The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-03-01
Stat. Wide Prohibition.

Sioux City Journal: An agitation
for state wide prohibition il. Iowa IS
no. logical at this time. Iowa mas
tried state wide prohibition. Many
friends of temperance who were pro-
hibitionists before the experiment
was tried are not prohibitionists To- |
day. The best Judgment OF Iowa IN
itelligence at the close of tbs period OF
ineffective prohibition was that IT.
would be more practical to get reguia-
ton that would regulate than to go on
with prohibition that did not prohlblt.
The cause Of temperance -ost aoso-
lutely nothing when the change to the
mulct plan of local option was made
The old prohibitory law remained in
force in every country where 1t had
been enforced with any effectiveness.
The saloon was given quasi-legal
basis only in communities where the
saloon had survived under prohib1-
ton. and where there was practical
certainty 1t would survive in response
to local sentiment.
The old prohibitory law is in effect
today in every county where 65 per
cent of the voters are not ready to
declare openly in favor of the saloons.
The only exception to this ,igid conn
: tv option is made In the case of cities
a Of over 5000 population, where ma
: iority of the voters can establish the
y saloon. If there has been advance In
e temperance sentiment 1t can find ex-
g preston under the law as 1t is. Sa-
loon petitions are to be renewed next
l. wear. The saloon can then De crowded
e out OF any county where 36 per cent
= Of the voters can be recorded against
II it. or out of any town OF over 5000
p population where majority OF the
n voters will not declare In favor Of 1t
y 1t would seem that anti-saloon work
n ers would be given a sufficient opnor
e. tunity to make net gains for theil
m cause under the present optional ar
r. rangement That can be gained il
lg that way should be practical becaus,
at 1t will be in line with home rul
ut sentiment. What is to be gained b.
stirring up the old spirit Of law def
ance in communities that have insist
as ed and will insist on settling tn
1t. liouor question for themselves?
as If there Is increased sentimen
er against the liquor evil in -owa 1t ca
IN find expression not only in trying t
Is decrease the number of wet" di
he tricts under local option, but by ei
of forcing prohibition more vigorously
i'd counties now nominally dry" Their
oh has been some SHINING against reg
as lations in cities where the mulct ia
ne operates There is less of It at tn
Oh time than at any previous time sine
'er the law was enacted. There has bee
by. more SHINING against the law in til
ed counties where absolute prohibition
ely supposed to prevail. There are fe
af- towns in the prohibition count,
ac- where the full spirit of the law
he lived up to- although open salool
lde may not be tolerated Logic wou
len seem to demand that prohibition shs
me be made to prohibit in nor nal prof.
led bition territory, where the MAORI
ma is on its side, before trying to e
tend to territory where enforceme
lch of the law must be abnormal becau
n 1t IS not backed by local majority.
i've There is logic in the demand t
I'LL more effective enforcement of Ii
.ov- that we have. There is talk of ne
the for additional machinery for enfor,
of ment. The legislature is being ask
way to provide something in this line. 4