The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-06-28
TWO MORE DAYS
"H0W DRY | AM"

With only two days remaining
in which intoxicating liquors may
be imported into North Dakota, ey-
cry incoming train from "below"
is loaded down with every known
variety Of drinkable and undrink.
able. The North Dakotan who
must have his wee drop is prepar-
ing for the long drouth ushered
in July l through the joint opera.
tion Of North Dakota 8 new bone
dry law and the Webb-Kenyon
federal statute. Twin City Liquor
houses, which have long enjoyed a
heavy mail order business in North
Dakota, for the last three months
have urged patrons to stock up.
No one can prevent your laying
in as much liquor as you can pay
for" they advise their customers.
States attorneys hold otherwise.
Large stocks of liquor already have
been confiscated on the grounds
that they are too large to warrant
the assumption that they are in
tended for personal use, and more
general raid on wine cellars no
doubt will come after July 1.
North Dakota's entrance into
the bone dry column July 1 comes
through a fuke. Representative
Bowman Of Kuhn, league leader
in the Fifteenth assembly, intro
duced a bill requiring railroads to
procure receipt from consignees
of liquor shipments and demanding
. certificate from the recipient thar
the intoxicants were intended for
his personal use. The idea of the
bill was that it would curb the op-
erations Of blindpiggers and boot
leggers who have shipped in large
quantities in their own names and
i'll the names of others, with or
without the consent of the owners.
When the temperance committee in
the senate received the measure it
decided to go further by determine
ing the question of just what am
cunt of liquor might be considered
reasonable for personal consunp-
tion. Four quarts of whiskey, eight
gallons of wine and 72 quarts Of
beer were fixed as fair limit for
individual mIjnthly consumption,
and the committee also amended
the bill provided that regis
tered pharmacists under affi-
davit that the liquor was to be sold
for medicinal purposes and not H.
legally might import intoxicants.
Both amendments passed, and the
bill went back to the house for it's
concurrence. There, in some man.
ner which never has appeared in
the house journal, the amendment
covering importation of liquor for
personal use was lost entirely, and
the measure passed with only the
amendment relating to registered
pharmacists handling of intoxi-
cants. This fact was not discovered
until Governor Frazier had signed
the bill and it had become law, for
the first time giving North Dakota,
an opportunity to become bone dry.
North Dakota has never known
a legally licensed saloon. 1t entered
the union in 1889 a dry state. The
prohibition plank of it's constitu-
tion, however, gave the legislature
authority to permit the importa-
ton of liquor for personal use. Un-
til 10 years ago east of the river
and as late as 10 years ago west Of
the river, this dryness was highly
imaginary. Years after North Da-
kota became a state liquor was OPP
emily serve in a number of place in
the state, particularly during leg
islative sessions. Comparatively re-
cent residents can recall open sa-
looms in the old cow-towns west of
the Missouri. Gradually, however,
public opinion veered around to
the side of law enforcement and
for the last 10 years no wide open,
classified saloon has been found any
where in North Dakota. The blind.
digging evil has slowly diminished,
and North Dakota is in first class
condition to begin July an absti-
nence which probably never will
be broken.
Under the Webb-Kenyon act the
power of the federal government is
placed behind North Dakota. Rail-
ways are prohibited from CARRYING
liquors into dry territory. If de-
tccted in violation of the state and
federal statutes an injunction may
be laid upon them, followed by
heavy penalties for second offcnse.
Even now President Edwin PEN