The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-10-28
A FARMERS VIEW OF
COUNTY OPTION
What I have to say as a farmer, /
will say under few heads.

low ~ Say d. ldIuoF,
will say under few heads.
FIRST.
At the election in November tho pso.
pie of South Dakota are to vote on
County Option.
But what is County Optioni Some
do not clearly understand.
In the first place let it be distinctly
understood that County Option is not
prohibition as some affirm.
Prohibition aims to destroy for all
time al the saloons in the state.
The word "Optiou' means 4 kind
Of choice. No kind of choice remains
where prohibition has been adopted.
sWe now have what is called. Local
Option, under which the people Of most
towns in the state vote each year upon
the question of granting or withhold
ing saloon licenses in the town.
But under Local Option the farmers
cannot vote. Only the people of the
towns can vote under Local Option.
The most distinct feature of County
Option is this, that it permits the farm
ers to vote upon the license question
just the same as any other class.
SECOND.
It is unreasonable that the farmers
should be deprived. of the right to vote
upon the saloon question, OF any other
question of general interest. The force
Of this statement will be increased If
we consider that more than two thirds
of the people Of this state reside upon
the farms. And in addition to this the
farmers pay more than two thirds of all
the taxes.
If two thirds of our people may be
deprived Of the right to vote upon tho
question of this kind, why may they
not be deprived Of the right to vote
upon other questions' Or all questions
Farmers, do not be deceived into vot-
ing against your own enfranchisement
at the election in November. To adopt
County Option ~ill not be to adopt pro-
hibition. County Option will merely
restore to the farmers the privilege Of
voting upon the question Of granting or
withholding saloon licenses in the coun-
ty where they reside.
The opportunity to vote will probably
reeur about once in two years.
THIRD.
Those interested in the liquor bust
ness are opposed to permitting the
farmers to vote upon the license cues.
tion, because they know it will bs diff.
fcult to deceive and corrupt such q
large, independent, intelligent, patrio.
tic class of citizens. But no good rsa-
son can be given why farmers should
remain silent when question Of great
public interest is to be decided. sa-
looms affect farmers a. directly as they
10 any class Of people in the state.
FOURTH.
Some criticism is made against Coua.
ty Option because it provides that evsa
though county may vote in favor Of
saloons the saloons in such county shall
be confined to the localities that want
them. But there is nothing unfair in
this. Who is mean enough to insist o.
forcing saloons upon communities that
do not want them
FIFTH.
The advocates of County Option 10
not deny that they believe the saloon
to be bad thing. Most men agree
with them in this, though some think
it to be what they call "a necessary
evil" County Option will give to all
the counties that believe the saloon to
be necessary evil, the right to license
it. 1t will give to the counties that
think they can keep the evil outside
their borders, the privilege Of making
the attempt. In case opinions should
change in such a county after trial
Of the no-license policy, it will be the
privilege of its voters to vote the sa-
loon back again.
SIXTH.
In view of the above facts, what
fair minded man can object to County