The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-07
HOW IOWA FARES
ON PROHIBITION
Correspondent Declares That
Law in Its Operation Is a
Farce Throughout State.
He COURTS AN INQUIRY
OFFERS TO PROVE STATEMENTS
AND ISSUES CHALLENGE.
To The Salt Lake Herald:

To The Salt Lake Herald:
The writer was living in Iowa when
the prohibition law was PASSED there,
and is thoroughly familiar with its his
tory. The law came I'm the form OF an
amendment TO the constitution, and
was passed by a vote of. the people.
The supreme court declared the amend
ment unconstitutional The Republic
can legislature then shouldered the
white elephant and passed a prohib-
itory LIQUOR law Previous 20 that time
Iowa had always been Republican by
a large majority, This act made the
Republican party so unpopular that the
results of the next election was the
election of a Democratic governor and
a large Democratic majority in the leg
islature That legislature repealed the
prohibition liquor law and passed what
is known as the mulct law, which they
have at the present time. This gives
each city of 5,000 population a right to
take a vote on the question and choose
for them selves whether they have sa-
looms or not.
During all the time that the strietest
prohi bitery laW was OF the statute
books there was never d time but that
the saloons were wide open. making no
pretension whatever to close their doors
in the following cities Keokuk, Bur
lington. Davenport, Dubuque, Sioux
City and Council Bluffs. They paid no
license except twice a year they were
1ined sums amounting to about $500
each time. All the combined efforts of
the most rabid prohibitiOnists were
brought to bear to enforce the law in
those cities. but without avail The
saloons continued wide open all the
time
WHY was the law not enforced Sim
ply because the public sentiment in
those cities was against such fanat-
zeal law,
Condition in Salt Lake.
The same condition exists i'm Salt
Lake CITY. The majority Of the best
people those who have built the city
and made it what it is today; those
who represent the wealth of the city
and pay the largest amount of taxes,
are almost solid against such farce
law. They don't believe il is the right
way 10 deal with the liquor traffie.
In the smaller towns in Iowa, where
tho prohibition sentiment was very
strons. they succeeded nj closing the
saloons, which were succeeded by the
drug store and the boot-legger. Just
as much liquor was sold as before, only
10y a different method. Every little
up to try and prosecute him for selling
liquor. They summoned witnesses
whom they thought had bought liquor
from him. There was no doubt they
had. When they came to the witness
stand they invariably protected the
boot-legger. Seldom if ever was any
thing proved against him. 1t caused
almost an endless amount of hypOc-
risy and false swearing The trials
were continual expense to the state.
and practically of no avail.
Druggist Coed Fellow.
IN any of the small Iowa towns where
there are no saloons the druggist is a
good fellow and looks after the wants
Of the people; any quantity can be had
from glass TO a barrel. If there is
any doubt existing in the minds of any
as to the truthfulness Of this state
Hent. the writer is willing TO challenge
that one to max a trip to Iowa and
show him. The proposition is as fol-
lows: | will 60 to one of the small
towns in Iowa where there are no sa-
looms. where the prohibition sentiment
is very strong, where every effort is be-
ing made to enforce the law: will show
YOU that | viii buy all the wayffrom
a glass to a barrel of whisky there.
viii stand all expenses of the trip If
fail. Otherwise the loser to pay ex-
penses. This is bona fide offer. Money
for expenses of the trip will be depos-
sted in bank here before trip is begun
To make good. Come. now, any who
choose, II prohibition prohibits Let
US see if il does. This is no exception
To any OF the small Iowa towns where
there are no saloons.
Law and Enforcement.
prohibitionists would have YOU be-
lieve that the people in Utah are bet
ter class than those in other states
more law-abiding. For that Tea son they
argue they could enforce the law, but
such is not the case. Even the law
against murder is not enforced here as
strictly as in many other states Some
uf those who are crying the iOudest fer
prohibition here, if they lived in Iowa