The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-11-16
". CT. u. PUBLICITY
.1l.l. COLUMN -

Election returns seem to come in
somewhat slowly and there is much
interest waiting to know what the fin.
Prominent among the various inter.
ests of those who are waiting are the
states which are voting on prohibition
this year.
At this writing we are still uncer-
tain as to the election results in Idaho,
where they voted on the question as
to whether the manufacture and stor-
age of intoxicating liquor should be
prohibited. Neither have we been able
to ascertain results in Alaska, Cali.
fornia, Missouri and Montana, where
the prohibition amendments have been
voted upon. Arkansas, already a dry
state, seemed to find it necessary to
vote on the same question, and the
result is decision to remain dry.
Victory, unQuestioned, has crowned
the prohibition efforts in the elections
Of Michigan, Nebraska and South Da.
ia, thus adding three more dry states
to the 10 which had already been in
the white list. Now the total number
it as least $50 we feel happy in
having passed our majority" Being
over FL, we surely ought to be consid,
cred as having matured Judgment
enough to escape the riducle of our as.
sailants. OF course this can never be
so long as the wet interests have
enough vitality to publish their attacks,
but, at least, we have the dignity of
grOWn-upness.
Just what does it mean, in figures,
when we say that Michigan, Nebraska
and South Dakota have gone dry? Let
us see:
Michigan-This means the closing
Of 3,208 saloons and 70 breWeries. 1t
means the overthrow, in the city of
Detroit, Of one of the most gigantic
election frauds ever planned by the
vets, by which they hoped to roll up a
majority in that city large enough to
overcome the dry majority of the
state. It means that 100000 people
who have heretofore been residing in
wet territory will now be added to the
dry territory Of the union. 1t means
the removing of the worst kind of
temptation from the thousands of lum.
bermen and sailors who frequent the
upper peninsula of Michigan. 1t
means, therefore, force for good gov.
eminent and righteousness which can
never be reckoned
Nebraska-The prohibition victory
in Nebraska means the closing of 1872
saloons, Is breweries and one distil.
lery. 1t means the addition of $4,000
miles of the dry territory of the United
States, and the placing of 100000 more
people under prohibition laws. 1t
means, particularly, that the exceed.
ingly wet city of Omaha, with all it's
breweries and saloons will be hung
out to dry" Surely King Alcohol is
lettering on his throne
South Dakota-The results of the
election in South Dakota mean that
200 saloons and three breweries will
be closed; 6,86S square miles of terri.
tory will be added to that already drv
and probably 83,S88 persons heretofore
in wet territory will find themselves
in the dry column. Out of South Da.
kota's population of 5S3,S8S about $780,.
900 had previously been living in dry
territory because of county option
laws.
These figures are all cleaned from
the reports of the Anti-Saloon League
of each of the states named and are
not the results of guess work.
We are still hoping for good news
from Montana, great state with L.
5S7 saloons and 10 breweries for its
population of 100000 persons-a vast
state in which, heretofore, only one
county has been dry. Because of the
widely separated inhabitants and the
many remote districts in Montana, re.
turns come in very slowly. Needless
to say great efforts have been put
forth to secure prohibitOry law at
this time, and in case Of success there
will be great rejoicing among the
workers.
1t requires no prophetic spirit, but
mere common sense, to foretell that
the states which have won prohibition
at this time are about to enter upon
new era of prosperity and freedom
from crime heretofore unknown within
their borders. The time has passed
when the public in general will give
much credence to the apparently
alarming predictions of financial de-
preston, loss of population, decreased
revenue, etc., which the liquor inter
ests always proclaim as lying in wait
for those heroic states which throw off
the burden of the liquor traffic. Elk
perience, many times over, has proved
these statements to be entirely false
and unfounded and sensible persons
no longer pay any heed to them.