The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-01-16
(By United Press.)


Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 16.-Nebraska,
the home state of William Jennings
Bryan, today became the thirty-sixth
state to ratify the federal prohibition
amendment, and the amendment ba-
comes a part of the constitution OF
the United States year from today,
and the nation BECOMES bone dry,
Five states completed their legisla-
tive ratifications yesterday, Iowa, Col
urado, Oregon, New%Hampshtre and
Utah, making thirty-five. l. r' #e
With the ratification by Nebraska.
three-fourths Of the states, the neces-
sary majority Of the nation, has en-
dorsed the abolition OF all liquor.
One year from today every saloon,
brewery. distillery and wine press tn
the land must close Its doors, unless.
as seems likely now, they are already
closed at that time by war prohibi-
tion, which goes trtso effect next July
and stays qaNl compilation Of de-
mobilization. &%
Thes amendment.
The amendment which outlaws
liquor in this country, reads: -
"Section I. After one year from
the ratification Of this article the
manufacture, sale or transportation
of Intoxicating liquors within, the
importation thereof into, or the OK
portation thereof from the United
States and all territory subject to
the jurisdiction thereof for beverage
purposes are hereby prohibited.
Section 2. The congress and sew
eral states have the concurrent power
to enforce this article by appropriate
legislation. a
"Section 3. This article shall be
imperative unless 1t shall have been
ratified as an amendment to the con-
stitution by the legislatures OF the
several states as provided by the con-
stitution within seven years OF the
dav of submission hereof to the states
by congress.
What It Will Do.
The amendment was adopted by
congress December 1S, 1917. Hers.
are some Of the things it will do:
T Wipe out at stroke 236 dis
,tilleries; 992. breweries, and over
goo, 900 saloons and wholesale liquor
establishments, forcing their en-
ployes to seek other jobs.
Cut off from the. United States
treasury a source of taxation counted
upon for an even $1,00O,00O,0O0 In
the first drafts Of the new revenue
bill and millions in additional In
comes to state treasures.
Remove the liquor question from
state and city politics Tot
all time and help decrease city. state
and federal expense by decreasing law
violations.
An Old Fight.
The fight on liquor, triumphant to-
day, is as old as the constitution
itself.
It raised its head early in the 10Th
century and was looked upon as
crank notion"
But it gathered strength. Churches
took it up, doctors followed and then
came organizations of anti-liquor So
cieties, the AntiSaloon league and
others.
In the middle of the 18th century
Maine went dry.
Kansas followed.
At the end of the civil war the
anti-slave agitators, who had won the
fight, seriously considered turning to
the prohibition battle. Their number
included William Lloyd Garrison and
the poet John Greenleaf Whittier.
Carrie Nation.
About 1900 came the militant In
the person Of Carrie Nation of Kan
sas, probably the most picturesque
figure the fight ever developed.
Ten years later the crusade against
liquor had grown from the "ravtngs