The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-24
State Haze Twice In lts History Voted
Against Liquor and 10 Now
Facing Ito Third
Chance.
FIRST TIME WAS IN 1855
In 1882 Came Second Attack Against
John BarIeycorn, and People
Crowded Capitol to Hear
Debatea

Iowa has twice %by popular vote
declared In favor OF statewide pro
Inhibition. The first time, in 1885. the
law did not contain any machinery for
it's enforcement. 1t was openly vio-
lated in wet communities. The sec
cna time, III 1852. the supreme court
threw it out on a technicality. This
year, in 1917. the people Of the state
will vote on the question for third
time. II it is adopted again the legis-
lature OF 1919, or more likely spe-
cial session this fall, will have to
adopt enforcement laws.
The submission of the amendment
in 1855 was not constitutional pro-
vision that time. The legislature
i, which passed the dry law added the
submission clause as an afterthought.
There followed bitter campaign in
| which all the arguments were heard
| for the first, time in Iowa. The vote on
April 9, 1855, resulted in 25,555 votes
being cast In favor Of prohibition and
22,645 against it, favorable majority
OF 2,910.
A test case was soon brought and
the law was held constitutional. But
non-enforcement so affected public
opinion that the very next legislature
| licensed saloons.
A woman, Mrs. J. Ellen Foster.
| shares with Mr.. B. F. Wright. OF
Charles City, the distinction of origin
ating the present prohibitory amend
ment idea in Iowa. At the annual con-
vention OF the Woman's Christian
Temperance union held in Burlington
in 1878, Mrs. Foster, chairman of the
committee on legislation, recon-
mended that the legislature be asked
to submit such an amendment to the
popular vote. She acknowledged that
the idea was suggested to her by MI.
! Wright.
Women's organizations Immediate
ly got behind the movement. Prohibi-
ton became an issue in the nomina-
ton of candidates for the republican
state ticket The democratic state
convention adopted plank favorfng
a "judicious license slsw." The Green
hackers took . neutral position But
the republican state convention placed
a prohibition submission plank in its
platform. This move defeated the at
tempt to place separate prohibition
state ticket in the field. The entire
republican ticket was elected.
First Popular Vote.
However. it was not until the legis-
lative session of 1880 that the prohfbi-
ory amendment was started on its
way toward popular vote. The popu-
lar vote on prohibition In 1855 was
not a constitutional requirement. The
state constitution of 1857 provided the
method of amendment now in force.
Between 1856 and 1878 the prohibition
sentiment in Iowa was at its lowest
ebb. .9.,
The mild Anteres. being taken !:1tte
massage of the prohibitory amend
ment in the present session OF the
Iowa legislature is in sharp contrast
to the throngs that packed the
eighteenth. general assembly when for
the first time in the states history an
amendment to the constitution pro
hibiting the sale of liquor in Iowa was
passed. Today 1t is a foregone con-
clusion that the amendment, whicn
as was the case in 1880, had to be sub
mitted to the popular vote, will be
passed. But then the outcome was In
doubt.
Biq Crowd In Chamber.
| During the debate in 1880, the SEN
ate chamber was so crowded 1t was
feared the old state house would col
lapse. Tho upper floors settled SO
| that the office doors below would not
open or close. New supports were
provided.
The passage of the amendment In
1880 was only the beginning OF the
fight, however. 1t had to pass the
next legislature in 1882 and go before
the people for a vote. The nineteenth
general assembly passed it after some
heated debate. Then the fight opened
in earnest. Both vets and drys or
ganized the state thoroughly. Prob
ably never In Iowa's history has there
been universal discussion Of temper
ance.
On Tuesday, June 81, 1852, the day
fixed for the election, prohibition was
carried by majority of 2s,756. there
having been cast 155,436 votes for
and 125,667 votes against 1t.
But because three little words were
left out of the amendment as submit
ted to the people and because the
journal Of the house did not coincide
with the text OF the amendment as
amended by the senate, the supreme
court OF Iowa declared the election IN
valid. Iowa continued wet.