The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-02-07
SENATOR JONES
HAS Big AUDIENCE
DRY FEDERATION SPEAK Err CIV
5 EN- SPLENDID RECEPTION
LAST EVENING.
PUTS UP LOGICAL ARGUMENT
CLAIMS MINNESOTA CAN BE
MADE DRY, BUT TASK is
HARD ONE.

A splendid audience of four hundred
greeted Senator Richard Jones of Du-
luth at the Caughren theatre last
evening when he delivered his address
from the viewpoint Of prohibitionist
relative to the proposed federal and
state amendments to make the nation
and Minnesota dry.
Rev. Francis Boone introduced the
speaker. Senator Jones has been un-
der severe trial for the past several
weeks, speaking once or twice every
day. He held the closest attention of
his audience. and his address was free
from rancor and abuse of the saloon
man, but he handled the liquor traffic
in a relentless manner. The audience
gave him splendid attention.
Usually audiences hearing temper
ance addresses are made up largely
ladies, but the men were in a large
majority last night. Senator Jones
came to town under the auspices OF
the Dry Federation of Minnesota, an
amalgamation of practically every
temperance organization in the state.
The entire expense of the meeting
was paid for by the Federation.
Mr.. Jones is clean-cut and practical
reasoner land made a host of friends
during his short stay in the city. He
said in part:
"The Minnesota Dry Federation is
composed of eleven statewide and a
number of local organizations. Its
only purpose is, to make Minnesota
dry, and when that job is finished the
Federation will, in all likelihood, 60
out of business.
1T believe that the people of each
county should organize for the COM
ing contest. St. Louis county, the
biggest in the state, voted out the
saloons last Stepember. A committee
Of representative citizens conducted
the campaign. We had a real feder-
alton of forces there, and through
such a federation we had a lead of
nearly 1000, every town and village
in the county giving the drys a ma
jority. ...s. .... .
"The results in ST. Louis county and
Duluth proved the value of federation
The Minnesota Dry Federation is
organized with the view to conduct
We invite every Individual and or
ganization to line up with the FEEDER
alton for the purpose of administering
the same kind of an aggressive fight
the final blow that will drive the
liquor traffic from the state.
"Many people appear to think we
will have an easy time of it to put the
state constitutional amendment 'ovel
the top That might be true if we
had to secure only a majority of all
votes cast on the amendment. But
the Minnesota constitution contains q
peculiar provision that will make il
difficult for US to win. '.> .'+
Twenty years ago the liquor inter.
ests induced the Minnesota Legislature
to adopt resolution which was sub.
mitted to the people which provided
that the Minnesota constitution coulc
not be amended without a majorit;
of all votes cast at the election. The
initiative and referendum amendment
was submitted in 1914 and although
10000 were cast in it's favor and only
$1,000 against it, it failed to carry he.
cause it did not receive. a majority Of
all votes cast at the election.
GAS a consequence, everybody who
goes to the ballot box and votes al
all, but fails to vote on the prohibition
amendment next November, is
counted exactly as if he had votec
against the amendment.
"It will be- seen what a battle we are
up against when one remembers that
the people Of this state have never
been able to amend their constitution
where there has been organized op-
position. That the liquor interests
were responsible for the presen,
vicious, provision of our constitution is