Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-30
SOUTH DAKOTA GOES DRY.
New Prohibition Law Goes In Effect at
Midniqht.

MionI9nt.
Stony Falls. 8. D., June 30-With the
closing of saloons thruout the state al
g o'clock tonight. South Dakota Tor tie
second time will enter the column Oh
prohibition states of the nation. II Is
estimated that approximately "a sa
looms as we'll as numerous whoiesaie
LIQUOR houses and breweries will sus-
pend business.
Under a constitutional amendment
adopted in the election Of November ..
and with the subsequent enactment OF
legislation by the 1917 legislature Tor
its enforcement after July l, the state
tonight Will enter upon an era OF ah-
solute prohibition. The South Dakota
prohibition law, it is claimed, is prob
ably the most drastic in the country.
The action Of the electorate in adopt
ing constitutional prohibition marked
the second time in the states history
when state wide prohibition was adopt
ed. In 1883. when South Dakota was
admitted to the union. prohibition
clause was included in the constitution.
However seven years later the law was
repealed. largely because lax enforce
ment had turned sentiment against IT.
While the fundamental law provided
that the state should remain under a
limited prohibition, a local option fea-
ture was introduced which permitted
communities to vote on the question at
spring elections and II majority were
returned in favor of license, saloons
might operate for one year. Unless an
other election was held and wet ma
jority returned. however, the town
again became dry.
The attainment of Statewide prohi-
bition ends long campaign wased by
dry forces and is the Climax of series
of legislative steps which paved the
way for the ultimate bone dry" meas
ure
In 1908 and again in 1910, county OPP
ton was submitted to the voters and
defeated both times. Then the o'clock
closing law and additional measures
regulating the liquor traffic or limiting
some Of its privileges, were obtained.
In 1914 the people defeated an initial
ed law of the liquor interests which
would have reversed the constitution
al law by permitting town which vot-
ed wet" to remain 50 until the dry
forces brought about an election.
| rive prONlDlllOn laws "cIe pdSSCO ~
| the 1913 legislature which curtailed to-
a great extent the sale of liquor IN
South Dakota. One limited the NUMBER
of saloons to one for each 800 or major
| fraction of the population; a second
created a dry zone of five miles around
every municipality which enjoyed pro-
hibition: a tnird forbade the sale Q!
liquor to minors; another made 1t
misdemeanor for any intoxicated per-
| son to drive a motor vehicle, While the
So called freeholders law, defined the
qualifications of freeholders who might
petition for a license election. The OPP
Grafton of these laws, 1t is said drove
| 1875 saloons out Of business. Early in
1915 railroads operating in the state
prohibited the sale of liquor on trains
Under all these restrictive measures,
statistics show a substantial growth in
| the prohibition movement. In 1913 there
were 179 towns which licensed the sale
! of liquor. In 1914 this number decreas-
ed to 1872, in 1915 to 81, and In 1916 to
| 10.
| Steps to compel submission Of the
prohibition issue to the voters Of the
state were taken in 1914 by the anti
saloon league. Initiative petitions We're
circulated and 5000 signatures were on
tanned in favor of the proposition.
bill to submit a constitutional amend
ment to the people was then brought
before the 1915 Legislature and passed.
The amendment subsequently was
adopted in the last election and law
passed by the last legislature put the
measure into effect. Provisions OF the
prohibition act make It unlawful 70
manufacture, sell, give away, or I'm.
port intoxicating liG.c-s in the stats
under a penalty Of a fine OF from $25o
to $1,000 and imprisonment in coun-
ty Jail from 80 days to six months for
the first offense For second offense
ana every succeeding offense the vio-
lator would be deemed guilty OF fel-
ony and liable to . sentence OF not
less than 60 days or more than two
years in the state penitentiary. In case
OF second offense the juasoS =:
his discretion, impose . fine not to ex-
coed $1,000, in addition to imprison
ment. Druggists convicted Of Alegas]
sale of LIQUOR, under the law, IN add
ton to being subject to fine and Inn
prisonment, would be deprived OF their
licenses.
The law prescribes that Intoxicating
Iliouors may be secured only for scien-
Itific, medical and sacsamentai 1pur-g
] n06e9e