Emmons County record., 1907-03-21


as freight
Surely II the object OF prohibltory
laws he to do away with the consump.
tion OF strong drink the ideal remedy
has not yet been found-even In the
valley of the Red.
-
But, as above stated, theorizing will
do no good at this stage Of the game.
The dealer in beer and whisky In this
state except ndrug stores-will have
to quit. And even In drug stores, un-
der the new dispensation, only those
with permits can sell, and even the
latter class must dispose OF not more
than pint to the same person on the
same day, and the party purchasing
must make and sign an AFFIDAVIT before
the druggist that he is purchasing the
liquor for certain disease; that he
will not give any of it away, and that
he is more than twenty-one years old.
If wanted for mechanical or scientific
purposes, the affidavit must SO state.
and the same restrictions and penal.
ties are prescribed as in cases OF pur-
chase for medicine. The law also ex-
pressly provides that no druggist shall
allow liquor to be drank by pur.
chaser on his premises. 1t will thus
be seen that the law hits druggists
who deal in liquor Illegally as hard as
it does the illegal dispenser of strong
drink who has no drugstore in con-
nection with his business.
~
A new and peculiar condition OF the
situation is that q great many resub-
missionists have grown into the be-
lief that the quickest way to bring
about resubmission is to strictly en-.
force the law. During the recent
session OF the legislature several re-
submissionists voted for every drastic
measure that the prohibiti0nists in
troduced-even for the repeal OF the
druggists permit, which passed the
house and was defeated in the senate.
The writer does not look at 1t this way.
We believe the coming enforcement Of
the law will place the western and
other Mon-enforcement parts of the
state in the same condition as the
Red River valley. Beer by the keg,
case and barrel and whiskey by the
gallon, or gallons, will be shipped in,
and the boot-legger will flourish
wherever 1t will pay him to do SO. 1t
is doubtful If the enforcement author
tiles will avail themselves OF the legal
right just given them tosearch, with
out warrant, any premises where
they may believe "liquor in unusual
quantities" is stored. Such action on
their part would raise SO great a pro-
test throughout the length and
breadth Of the state that the prohibi.
tion law would be turned down as
soon as the voters could get whack
at it.
~
In our opinion, the supreme test OF
prohibition has come. The prohibit.
tionists have fired their last shot.
They will now be able to close most
Of the saloons-all, in fact, except
those in remote localities where ev-
erybody is favorable TO the sale. But
they will have to make good. They
will have to demonstrate that their
severe and American laws have
modified the evils caused by the use
of strong drink in this state. 1t will
not do for them to show that they
have driven it from the saloon to the
home, the office and the club. They
will have to show a large falling off
in the consumption Of liquor and a
corresponding decrease in drunken
ness. Without these showings, an
otherwise free people will not long
submit to such houtrageuusly restrictive
laws as have recently been put upon
our statute-books. If great Inn
provement ON recent conditions be
not made. the people will surely turn
to optional license by town or county,
to the Gothenburg plan of liquor.
selling by the state, or to some other
system for the regulation Of the evil.
~
In this connection we will say that,
to our knowledge, many Of the lead.
ing prohibitionists in the recent legis.
lative assembly admitted that, IL the
recent harsh repressive measures
should fail to remedy the evil in thost
sections where the law has not here
tofore been enforced, statewide pro
hibitiOn must be declared . failure
The venerable house member who in
troduced most or the recent drastic
measures man as honest in his be
lief in the final efficacy of prohibition
as the most ardent resubmissionist 1.
firm In the belief that a license system
is the better way - stated that. /,
the new laws didn't improve con
diti0ns throughout the state, the pro
hibitionists OF the eastern part of til,
state would undoubtedly, two YEAR
hence, withdraw their opposition I,
local option.
~
In the mean time it would he vel
for rcsubmissionists to remember tina
many Of the prohibitionists are entire