The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-07-02


business houses and they to my mind |
are much better for community than
the saloon. Prohibition is much bet
ter"
Better All Around.
B. Crusoe, the druggist, is another
of the "old timers" who was here long
before the prohibition law was passed
and he said: 1.-THE conditions are |
very much better now than then, |
morally and financially. Everything /
is better, and what is better still for
the business man, the people pay their |
bills now much better than they did
before prohibition days"
w. A. Scott Talks.
ST was here only about year before
the prohibition was was passed. OF
course a great deal of drinking has
been stopped. Men go back north to
their homes with friend and even If
the day is warm you won't hear them
say, Let's stop in and get glass OF
beer for there's none to be had here.
A man can close a business deal now
without having to seal the compact
over a drink, unless there be a few
who will drift across the river and
quench their thirst there. Just what's
a waste and what's a conservation is
a big question. Where liquor seems
| to benefit lis because the dealer gathers
up the 10 cent pieces and then makes
a splurg, and this attracts some peo-
pie, but the same 10 cents il spent
with the grocer does more to benefit,
even If it doesn't make so much, of a
show as the dime that goes to the
saloon man. To certain minds, how
ever, the saloon helps business. Per-
sonally don't believe it's worth while
for community to raise grain and
mix it up with water and then pour 1t
down a rate hole"
Father of tide Law.
| AS is known to every reader OF The
Forum Judge Charles A. Pollock is
known the state and nation over as
''the father Of the prohibition law of
North Dakota" and he is one Of it's
most enthusiastic supporters. Here
is what he says Of the subject:
Some people say that North Dako-
ia became prohibition by chance. The
fact that the clause in the constitution
was carried by only 1859 majority,
might seem by only 1,159 majority,
correct statement When the history
of that period is fully written, however,
believe a different conclusion must
be reached.
people go west on parallel lines. A
great many former citizens of Maine,
Vermont and others of the New Eng
land states, as we'll as Iowa, found
early homes in this state, then a ter
ritory. They brought with them their
convictions upon the proper method of
handling the liquor traffic. They were
confronted with the fact that this was
destined to be a rural rather than an
urban state. The saloons, which were
scattered all over the territory, be-
came law unto themselves, and by
their incessant violations of law DEM
onstrated the absolute inadequacy of
the license system to control the liquor
traffic. Crime was on the increase,
taxes were multiplying, and the poll
tics of the state were fast going under
meath the iron heel of the saloon pow
err The friends OF the prohibitory
system rose up in defiance to the pre-
vailing conditions and insisted that
when North Dakota was admitted to
the union, there should from that time
forward be no lawful sales Of intoxi-
eating liquor as a beverage within it's
boundaries.
1.-THE farmers of the state of North
Dakota are largely responsible for
bringing about the adoption of article
20. 1t will be remembered that the
state was admitted into the union in
November, 1889 House Bill No. 6 was
introduced by the late Representative
Arne p. Haugen of Grand Forks coun-
ty early in December of that year. 1t
passed the house by vote of SO ayes,
nay, two members being excused. 1t
passed the senate, the vote being: %
ayes, nays, and on Dec. 10, 1889, at
the hour of o'clock and Ave minutes
sides the governor, Senator II. J.
, signature to the bill. There were pres
ent during the signing of the biM be-
sides the Governor, Senator H. J.
; Rowe; Representative Arne p. Hau-
; gen; Private Secretary Gregg; Sena-
) tor Smith; Representative Lutz; H
/ I. Helgeson, the then commissioner
of agriculture, and the recent nominee
for congress on the republican ticket
t Mrs. Norville and Miss Enright, who
were clerks in the governors office
Mrs. Linda w. Slaughter and daughter
and myself.
while the prohibitory clause of the
constitution was before the people
there were constantly used the same
arguments against it as are now be
ing used in other states. I believe the
: business men, with rare exceptions
, were opposed to the law, and that
7 those who supported it in many in
stances did SO because the people were
: demanding a change from the prevail
ing conditions under the license sys
tenn. No law upon the statute books
: was ever more disoheyed than the Ii
cense law, and in communities
I throughout the state where there was
2 inadequate police protection. there
Q came constant demands for change
of systems.
THE rainy day proposition, too was
serious. especially during the harvest
: season. The men on the farms, III
!. those days, would go into the towns
: and villages. become intoxicated, and
: 1t would require from one to two days
: before the work could again be re.
:, sumed. Fights, brawls, stabbing af.
!, trays and murders were the constant
: result of these conditions.
I Twenty years have passed since tn,
law look effect Looking back ovel
! the history of the state since coming
= into the union under the new system
Notwithstanding the ups and downs
which naturally come during the tran
d sition period from one system to an
J. other, In governmental affairs. I an
= persuaded that there has been a com