The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-12-24

1 IuS IoT IHe OutldWlnS OF Tie llQuOl
traffic in Idaho on Jan. 1, 1916, the
same day that Oregon and Washing
ton will go dry, is being prepared By
prohibition leaders and will be intro
duced into the legislature soon ate,
it convenes. William ]. Herwig, Idaho
superintendent of the Anti-Saloor
league, has returned from a trip ovel
the state and reports that he found
sentiment overwhelmingly in favor o.
the enactment of prohibition law.
pspusaxa uB moIJ psun9aI asnf l.,
tour of the entire state, visiting al
most every county, leaving Boise di
rectly after the November election, y
said Mr. Herwig. 1.-The object OF
this complete tour Yves to ascertain al
first hand the real sentiment of the
people in the matter Of Prohibition
legislation in the coming session Of
the legislature. Although l had visit.
ed many sections of the state prior to
the election and had found a very
strong sentiment in favor of statewide
prohibition, l found on this trip that
sentiment had developed far beyond
all expectations. l am confident now,
after comforting with our leaders in
various sections of the state and with
scores of members Of the legislature,
that the coming legislature will ia
vor some very effectiva prohibition
legislation. There is a very strong
and decided feeling, in dry territory
especially, that the time has come
to settle the liquor question immedi.
atcly and effectively.
II want to call your attention to
very serious situation that has
arisen since Washington ard Oregon
have voted dry. You may know that
the saloons in Washington and Ore
gon and the breweries are to close
down Jan. l, 1916 If we only sub
mitted a constitutional amendment, We
would not be able to vote on this
constitutional amendment until 10
months later. During this time, Idaho
would become the dumping ground
of the liquor traffic of the states of
Washington and Oregon. Already
the liquor interests of Spokane have
taken an option On the Occur d'Alene
brewery and are planning to establish
in Occur d'Alene, which is only & As
from Spokane, a drinking resort We
know it to be fact that the liquor
interests of eastern Oregon are con-
centrating on the towns of western
Idaho. The liquor interests of Wash
ington and Oregon need Idaho wet.
The temperance forces of Washington
and Oregon will need Idaho dry to
make it possible for them to secure
the best possible law enforcement
We need Idaho dry for our own self
We are therefore pushing
with all possible vigor the passage
of very strong prohibition law to
go into effect the same day with Wash
ington and Oregon-Jan. !, 1916. If
we do not pass this law, there is
absolutely no question in my mind
but that the liquor interests will be
able to swing Kootenai county with
Occur d'Alene wet again, and l am
confident that there will be elections
held in at least six other dry coun
ties in the state. The liquor inter-
ests will move heaven and Garth to
swing every county possible, which
undoubtedly would include Bannock
county, into the wet column, in order
to make the largest possible showing
against the adoption of the constitu.
tional amendment in the November
election Of 1916. If we pass an ef-
fective prohibition law, to go into
effect with Washington and Oregon,
We will, first of all, keep the dirty
liquor traffic Of Washington and Ore
son out of Idaho. At least Is per
WIN VI C+OoO Ill Will leave LuC
state; the other rs per cent will un-
doubtedly engage in other legitimate
business. With tho liquor traffic in
our own state outlawed, we would
not have the same to fight in the
adoption of our constitutional amend
mont in the fall of 1916. The argu-
ment has been raised, that If we pass
a statewide prohibition law to go in
to effect while the constitutional
is pending. the liquor in
terests would do everything possible
to dfscredit the statewide prohibition
law, in order to prevent the adoption
Of constitutional amendment. l want
to say that local prohibition under
local option is in very great danger,
and the liquor interests under the pre-
sent conditions have every possible
chance to discredit the whole move
ment during the next two years. In