Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-12-24
COMMENTS ON THE DRY" DECISION.

''Thcre was never the slightest doubt in the
minds of those who refused to let their Judgment
become unbalanced by prejudice or beclouded by
false rumors that the supreme court would uphold
the constitutonality of the prohibition law, says
the Walla Walla Union, opinion voiced by
many papers in the state
1T seemed as simple as anything could be. The
statute was attacked on technical grounds. Laws
oft en- are and frequently should be, declared void
when deficient only in matters called technical, it
is true; but when law has been submitted to
vote of the people and adopted by decisive ma
jQrity, as was the case with the prohibition law,
there is small likelihood Of a court upsettng the
will of the people by declaring their decision inef
fective technicality.'
''The decision was triumph Of the
peoples will over techncality," comments the
Puyallup Valley Tribune, which thinks that with
Oregon dry to the south Of us and Idaho dry to
the east of us, Washington will begin its prohibi-
ton experience under more favorable conditions
for law enforcement than have been enjoyed by
most states" and the Tribune opposed the passage
of the law. Laws adopted by majority vote of
the people are not lightly to be set aside it adds
''They should not be overthrown by the courts ex-
cept upon the profoundest exhibition of legal
have affected the result Of the plebiscite."
''There will be no bold or organized evasion of
the law" the Tribune believes, and so does the
Elensburg Capital, which points out that "there
seems to be a widespread demand for it's enforce
ment and the feeling seems to prevail that the
liquor men will abide by it in observance" "The
law is entitled to thorough test" declares the
Snohomish Tribune which at the same time says
it "was opposed to the scheme and
have little faith in it, eff it fails, as some of us
think it WILL it adds, ''there will be no difficulty
in getting the people to their first opinion
as they have already done in dozen states of the
Union.''
'What effect the enforcement of the law may
have on state where liquor has been sold for so
many years, and from which source large revenues
have been paid into municipal county and state
treasures is matter that can only be determined
by time and experience in the opinion of the
Oroville Gazette. Necessarily there must be
great readjustment in the affairs of large num-
Der Of people,, it adds, but the Montesano Vidette
believes that "the effect, whatever it may be, has
been discounted by the community" and most
newspapers coincide with this view.
The Vidette cannot resist poking little fun at
the situation affirmed by the supreme court deci-
sion, and, after discussing those provisions which
permit shipments to individuals on permits OBJ
tainable from the county auditor, suggests that
if the newspapers print the names of the buyers
and the quantity they order, the list will be more
readable than the hotel arrivals"
By most newspapers of the state apparently,
decision unfolding the law was expected in spite
OF the previous rumors to the contrary, and by
most newspapers too it seems to be taken for
granted that, if there is any dulling business
effect it will be but temporary and, as the Sno-
homish Tribune expresses it, that there will be
mo appreciable halt in the steady march of good
times in this direction This is the hope univer-
sally expressed anyhow, and appears also to be
the general belief.