The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-26
Beware Of over Enthusiasm.

Cedar Rapids Republican: The tenn
perance people of Ottumwa are re-
ioicing over the overthrow of the
| liquor power. In the enthusiasm en-
genered by the Sunday revival Pc
| tition of remonstrance sufficient to
put the saloons out of business in OF
tumwa has been du'y filed, and tne
saloons have closed their doors.
This paper enters upon no defense
of the liquor traffic per Sc. The evil
effects of intemperance are apparent;
/ they are widespread; they appeal o
everyone possessing tender heart;
and IL they could be blotted out it
would be matter for sincere con-
graduation and general rejoicing. At
the same time, this paper has no
faith in reforms founded upon the
enthusiasm of the passing hour. No
reform of this kind is worth any
/ thing that is not founded upon the
deep-seated and sober Judgment, not
only OF majority of the people, but
of q considerable majority.
{ No one who lived through the
campaign which resulted in the en-
actment of the prohibitory amend
ment in 1882 will ever forget the IN
Z thusiasm that attended that hour of
+ triumph. Election day was l day
3 characterized by children marching
and singing What a beautiful sight
: they made with their white dresses
/ and blue ribbons and sweet faces.
They brought tears to many eyes. No
/ doubt they Influenced many vote.
But when the singing and the
marching had ceased ard the tenn
perance people of the state were face
! to face with the stern duty of en-
forcing the law they had enacted in
their enthusiasm. a wretched state of
affairs ensued. The enthusiasm of
the election day passed away. and ex-
cept in the hearts OF few indiffer-
ence took its place. The law became
dead letter in many places. We had
prohibition on paper. and saloons
without let or hindrance as an &C.
tuality Saloons existed in out-of-the
way places. and sometimes in public
in open defiance They dispensed
the yilest kind of liquor Prosecution
became a farce and perjury pas
time until in disgust We trrned away
and devoted ourselves to an effort tc
bring about some practical results
The present law in restr lint of tn
liquor traffic WAS passed, and It has
on the whole been great success
Ottumwa suffered as much from the
evils incident 10 prohibitorv enthusi
asm as any otfe- town In Iowa: ana
it is not at all likely that FIVE week:
of Mr.. Sunday have changed condi
tons fundamentally in Ottumwa: anC
, II they again have prohibition Their.
on paper, they will probably speed
y have the same conditions that oh
tanned when Stormy Jordan raj
his road to hell" and became ma
tionai celebrity.
Mr.. Sunday is to come here nex
] fall. and We can think of no NOR,
lamentable seqrsnce to his meeting:
J than an overthrow OF the mule Law
in this town. for, whatever NAV b.
: the enthusiasm in the fall OF 1909
/ the spring of 1910 would find us bacl
+ where We were in 1898 in this CITY
when as many as one hundred am
forty-eight grog shops of the loves
character cursed the community. put
, ting a premium upon perjury an,
hlackmail We need to beware o
l over enthusiasm. As Garfield put ii
il Is not when the storm is raging am
the pillows rolling mountain high ina
tie astronomer and the SURVEYOR tax,
their measurements: bur when tn,
aeur Of calm has settled upon til
ocean 1t is from that serene surfae,
taat they measure all terrest-ia
heights and depths And so il mus
$ be when we come to gage real pub
. lie opinion The judgment Of the nee
2 pie 10 be abiding must be sober juds
ment uninauenced By excitement an,
5 undue enthusiasm.