The Alaska daily empire., 1915-12-10
OLYMPIA UPHOLDS
 DRY LAW

OLYMPIA. Wash. Dec. 70. - ln @ decision handed down today the Washington State Supreme court held the prohibition law valid, and it wlil become effective Jan. !.
 Tho prohibition law was adopted, under the initiative and referendum amendment to the Washington State constitution. and at the regular State election in 1914. received 35,OoO ma- iorily of the votes cast
 The law was attacked by the h- Quor interests. and great array Of counsel. with Harold Preston Of Seat tie at the head. employed.
 Claimed Petition Irregular.
 While many points were raised in tho pleadings and at the trial by those nttackinc che statute. chief reliance was placed in the allegation that the petitions through which the law was submitted Go the people were irregu- larly secured and the question was therefore illegally submitted to the voters.
 The che case for the State was ham died by Atlorney-General W. V. Tam ncr. who contendcd that the alleged errors in thc petitions might have been important if objection had been raised before the election. but that the purpose Of tho law was fulfilled when the people were given an opportunity Co vote the question in every one Of the voting precincts Of the State.
 The case was tried before Superior Court Judge John M. Wilson. of Thus ton and Mason counties, at Olympia. who held Che law to be valid. The liquor interests appealed to che Su- premo court. and the decision today amrms chat Of Judge Wilson.
 Decision Unanimous.
 The decision Of the supreme court today was unanimous Certain un- mentioned unconstitutional questions raised in the prohibition fight are left unanswered. however. by the court, which declares that relief could not be afforded in an action for an injuc- tion. The decision is 19.750 words in length and is the longest decision the court has ever handed down. it makes O most exhaustive discussion ot the points raised in the main Gottsteln case and devotes considerable atten- tion Go the contention raised by At torney J. B. Howe ,or the Olympia Brewing Company. that the initiative and referendum amendment was im- properly submitted because the-two. questions involved were not divided. The court in brief holds that it can only make judicial knowledge of the official facts of record in the House and Senate. showing that the amend ment was properly passed, or the re- cords In Che secretary or states office showing that it was submitted to the people. the secretary's records show ing the vote cast for and against it and the proclamation Of the governor announcing that the amendment had failed. Judges Fullerton and Chad wick wrote separate opinions. although both held the amendment valid
 Eighteen Dry States.
 Four more States VIII poin the Pro- biuon ranks on January ]. 1916. as Che result Of supreme court decisions at Denver and Olympia. They are Colorado Washington Idaho and Oregon. No test was made oi the Prohibition vote in Oregon and Ida ho. when Virginias Prohibition law becomes effective in November. lslo. ihe total number of totally dry states win be brought mp Go eighteen. as follows. Alabama. Arizona. Arkan- sas. Georgia. Kansas. Maine. Missls- sinpi. North Carolina. Tennessee. W. Virginia, Colorado Washington. North Dakota. Oregon. Idaho, Virginia. Ok iahoma and North Dakota.