Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-06-05
rBy Ora Williams.1

TBy Ora WilllamS.I
Des Noines, June 5.-A local paper
| has recently published some alleged
history regarding temperance lesisia-
| ton in Iowa, referring to the hrst
prohibitory law Of Iowa as of 1858 and
giving space to a communication in
dicating that from that time on until
1880 the wine and beer industry was
recognized as legal in Iowa at all
times. Last winter while prohibitory
LEGISLATION was under consideration
this subject was aired and few facts
given. but not all. Reference has been
made to the fact that it was the re-
publican party that gave Iowa the
wine and beer" clause and thus modi-
ned the original prohibitory laws 1t
will be recalled that as to this latter
it is the testimony of Josiah B. Grin
nell. a very staunch advocate Of
temperance, that he voted for the wine
and beer clause as a political necessity,
virtually as a war necessity, and the
clause was put into the laws because
of the rising Importance Of the anti
slavery cause and the need Of strength
ening the party opposed to extension
of slavery That may have been only
/ the view of one man. But the original
! Iowa prohibitory liquor law, which
was given Iowa as non-part!san
matter. was approved in January, 1883.
The bin was introduced in 1854, for the
sessions Of the legislature then COM
menced in December. AS has been
often printed the first move was by
Amos Witter, democrat, who repre-
scented Scott county in the house, or
was one of its representatives. But
party lines were not drawn when this
I first strictly prohibitory law was
! adopted AS matter OF fact that
very year there was a referendum on
the subject and the people OF the state
approved prohibition by a majority
vote. There had been one other ref
erendum-in 1S47. 1t was then that
| local option had been put forth as
! temperance idea, and the counties got
! a chance to vote, and everyone went
| dry except keokuk. So prohibition
was not wholly unknown in the early
| DAYS. There had been restrictive laws
under all the territorial forms of gov
/ eminent One of the early laws OF
| Michigan territory forbade selling
! LIQUOR on Sunday and recognized that
| an intoxicated man was not fit to
| drive one Of the jitneys OF that day,
| called stage coaches In one COM
munity of Iowa-Mount Pleasant
the experiment Of public ownership of
| the liauor business was tried and
committee of doctors was appointed to
boss the Job of dispensing all the
LIQUOR for everybody in town. The
first real prohihitory liquor law,
| which remained in force for. nearly
thirty years. was the law of 1855. The
cider, wine and beer clause was in
1858.
The situation in Des Moines anent
! the closing of saloons is so different
from that which prevailed thirty years
ago when the saloons were closed en-
tirely that it is matter Of much COM
ment among those who are able to
make comparison. There has been
entire acquiescence in the closing this
time. There are no groups OF ex-
cited citizens discussing the matter as
the other time. There is no mani
Hesitation Of general indignation as be-
fore. The vox populi Is not writing
letters to the papers declaiming against
the outrage Of invasion Of personal
liberty. There is hardly in office in
the city or county a single person who
would wink at violation Of the pro-
h;bitory law. But most important OF
all is that the men who were engaged
in the Nquor traffic have accepted the
lsnuation complace emily. 1t Is stated
that Of all the persons arrested 1or
lbootlegging here in the past few
months not one was former saloon
keeper or barkeep These men who
had been operating under the strict
regulations of the mulct law had
fcome to have wholesome respect Tor
llaw and they are not in any sense
lawIess in character. The boot1eggers
who are plying their trade here are
men who were already doing more or
less of the same thing in other days,
! or they are irresponsibles who think
they can take advantage Of the situa-
ton and not get caught. So far as the
saloon men are concerned they &C
cepted the changed situation fully and
fairly and there Is no organized fight
4 against prohibition. II conditions run
along as at present there will never
again be any agitation here for re-
opening Of saloons in the only city OF
the state Of over 100000 population.
AS for the property interests involved
there has also been acquiescence.
Practically all the places vacated by
saloons have been occupied and one
would have to look closely to dis
cover any scars left by the violent up
} roofing Of the saloons In this city.
A few days ago, however. 1t was an
! nounced there was plan on foot for
, making use Of the brewery property
here for the manufacture Of various
/ Il he. nd
in the reported statement Of one con-
J nected with the brewery it was limited
that some kind Of malt beverage was
To he made containing a very low fer.