The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-10-18
VICTORY Shit rs
BACK AND FORTH
FIRST THE DRYs AND THEN THE
VETS ARE AHEAD.
OFFICIAL CANVASS IS NEEDED
Complete Returns From so OF the 90
Counties Give Lead to Vets
This Afternoon But Re-
ports May Change.


Des Moines, Oct. 17.-Shifting often
er that Varsity football teams for
nation, the victory in the Iowa prohi-
bition amendment election of Monday
this afternoon rested with the vets.
Al noon complete returns from eigh-
been received and gave the vets the
large majority of two thousand eight
hundred and one votes.
These figures were gathered from
the County auditors of the various
counties and are thought to be correct
within hundred or so.
Official Count Needed.
On the face Of the returns the total
is apportioned as follows:
Vets 211,110; dries 208,309.
The official canvass of the county
auditors will be made some time late
today and will be sent to Des Moines
where the Secretary of the state will
write it into the large canvass books
of the state.
Corrections made in the total at two
IA
over of the figures gives the wet the
majority of only 2,12S. The correct
total for the vets is 210,405 and for
the drys 20S,127.
Nip and Tuck.
Des Moines, Oct. 17.--At 1890 this
morning reports reaching the United
Press office from all sections of the
state on Mondays prohibition election
indicated that the polling was still a
toss up"
At that hour the vets were leading
by a small majority of the two hun
bred and fifty or three hundred votes.
Victory shifted considerably during
the night, each side being in tht lead
several times before and after mid
night.
Indications now are that the official
count will be required to determine
the result of the election.
The magnitude of the vote, as re-
vealed by the latest returns, is sur
prise to both wet and dry leaders. A
total of more than 100000 votes was
cast, nearly equal to that cast for gov
ernor in some recent general cleo
lions.
Vets Were In Lead. ,
Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 17.-lndica-
tions were that an official count would
be requested to determine the result
of Mondays prohibition election in
Iowa. All day yesterday the vets
gained on the lead of the "drys" and
last night with three counties, Adair,
Butler and Fremont and twenty-one
scattering precincts in other counties
remaining to be heard from, the re-
turns showed a majority against the
amendment of 956. the vote being
196,341 for to 1927 against.
Effect of Election. .
Should the amendment be carried,
the sale and manufacture of liquor
would be prohibited by the constitu'
ton and it would be impossible for the
state to again vote on the question
until 1921, and then only through the
election of two consecutive legisla-
lures which would vote to resubmit
the amendment On the other hand
a wet victory will not mean the i'm
mediate legal sale of liquor in the
state, for the statutory provisions un-
der which the state has been dry for
two years first must be repealed. This
would not be possible until the next
legislature convenes two years hence.
The Swinging Pendulum.
After swinging to NE wet side for
several hours last night, the later re-
turns again indicated dry majority
early in the day.
The result is still in doubt how
ever, and probably will not be finally
determined until the official canvass.
The most extensive figures available
at 6 o'clock this morning, including
maiorities from several counties
where the detailed vote is not obtain
able as yet, give the amendment
205.903 votes and the opposition 2O4.-
936, dry lead of 972.
Fifty-Five Dry Counties.
Fifty.five counties of the state were
carried by the drys, as against forty
four which voted against the adoption
of the amendment. The city vote.
taken as whole, was strongly
against the amendment, while the ru-
raj vote was favorable.
Davenport and Dubuque alone piled
up almost 10000 majority against
the amendment.
The last three counties to report
turned the scale for the drys on the
figures now at hand, Fremont, Adair
and Calhoun all returning favorable
majorities.
Much Uncertainty.
In some of the counties given the
votes cast under the absent voters