were made by those opposed
to prohibition. They said that the
grass would very soon grow in the
streets of Grand Forks, Fargo and the
ether cities OF the state and that the
state generally would suffer great
financial loss. But the record of the
| hoc t~1I ctr
l would call your attention to the
wonderful progress that our state has
made. Our population has more than
doubled; in 1904 not including the
Indians, it had reached 37,070. Our
people own and operate 52,S01 farms.
There are 4,257 miles of railroad. We
have S21 postoffices and 1874 rural free
; delivery routes. Have 50 creameries
, and they are in operation and the
value of creamery products is 100,
900. 1905 statistics show SO lignits
, coal mines in operation with a pro
duction of 239,296 tons Of coal. 26s
newspapers are now published in the
state. In 1904, according to the
t bureau of statistics of the United
States agricultural department, tht
, value of crops produced on our farms
with the value of live stock remaining
: on the farms amounted to $12S, oil
1904 reports show 1902 public schools
! with $3.50 teachers. We expended
l4l. &c !,
schools, S2,682,10 and our school:
have an endowment valued at $50,000
900. The entire assessed valuation O
all the property in the state was ii
1890, 70,000,000; in 1904 it was $173
544,077 while the total valuation o
the state is over one billion dollars
How is that for growth and develop
ment, without one saloon?
The farm products of North Dakot
for 1904 were sufficient to give ever
man, woman and child in the state
$31432. This is the highest averag
of any state in the Union-and n
saloons! In 1890 there were "a bank
IN the STATE. we now nave 4Zo
=, which 1926 are state banks and 9
national banks
- The question, why was this leagu
= organized, doubtless arises in tn
, minds of many who are not conve
= SAINT with the early condition of a
:. fairs in this state. l would reply
. that question that this league was 0
ganiZed to stimulate and encourae
officials in the performance OF the
duty and to create public sentimel
-, in favor of the prohibitory law.
- the first years of prohibition in tn
", state, there was a very determined G
-, fort made to have the law disregarde
- and brought into disrepute. Officia
49, and legislators were alike timid al
afraid to take a decided stand in fay4
:. of the law. So, for this reaon, Il
- citizens banded themselves togeth
tn unboJd Tho m iertv NJ tho law