Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1910-09-08
PRlNGs SOUTH DAKOTA. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER g. 1910

this morning. The forenoon was
occupied by the administration of the
sacrament by Bishop Mcintyre, of st.
Paul, and the reading of the third
annual report by Superintendent of
the Mission, Rev. r. II. Dolliver, of
Hot Springs.
Mr.. Dolliver said in part in his re-
port to the thirty first session Black
Hills Mission regarding the County
Option Referendum:
"Why should anyone oppose the
referendum of County Option to the
voter? Why should not every patriotio
citizen of the state fight and vote for
the success of the referendum at the
polls in November? The principal is
American. 1t is democratic and re-
publican. 1t is fundamental to our
government. 1t is simply, "Let the
people rule" Why should anyone
eainsay or thwart the right of the
people. Yet it is fact that the COM
bined liquor power of the state and
nation are putting up a fight against
this principal which makes their cam.
paign of two years ago appear merely
as skirmish. In that campaign we
lost, Notwithstanding we carried our
part of the state by five-hundred in
favor of the referendum. The whiskey
interests are already placarding the
roads with great posters, "Vote no on
the County Prohibition Law" They
are making their five hundred schools
of crime, five hundred centers for the
distribution of deceptive and9 mislesd.
ing literature. They are paying five
cents line in the county and daily
newspapers for assaults on the Anti.
Saloon League and County Option,
They are hiring farmers in each pre-
cinct to talk and organize for them
From Sioux Falls they are sending out
letters in two colors of ink to every
citizen Why all this work thus early
on their part? 1t is to obscure the
issue; 1t is to confuse the minds of the
people; 1t is to make the people believe
that the prohibition question is up in
this referendum. They are afraid to
let the people rule. The choice at this
election in this state is between the
government of the saloons, by the
saloons and for the saloons, and q
government of the people, by the
people and for the people,"
Ihe Custer Law and Other Meritorious
Measures.
"There is six feet of referendum
ballot, ten inches wide, set in very
small type. besides constitutional
ballot twenty three inches long and
ten inches wide. The two will take
one hour to read and will be q maze to
many. Only five minutes is allowed to
each voter by law in the booth to pre-.
pare his ballot, including the general
ticket. Next to the County Local
, Option bill the Custer Law is he.most
vital to the advancement of the re.
; ligious interests of the people of South
Dakota. Itprovides that the governor
can remove any officer who refuses to
enforce any law of the state. AS it has
. been impossible to get some mayors.
county attorneys, sheriffs and other
, executive officers to enforce such laws
as we have, it is perfectly evident that
: this Custer Law will greatly aid the
enforcement Of liquor laws. 1t was
8 placed upon the referendum ballot BY
b the request OF the whiskey men of the
;, state after the legislature had enacted
= it to become effective after the first day
O of last July. Here again it is hoped
y to confuse the minds of the voters in
reference to the referendum ballot so
t that it shall become lost in the general
: shuttle at election time A Campaign
d of education must be begun bv every
r minister and layman and bv everv
# patriotic citizen to counteract the mis-.
d representations already circulated. and
explain the meaning of these measu res
. which we are to vote upon this fall
q 1t Is up to the voters to get posted he.
Is fore they approach the election booth
if they would vote intelligently on the
J. Questions placed before them. These
measures, il adopted at the polls. do
not necessarily mean the closing Of q
u single saloon in this common wealth
} but they simply restore to the people
r the right to decide for themselves the
question OF saloons or no saloons. il
= they may wish to do So II the people
u wish to adopt the prohibition law for
=, their counties, states or the nations. II
y is their business. They ought to have
the machinery arranged SO that they
!. can do it in q free and unpartisan
:, manner, none daring to molest or make
y them afraid. These measures PRO
u vide that the question of saloons
# or no saloons, of wet or dry
|. territory, is to be submitted to the
people by law. Then they may decide
:. in lawful and orderly manner what
Il their will concerning the saloon is
,. When they express their will it is law
L The temperance people are not afraid
= to trust these questions to the people
g and will abide by their decision. Shal
v mo loco s.noin this hono-,o