Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-02-16
SAYS PROHIBITION
DECREASES CRIME
Remarkable Document Written BY
Russian Governor. Peasants
Savings Increase

Mitchell, ,. d., Jan. 1.-THE New
Republic, OF which the South Dakota
edition is to be the official organ OF
the state prohibition campaign, is in
receipt OF q letter from NJ. lslavin.
governor of Movgorod, Russia. which
is a wonderful document in that it
sets forth the benefits OF prohibition
in the cars empire. The letter fol-
lows, the translation being by Leo
Pasvolsky.
Dear sir:-It gives me great pleas
lire to do what YOU request Of me in
your letter of Aug. 90, 1915. which
was received By ne on Sept. % (Oct.
81, concerning the prohibition OF the
sale CT vine and other alcoholic
drinks witatr. the bounds Of the SOW
ernlnent, entrusted to me by the en-
peror, which prohibition went into ef-
feet by the order OF his imperial
majesty. shall answer your CUES
tons in the order in which they we're
put to me.
Free sale of beer. wine and other
alcoholic drinks has been prohibited
in the government of Novgorod since
July. 1914.
The ONLY exception to this is that
private individuals and institutions
arc permitted tt purchase wine es-
n~cciaily grape vine, for medicinal
Purposes but such sale is allowed
only by special permit from me or
from chiefs of police, issued in each
particular case in writing and only
lTI,r1l pycrC,tof;o, ~f ,l,-.o,,,. 49,.
scr!ptions. certifying that the wine is
really needed as medicine.
&c rot think that | shall he far
from trutl, If say that wish the pro
h:hiticH % the sale OF alcoholic dYir.s
TIC amount Of crime has ~decresasd hy
t~wothirde, or even .hree-feurths, OF
tbs total number OF crimes.
As for the question of the nossibil-
ity of substituting other revenues in
the place of those formerly derived
from the alcohol monopoly, l can
scarcely say anything definite, since
the question concerns the whole coun
try, and not any particular locality.
Still, ! am of the opinion that this is
perfectly possible and is merely a
question of time. Even at the pres.
ent time the government has already
taken steps towards the monopoliza.
ton of sugar, tea, matches, etc.
fhe prohibition of the sale of alec
hoIic drinks has had a very beneficent
influence upon the general public or
der and sobricty among the people.
Drunkenness has decreased to a mini.
nun and intoxicated persons are
seen very seldom. OF course, one can
not deny that persons addicted to al
coholism continue to satisfy their
craving for liquor with different SUBJ
stances containing alcohol.
Finally, I must frankly admit that
before the prohibition of the sale Of
alcoholic drinks, drunkenness con-
sumed all savings, which have now
increased very considerably, despite
the war.
consider it my pleasant duty to
inform you, in the name Of my coun-
trymen, that Russia does not doubt
the good feelings toward her on the
part Of American citizens, in this pc
Rod of dreadful adversely. She firm
ly trusts that, with the aid Of God, she
and her glorious allies will triumph
over the foe.
Permit me to express my feelings
of deepest regard.
(Siencd) M. ISLAVIN.
To Mr.. William e. Johnson,
Editor The New Republic.
No. 1928.
Oct. 20 (Nov. ~, 1915.