The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-27
OF Interest to Women
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nation it was thought by many good
men that they were cherishing an
iridescent dream. We have always
had intoxicating liquor and always
Will-was given as a finality. Now
even the liquor dealers in annual con-
vention consider national prohibition
a possibility, and in the report of the
executive committee Of the Protective
Bureau of the National Wholesale
Liquor Dealers association is this
statement: There are those Of us
who believe that the passage of such
a measure, Irrational constitutional
prohibition) in the next session of
congress is probable and that the con-
sent of a sufficient number OF state
legislatures can be secured to make
the amendment effective"
More han DC, 900, 900 people are now
living in prohibition territory. Nearly
three-fourths of the area Of the United
States is under prohibition law, either
by state prohibition or by local OPP
ton. Besides the nine prohibition
states there are seventeen others in
which from so to 80 per cent Of the
population Is living under prohibition
and other states have large sections
of territory which have excluded the
liquor traffic. 1t is a conservative
estimate that 60 per cent of the voters
of the country are in favor Of prohibit
ton n where women are given the
ballot this number Is largely increas-
ed. The liquor traffic has been driven
from the army and navy, from immi-
grant stations, from the national capt.
tot, from the Panama zone, and the
Jones work bill will greatly reduce the
number of saloons in the district of
Columbia. The argument that the
government needs the revenue from
the liquor traffic can have no force
now that the income tax amendment
to the federal constitution, which has
| just been ratified, will increase the
revenue of the government, at least
100000, 000 a year. However, careful
students of the question have been
we'll aware hat the liquor traffic has
always cost the government more in
dollars and cents than. it has ever paid
in revenue
I The wonderful Increase in prosperity
in every state that has prohibited the
liquor rattle has been a strong argu-
ment for prohibition with men OF
Ebusiness. Mrs. Armor of Georgia says
property in that state Is worth three
to five times as much as it was be-
fore they had prohibition.
Kansas after thirty years of pro-
hibition has thirty-eight poor farms
with no inmates, ffty-three county
Jalls with no prisoners, i~lliteracy re-
duced from 40 to 2 per cent, and drink
ing reduced 1000 per cent.
Prohibition in North Dakota.
In our own state the population has
nearly doubled since prohibition went
into effect. The assessed valuation
has increased more than three-fold.
Bank deposits nave increased from
$217,21S in 1890 to $82,S57,173 in 1912.
The percapita bank deposit is now
$13S. The per cent of i~lliteracy was
reduced in ten a from Sc to 81
per cent. The per capita wealth has
nearly doubled. 1t was $1,114 in 1890
and is now $4,000. We have only IA
prisoners for every 5000 popula-
ton. Eight counties in the state have
no prisoners in the state have no
prisoners in the penitentary, nine
countries have but one each and
twelve counties have but two EACH.
Out of fifty counties forty-two have
no poorhouses and the few scattering
porhouses in the state have but few
inmates. There are a few county
hospitals where poor people are cared
for If necessary. Fourteen county
jails are reported empty. Four coun-
ties have no jails. and several county
Ja1ls have but one on two prisoners.
Pembina county has, had no prisoners
in Jail for two years and has not had
to call a jury to try a criminal case
for a year and a half at a time.
/ am indebted to the district Judges
for these facts. It is the opinion of
these men, who are in a position to
know that the prohibition law is as
well enforced as any other law in all
parts Of the state with the exception
of two counties. Every judge, except
two, declares that the sentiment Of
his district is strongly for prohibition.
OF these two, one could not say. and
the other believed that a majority in
his district were for license. This ia
the twelfth district, comprising the
counties of Morton, Mercer and Oliver,
Eve have not a w. G. T. U. in that
district.)
There are but five druggist permits
reported in the state. One of these