The Mankato free press., 1917-07-06
Prohib Statute Goes Into Effect
Tonight, Nine O'clock
LONG BATTLE IN STATE
Will Become Bone Dry; No
More Shipping of Liquor
Across Red River
tAssociated Press r,ispatch. ]

tAssociated Press niSpatch.i
From Saturdays Daily.
Duluth, June 3o.-Twice voted out
once by a saloonmen's petition ques-
tioning the intent of the voters a,
the first wet and dry election tive
years ago the final sixty saloons
here will close tonight. Many 9th
ers already had gone out of business
Only sixty-nine were operating tc
the last day. ,....-r
Sioux Falls, S. D., June 30.-With
the closing of saloons throughout the
state at nine o'clock tonight, South
Dakota for the second time will en-
ter the column of prohibition states
of the nation. 1t is estimated that
approximately 225 saloons, as well as
numerous wholesale liquor houses
ard breweries will suspend business
Under constitutional amendment
adopted in the election of November
z, and with the subsequent enact
ment of legislation by the 1917 leg
islature for its enforcement after July
1, the state tonight will enter upon
an era of absolute prohibition. The
South Dakota prohibition law, it is
claimed, is probably the most drastic
in the country.
Prohibition Second Time.
The action of the electorate in
adopting constitutional prohibition
marked the second time in the states
history when state wide prohibition
was adopted. In 1889, when South
Dakota was admitted to the Union, a
prohibition clause was included in
the constitution. However, seven
years later the law was repealed,
largely because lax enforcement has
turned sentiment against it. While
the fundamental law provided that
the state should remain under a lin
tied prohibition, local option fea-
ture was introduced which permitted
communities to vote on the question
at spring elections and if a majority
were returned in favor of license, sa-
looms might operate for one year.
Unless another election was held and
a wet majority returned, however,
the town again became dry. The at
tainment of statewide prohibition
ends long campaign waged by dry
forces and is the climax of series
of legislative steps which paved the
measure.
County Option Was Submitted.
In 1908 and again in 1910, county
option was submitted to the voters
and defeated both times. Then the
nine o'clock closing law and addi-
tional measures regulating the liquor
traffic or limiting some of it's privi-
leges, were obtained. In 1914 the
people defeated an initiated law of
the liquor interests which would
have reversed the constitutional law
by permitting town which voted
"wet" to remain so until the "dry''
forces brought about an election.
Five prohibition laws were passed
by r- the 1913 legislature which cur
tailed to a great extent the sale of
liquor in South Dakota. One limited
the number of saloons to one for
each 600 or major fraction of the
population; second created a dry
zone of five miles around every mu-
nicipality which enjoyed prohibition;
a third forbade the sale of liquor to
minors; another made it a misde
meanor for any intoxicated person to
drive a motor vehicle, while the So
qualifications of freeholders who
might petition for a license election
The operation of these laws, it is
said, drove 125 saloons out of busi-
ness. Early in 1915, railroads op-
Grating in the state prohibited the
sale of liquor on trains. Under all
these restrictive measures, statistics
show substantial growth in the
prohibition movement. In 1913 there
were 179 towns which licensed the
sale of liquor In 1914 this number
decreased to 1872; in 1915 to 81, and
in 1915 to 73.
Petitions Were Circulated.
Steps to compel submission of the
prohibition issue to the voters Of the
state were taken in 1914 by the An
ti-Saloon league. Initiative petitions
were circulated and 5000 signatures
were obtained in favor of the propo-
sition. A bill to submit a constitu-
tional amendment to the people was
then brought before the 1915 legis-
lature and passed. The amendment
subsequently was adopted in the las
election and law passed by the
last legislature put the measure into
effect. Provisions of the prohibition
act make it unlawful to manufacture
sell, give away or import intoxicating
liquors in the state under a penalty
of fine of from $3.50 to $1,000 ant
Imprisonment in county Jail from
80 days to six months for the frs
offense. For a second offense ant
every succeeding offense the violato
would be deemed guilty of a felon.
and liable to a sentence of not les
than so days or more than two year,
in the state penitentiary. In case o
second offense the judge may, in hi
discretion, impose a fine not to ex
ceed $4,000, in addition to imprison
ment. Druggists convicted of illega
sale of liquor, under the law, in ad
dition to being subject to find an,
Imprisonment, would be deprived o
their licenses.
The law prescribes that intoxicat
ing liquors may be secured only fo
scientific, medical and sacramento
purposes. A state sheriff is designat
ed to enforce the provisions of tn
act and power is granted to the gov
ernor to remove any state officer
who fail to carry out its regulations
Dry Zone in North Dakota.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.1
Fargo, N. D., June 30.-Through tn,