Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, November 1, 1890, Page 10

10 B —— HURTFUL TO A STATE Views of Great T;;m and Philanthro- piste on Prohibition Laws. FRAUGHT WITH DANGER TO MORALS. False in Theory, Harmful in Practice, Im- possible of Execution. THE EXPERIENCE OF MASSACHUSETTS. Local Option and High License Furnish the Only Practical System. REASONS ‘GIVEN FOR THEIR FAITH. Sumptoary Laws Unjust, Do Not Di- Interfere Peo- Orime, minish Drunkenness, with the Freedom of the ple and Promote When the prohibitory amendment was be fore the voters of Massuchusetts last year the Jeading thinkers of that state declaved them- selves ns opposed 1o its adoption. The fol- lowing letter, from well known philanthrop- ists and ministers of the gospel speak for themselves: Tn reply to your re- quest, just received, for my opinion on the expedicney of the constitutional amendment pronouncing prohivition and sale of intoxicat- inge liquors the organic law of the state, I say that ['donot favor such an amendment, for the reason that I am in favor of the most efil- cient means for suppressing drunkenness; and 1 believe the adoption of such an amend- went would ase of drunken- uess. Whatever flect elsewhere, statutoy a success in Massachusetts, acea evidence which I nay 1 can see no nstitutional prohi- bition should e effective. 1 recognize the sincerity and which inspires many of the advo hubition, but my own opinion, observation and experience, is that pi tion in Mussachusetts has not been, and o not be, a means of preventing or diminishing drunkent ALEXANDER H. RicE, Bostox, March, 1580, Presidcnt Eliot of Harvard Coll vote against the constitutional amendment concerning prohibition, first, because | think that the constitution ought not to deal with such matters, and secondly, becaus moting temperance, 1 prefer the combin of local_option and high license to prohibi tion Your obedient servant, Crianies W UNIVERSITY, CAMBRIDGE, Ex-Governor Rice: ng to the n able to find: and 1 for good of pro- d by ibi {shall Erior. Havann M March 18, 184 Kev. Dr. Bartol: A prohibitory law would be 1o wiser or stronger in a constitution than under i Let us introduce only what we can enforce, Temperance must bo muintained us a virtue if we would promote it us a cause. We can not prohibit or prevent what we must either use or abuse. A. Bawror. rtainly can not adment. 1 be- Rev. Brooke Herford: vote for the prohibitory lieve such sumptuary to be entirely vicious in prineiple, and never more than temporarily practicable. The present state of things—1local option—enables prohibition to e carried out whe) there is a prev ing sentiment in its favor; and where there is not such a prevailing local sentiment, it could not be enforeed if enacted. As faras I n see, what is needed s not new legisla- tion, but the more effective use of what we have. It is not either prohibition or specially high lLicense to which 1 look for the lessening of the saloon power and of the saloon tempta- tion, but move effective supervision, both by the police and by the friends of temperanc With such effective supervision, we have al- ready laws enongh to accomplish what law cun vightly do: without it, more laws, unen forced, would, T fear, be a'pure mischief. Brookr HEREFORD, Ex-Governor Garduer result of the jer prohibitory law—which, by the way, ned while chiel magistrate —was so un satisfactory in its results that it was repealed by decisive majorities in a suceeeding legis lature und does not encourage the re-enact ment of similar provisions in the organic constitution of the commonwealth Water will not run higher than its source: laws cannot be successfully enforced unless a decisive majority of popular opinion sus tains them; and & law upon the statute book constuntly violated—much more a constitu tional provision cons antly violated —is a menace to popul erument and a weaken- ing of all law, Today. every mu eacl of its towns an lm v, and many of g totul prohibicon daries, opinion cuted In other munici opinion dovs not the sale of intoxi rules that heage straint which the feipality in the state cities e ex within - own boun- Iu such cases, us the law has public behind ity it s generally well exe- palities, where public istuin such a restriction, wts is permitted under around such sale by r wisdom of the governing power imposes, and under bigh license, such permission prodices large excise taxes, thus diminishing the burden upon polls and prop- pevience of the past seems to teach that local option and high license furnish a prac tical system regavding this vexed question as admirable as t i t humanity cau devise, y Hexgy J. GARDNER. BostoN, March 19, 1580, Charles Eliot Norton: Tho adoption of the proposed constitutional amendment vro hibiting the manufacture and saie of intoxi- conld be accomplishied by the amendment, if | successful, is accomplished by the local option law at present. 3, An attempted reform enforced upon the | unwilling surely produces a reaction against | the reform. The old nbuses are restored, and | when restored are far more firmly established | than before. 1f the oountry towns enfor: prohibition before the cities, I fear the reform of intempx will receive asevere check. 4. The present local option law, by bring ing the question before every town, educates she publie opinton which is to enforee it. A | constitutional amendn t would not nocessi tate this local agitation and consequent edu- tion T'he prosent high license bill of Philadel- in the first r of its operation, re duced the number of saloons fi 1,540 or 77 per cent. There Las b tion, so far as I know—no in nuniber of the saloous since. A coustitutio amendment could not hope hm|1‘.mu h this, rEDERIC PALven, ctor Christ church, ANDOYEIR, N March 19, 1550 Kate Gannett Wells--As a logal prolubition would be ineffective, for it does not prohibit. As a moral effort to free soci- cty from a terrible evil, it substitutes speci slation for personal cnergy, 1t intel with the froedom of the individual, It nes a precedent for further restrictive laws. It subverts the broad, legislative functions of the state into temporary, short- sighted policy, which, under the guise of paternalism, is fraught with dangoer to the moral energl of auation. It is better to combat intemperance through voluntar associations and individual aid, than by a law which increases the tendency to dependenc upon aid, When a state undertakes to pr vent personal evil, rather than to punish crime, it may soon be expected to also fur- Work for. the unemployod, as o means of ition of unfortunate resilt KaTe GARNETT WELLS, Mrs. James T. Fields—1 should liko to be- lieve that prohibition does prohibit. I wo gladly do anything in my power to pre the manufacture of intoxicating liquors in Massachusetts, but 1 firmly believe that u cor- dial enforcemant by the people of the laws we now would do more to prevent drunkenness than any further legislation at the present time. While the cases we already have > thy not prosecuted, low ar ution of the still lurger number of avrests under sterner laws ¢ While our police officers are discouraged from resting the well-known drinkers and abu- sive mon at present reported to them, what will strengthen their wills when twice the number of law-breakers are pointed out to them It does not appear to be legislation that is needed just now, but “a little plain religion' among our peopie. Mus. Jawes T, Frepos, Dr. John Dixwell: After some nineteen years' work in_charity, and fully realizing the fearful results of the abuse of alconolic drinks, I am convinced that such evil can only be prevented, or lessened even, to any great aegree, by the aveful instruc- tion of the masses, old oung, s to the average consequences of using strong drinks hubitually or to excess, 1 donot believe that ¢ can work much permanent benefit in interest of temperance. Jonx Dixwr 52 West Ce Boston, March 18, 1830, Rev. Percy Browne: Your question as to the oxpediency of making prohibition a part of the organic law of the state ically a question as to the most e hod of preventing intemperance, v mind_the practical answer ought to be determined by what experience has thus far taught of the relative value of prohibition and high license as methods of preventing imtemperance. 1 think experience in both _methous has shown high license to be most effective for citics, and 1 am, therefore, compelled, in_the interest of temnerance, to' vote “no’ to the prokibitory proposition. Yours truly, Penrcy Brow Roxnvny, March 18, 1850, arles P Curtis —Full of intemperance, I am névertheless opposed to the adoption of any amendment to the constitution prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liguor The constitution establi ples of government, and leaves these princ ples to be carried into effect by the legisla- ture, guided by public sentiment. Should the constitution descend to the de- tail of prescribing what a citizen of Massa- chusetts must not drink, it might as reason- ably prescribe what he' must not eat or what he must not believe, Public sentiment must the point where juries will conviet, and this must be done ‘through the agencies of the day schools and the Sunday schools. Yours teuly, Cusnies P, Connis, Bosroy, March 13, 1850 Williani . Russell: 1 betieve the proposed amendment to tne constitution is inexpedient, unjust, wrong in principle, and, it udopted, will be {njurious in its cousequence, 1. It is inexpedient because it supplants a better system of dealing with the admitted svil of intemperance. On principle experi 1 believe the best, faivest and wost satisfactory way of eontroling the sale of liquor is to let eachi locality settle the ques- tion for itself, taking into account the diffe cuce in cireumstances, needs and public opin- ion of different localities, and their willing- ness and power to enforeo the law. Whe public opmion demands profubition, it has prohibition now, and behind it a power that can and ought to enforce it. The vast difference between a large city and a small town in this matter ought to be recognized in practical legislation and is under our local option law. Coustitutional prohibition at- tempts to but cannot wipe out this difference. For Boston it would give prohibition nom- inally, but really frecdom from all the restri tions that now exist, there would be plenty of law und froe and untaxed rum. 2, It is unjust. Such stringent interference with the liberty of the individual is only justi- fied when unques tionably ‘necessary for the public welfare aud certain to accomiplish the end desired. Judged by the results of con- stitutionat pronibition ‘i Maine and Rhode Island, I think it neither for the public wel- fare nor likely to promote the cause of tom- peranco, morality or respect for law. 3, The constitution was intended to ex- press fundamental prineiples of government upon which all citizens ave substantiully measure, street, alive to the evils hies general pri be educated up to eating Rquors would, in my opinion, be a }yuhlu misfortune. The amendment is, T be- ieve, wrong in principle and mistaken in policy. Its adoption would be a heavy blow to the cause of temperance and good order, and it would tend to weaken in the com: munity that spirit of obedience to law on whicli the public welfare depends. am, sir, yours truly, C. NORTON, Cavmrinae, March 16, 1850, Wolcott—If you deem v value, I have 1o objection to vriefly. Itisas follows: Even did prohibi- tion prohibit, its enactment should not, in my opinion, be by constitutional amendment. In our Americal system of government consti- tutions were never intended to be codes laws which the experience of a few ) might show uneeded amendment or repeal. Very truly your RoGer WoLCOTT. & Tremont street, Bostoy, March 18, 1859, Rev. J, H. Mcrison: In reply to yout com- munication. I would say that T'do ot believe in the expediency of adopting the proposed constitutionul aiendment, because it cor- tainly will not be carried into effect in the \ym where it is most ueeded, i. e, in the arge cities, A few things ‘are more de- moralizing than laws of this kind which are not enforced. 1 be! h law adopted wherever a majority can cured for it, and a bigh iicense law, ri executed elsewhere, will be far move effe than the proposed constitutional amendment. J. H. Monisox my opinion tating it Bostoy, March 19, 1550 Rev. Arthur H. Wright—-I am opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment pro- hibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxi- cating liquors, believing it wrong in priuciple and impossible of execution, ong at this tine especially inexpedient, because of the new aud stringent liceuse law, which ought to bo given a fair trial and impartial execution, Artaur H, WriGnr, Bostox, March 18,1889, Rev, Fuederic I I disapprove of the coustitutional ameudiment pm\mmiug the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, and for the following veasons : 1. The constitution of the state place for legislation on such a matter. A con- stitution should contain principles of govern- went, not rules, alms and causes of action, Legal prohibition could ouly be enforced by the body of public opinion behind it ~When that opinion is in favor of prohibition, the present excellent local option law renders probibition possible. That it is under these gircumstangos eutirely practicablo tho cond tion of this town plainly shows; for here each year au overwhelivning vote prohibits the sale of liquor, aud the prohibition is excellently efticacious, Where public opinion is against Pflthflllllon, it would be impossible to enforce he amendment, as the cities of Maine, lowa not the agreed. It was not intended to define crim- inal offenses or police regulations, nor to ox- press a fleeting, changeablo opiuion, nor to enforee the will of a possible majority. 4. Prohibition has been enacted in this state, thoroughly tried, and repealed by its sponsors as i confessed fuilure. To make it now part of the constitution is to start again on the same experience, but without a proper remedy for the evil that may follow. Yours ' WinLian E. Russer George S, Hale: Iamuot inclined to vote for the amendment.— 1. Because I do not think it should made the subject of & constitutional prov ion, Idomnot nrpn}\‘n of burglary, larceny or embezzlement, but I do not think that a com munity which can not prevent them by a statute can prevent them by law in the form of a constitution. 2. Because I am not satisfied that the amendment will accowplish its object or may not tend to defeat it, That object can only be accomplished under a state of feeling and ovinion like that which tends to the prohibi- tion of recognized crimes. Uatil that stute exists, constitutional provisions will weaken, and not strengthen, the authority of pronibi- tion. If o law which the constitution allows not now be enforced, how can the constitution requires be enforced with any greater success ! Gronge S. Have, Rev. Dr. Phillip S, Moxom: [ am so heart- ily in sympathy with the social, economic and morals ends taught by prohibitinists that [ am reluctant to take any position of seeming opposition to those ends. But the more I observe and reflect on the subject of temper- ance reform, in all aspects, the more doubt- ful I grow as to the wisdom or practicability of the pending amendment. The exportation of rum to Africa, for example, is o disgrace to our state, but it is doubtful if tae amend- ment in_any effectual way meets, or would meet this specific case. I am inclined to think that local option, combined with high license in the cities, would meet the public needs in the most eflicacious wa The saloons ought to wo at once, and would go if all friends of temperance reform would unite in some practicable measure. 1 do not for & moment think that the defeat of the amendment will indicate any decline of the “temperance’ soirit in the people, or give liquor dealers any fround for hope 'that the trafie in ardent spirits will not soon be effectually controlled, Sincerely yours, Priup 5. Moxow. Boston, March 21, Rey. Father Thomas J. Conaty: I have seen the prohibition principle in our local laws, and my experience of increased haunts of vice and Increased dificulties of temper- auce work have led me to despise the farce of attempting morality by law. These are some be can a law which wud Ruode Island show. Al therefore, that of the reasons that urge me, asa total ab- | stainer, to add my protest agaiust placing in TH OMAHA DAILY BEE: SATURD our constitution a law which appears to me to be bad in morals and_impracticable in_poli- ties, THoMAS J. CoNATY, Prosident Catholic Total Abstinence Society of America Agrees with Abrahem Lincoln: So much has been gained for the cause of temperan during the last fifty years, and public opinion the sin of inebriety has so improved, be confident of further progress in the ri pction in the future, cause is not ‘mnvn.r-mu-\\ » opinion o hibition will surely work great injury to iperance, Freprrick O. PRINCE, H. Bernhard Carpente Yes, ot 3 nstitutional amendinent b I maintain that the only g lorious result will have achicved will be—not to wo { drunkawnds, but to make more law-} your commonwealth Rov. Alfred W, Mi pathy with any of th ods of temperance re ical enough in their n end in view —tempe moral education ¢ T am not ronvention They ar in sym- moth not rad- the real e in all things. Ouly n fit a man so 1o livein this world that he can face uny and alt temp tions, and liguor will be made und used whethier “prohibition’” makes its manufac- ture and sale illegal or not. An amendment to the constitution prohibiting the main- tenance of the saloon—the perpendicular drink —would be the most salutary aid toward moral reformation, efforts and ends, It is only aceful saloons that a rationul can ery. s W ManTiN, Rev. amendime ancis Williams expedient in and immediate action, 1 hold its principle to be vicions, aad henc its cortain and final results to bs mischi ous. I respeetfully refer you to ihe gospel aceording to St. Matthew, at_chapter xii,, i 33 v and [ see a prophecy of at least seven spirits more wicked than himself “en- tering in,” and the *last state of the man worse than the first. Fraxcis C. WiLLiams, S HIGHEAND PARK AVENUE, ROXBURY, 18, 1880, J. Were the its probable Proscott: T bolieve that ctment would be useless. The il, though i a measure hidden from sight, would not be cu 3 legisl never yet worked amoral reform. The cau can ot afford to lose any influence of a pe sonal chiaracter that will be given in its favor, however indisereetly. such an e existing ¢ 218 TREMONT STRE! Rev. N. H. CLambe wood will to the s me to take even alittle trouble E why 1 hold that the prohibition amendment should not pass It should not pass because it is unnatural, wrong-headeded and impossible: unnatural, because it attempts to bind the passion of drunkenness with an outside law, instead of drying it up with an inner grace of good morals and self-respect; wrong-headed and ill-judged, because, as the eveat is likely to show, after all the expense, vancor and ill- blood engendered in the debate, not only will this amendment fail to pass, but proofs will not be wanting that, had it passed, it would have been an ageravation of drunkenness— ally of practi free rum; imbossible, be- cause to exterminate drunkenness or any nis what God never undertakes to man never did nor can ever do. does not, cannot extermi- nate. Local option and high license repress, regulate, in my jug t, and do not atiempt the folly of exterminating, as the prohibition amendinent does, Th re my opinions, T am quite ready to leave every other man to enjoy his own, and Iinsist ou the same right for mysell What I claim is that the friends of prohibi. tion by constitutional amendment shall no- pose either as pre-eminent or the only friendt of Christianity, good morals or philunthropys to the exclusion of men whodiffer from them, They are in a minority in Massachusetts; in. the civilized world they ave a very small min- ority. To discuss in the name of the Christ- 1an religion any question throwing and mud at your opponents will on the Christian of what St. I wman without charity isonly ora tinkling cymbal. , 1889, my sincere s sounding brass H. CHAMBERLALN, Rector of St. John's church, East Bos William H. Brine: Ido not think the con- stitutional amendment expedient and hope it will not pass. If1t shoulc will not prevent the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors, but it will make drunkards or hypo- crites. | L shyll vote *No." Respectfully, Wity H, Brase. Bostoy, March 20, Stephen M. Crosby: T object to such con- stant change of policy upon so important a question. 1 believe that the poliey of high and restricted license, with local option for all communities desiring prohibition, has not yet had a suficiently extended trial to demon- strate its eficiency. If it is found to fail I am ready to go farther, SterneN M. Crosny. Rev. Solomon Schindl Your circular note of Murch 15 comes to hand and in reply I would say that it would be a waste of space in your vaiuable paper should I reiterate at nome length what I have publicly said before toow in regard to the standpoint’T have taken ward the prohibitory amendment. 1 shall vote no, no, no. Prohibition is an_infringement upon sonal rights (not privileges). Probibition does not prohibit. Probibition drives traflic into the kitchens, cellars and gurrets, where the law cauuot reach an offendor, Prohibition breeds hy pocrites. Prohibition makes criminals of inoffensive people. Prohibition is a curse and not a blessing : it fosters intemperance instead of putting it down. Let the sale of a commodity which, by its intemperate use only becomes harmless, be intrusted to noue but’ responsivle people it be regulated in the best possible manne but do aot make a crime of what is noc do not deprive ninety-nive persons of a legiti: mate right because one sot- abuses it. Yours respectfully, S Boston, March 16, 1850, Dr. Henry J. Barnes: The majesty of our Iaws depends for support on the law-abiding citizens, An enactment which will render most men disloyal places the government in the hands of o small a minority. I shall vote HENRY J. Bakyes, M. D. stroet per- T snall, in the interestof the temperance movement, vote against the proposed amendment. I have been for some years actively engaged in sup- porting th iconse policy in the eity of Cambri( and the same reasons which have commended this policy to me and which have made it, to all impartial obse s, & benetlt to this community, now put me in opposition to any constitutional change. The suc coss in Cambric has depended on two conditions: First, the union of all the forces which make for sobriety over against the force of saloons; and, sce- ond, the constant demand on the voting com- munity to face a question of principle. A constitutional amendment would remove both these conditions of siccess. It ild be, first, decisive in its effect, separating on more the moderate and the extreme tempe ance sentimeut and weakening the forces of order in the face of the enemy of order. It wonld, secondly, change one's vote from a question of priuciple to a question of men, with all the risks involved in personal poli- tics. In the interests, therefore, of such wholesome and steady reform as the last two years have witnessed in Cambridge, I—with many of thase most actively engaged in our no license work—oppose the amendment. ambridge, Fraxcis G, Peasony, Hon. Johnathan Stone: You ask my opin- fon as to the expediency of adopting the pro- hibitory amendment. I am decidedly opposed to it, and shall do everything I can to defeat it. The idea of incorporating into our funda- | law an amendment thav will attempt strile out of existence one of the principal articles of commerce and manufacture—an clo that is used in some way or other by every human being in all civilized communi- ties where it is to be obtained—and because some people are simple enough to make a baa use of spirituous liquors, it is no reason why othors should be prohivited from tho rm]wrum*nnd enjoymentj! them, Prohibition s wrong in theory and practic t never can be enforced ; it will be & dead letter upon the statutes, with spasmodic attempts to enforco it. Tam in favor of a license law—high li- cense and & limited nnmber. After a caveful consideration of the whole subject for nity years, I am convinced that any attempt to en- force entire prohibition will be another fail- ure, and only tend to retard the true cause of temperance and reform. Believing that you only desire a general expression of sentiment, without following the matter out in detail, I leave it, hoping that every man will be ahle by common observation and intelligence to form & correct conclusion upon the subject. JOHNATHAN STONE. Revere, March 19, 1889, AY NOVEMBER 1, 1800-TEN PAGES, HIGH LIGENSE HARD FACTS, Coudensations From Debates of Messrs, Rosewater and Webster. . STRONG ~ ARGUMENTS BOILED DOWN. Hundreds of Reasons Why Prohibi- tion should Not be grafted on the Constitution of the State of Nebraska. The following points have been condensed from the debates of Hon, E. Rosewater and Hon, John L. Webster 5 less than 830 licensed liquor dealers, Kansas has two drinking places to Ne braska's one, Prohibition was defeal majority of 4,000, Tennessee majority of : d in Michigan by a voted down 0 prohibition by a Prohibition was defeated in by & majority of 188, 000, Pennsylvania defeated conatitutional hibition by 190,000 majority. The amount collected for liquor lic Nebraska last year was $820,000, Rents in the city of Des Moines, Ia., depreciated 53 per ceut since 1555, Prohibition tho salary of every scho nd Nebraska. Pennsylvania b ro es in have would reduce cacher in Om After threo years of p fon in Rthode Island the obnoxious law was suowed under by 18,35 majority. Ninety-one thousand three hundred and fifty-seven majority was the defeat probibi- tion met in The liquor e as, of Tow: 80,000 drinks of whisky u ance of the statutes. The speak-easy is the offspring of prohibi tion, and does its work without the supervis- ion of any of those powers, In prohibition Vermont there per cent more saloons according tion than in the state of Nebraska. Salaries paid town and teachers in - Nebraska above those p lel sellon an avs day in dire were 100 to popula country school age considerably d in Towa and Kunsas, In prohibi years iner her retail lic \ Maine the population in ten 1 only 11,000, butfn ona year s 1or dealers increased 1 Under the Slocumb law of Nebraska any town or county can vote absolute prohibition as provided by the local option clause. In Massachusetts out of atotal vote on the prohibition question of 216,000 there v a majority of 45,520 against prohibition, Among the 165 incurable insane at Hast- ings 150 are temperate, 16 intemperate, The former habits of the other 19 w unknown, Justices m Towa make a special business of arresting a bottle of beer for and charg- ing $10 to 15 for convicting a bottle of beer. Three years ago Michigan voted again on a constitutional prohibitory amendment as against highlicense. Prohibition was knocked out. Vermont only inereased one-half of one per cent under prohibition rule while no high li cense state increased less than twenty per cent, Prohibition as administered in the prohibi- tion states of the union absolutely and actu- ally produce more drunkards than the license system, The greater part of 842,000 was spent in Polk county, Iowa, in 188 in the farcical at- tempt to enforce prohibition which does not prohibit. There are in the prohibition state of Towa over 4,000 places or resorts authovized to sell intoxicating liquors under the laws of the United S Within the past year there was an actual decrease of licensed liquor dealers in Omaha from ¢-nine less than the utt ons, pital of Connect has a popula- ) and 250 Omaha has more than double her population with only five more saloons, High license weatinto effect in Nebraska in 1881, and closed up many dives. lrrespon- sible men could not vaise the-license m and hence shut up shop, In June, 1888, the first month of cense in Philadelphia, the number of arrests for drunkenness was 1,470, as against 2,567 arrests the month preceding, Nebraska had a population in 1870 of 1: 000, in 1550 we had 450,000 and in 1560 1 000. During this vapid progress the prohibi- tion states were at a standstill, Vermont, agother prohibition state, has not inereased her population one name within the last twenty years, The census gives the cold flgures in 1570 and 1504 2,000, In Maine in 158 there were licenses issued by the government to retail dealers of liquors 1,135, as ugainst 850 in Nebraska. That is pretty good for prohibition Maine, Not a single New England state that has tried prohibition has grown a bit 1} populs tion, while every state surrounding them ha increased wonderfully in population, The number of saloons in Nebraska in 1850 was over seven hundred, and of t number \a, with a population of 30,6 Total increase in this state in ten years, Since adopting a prohibitory law Kansas and Towa have not inc: 1in population at one-half the percentage of Nebraska or Min- nesota, both of the latter being high license states. In 1870 Ko high 1i ansas had four times tion of Nebraska. A prohibit passed in 1882 by Kansas, Today sas has only 450,000 more people than Ne- braska, the popula- In states where there is a prohibitory law they have got more people in the alms houses, proportionate to the population, than there are in Nebraska, where a high license law is enforced. In defense of the argument that saloons un- der high license produce illit Maine has got as many people over sixteen years of age that caunot write as almost auy state in the union, The city of Cleveland has over 1,600 sa- loons aud a population of 250,000. Omaha has a little more than balf that population, while Cleveland has seven times her number of saloons, There was an increase of prisonevs in the state of Maine of nearly 50 per cent during the nine years! of prohibition, while the pop- ulation of the state only increased i0 per cent during the same time. Omaba has grown 300 per cent faster in wealth, population, railways, sewers and pavements than the older city of Topeka, Kus., and has done it without the so-called beneficent aid of probibition. Court expenses of Lancaster county and city of Lincolo, Neb., for the year 158, $30,000, as compared with Polk county of Des Moines, prohibition state of Towa, about the same population, §6:2,000 Michigan had constitutional and statutory prohibition from 1853 Lo 1575, when it was re- pealed. At that time there were 8,500 saloons in the state, and npuder license regulation the number in 1889 had been redaced to 4,373, Nebraska has increased move rapidly under its present liguor license system than any other state in the uuion, and 30 per cent groater than any prohibition state that had prohibition for a period of fifteen years. In New Hampshire thore were 1,442 vacant farms which their owners were compelled to abandon on nccount of prohibition and seek omployment in the manufacturing villages or great cities of the wost., In 1880 Nebraska had one saloon for every 123 voters, or one to about seven hundred and fitty of the population. saloon to euery 262 voters, whicfi is equal to about one for every 1,570 of the population In the language of Hon John L. Webst with the progress of civilization has cowe personal liberty, and with the progress of civilization have we done away with laws that restrained man of his persoual liberty. Wholesale liquor dealers claim that they sell much more liquor in Towa and Kansas now than before prohibition laws were passed in thoso states. They sell poorer grades at larger profits than in high license Nebraska. Seventy-cight towns in Nebraska have pro libition under the local option provision of our high license law. In these local com- muuities public sentiment is adverse to the saloons and prohibition 18 therefore absolute, In 1870 the state of Maine had o population of 548,000, In 1800, when the census was counted, they still had the oviginal 643,000, And yet the prohibitionists argue that prohi bition will stagnate the growth of a state. ®1n 1885 a block of six above in Des Moines, Ta,, reated for 5,200 a year and was valued at 0. In 1885 the rental for the same property wus only 3,500 and the owner cannet get a pur: ser for it, not stores with ofMces Prohibition would deprive the childeen of poor people of free text books and school supplies, There could but one result these childven would be barved out and cheated of an education which would make good men and women of them, The product of the manufacturlng indus tries of the state of Pennsylvania- which re pudiated prohibition—was during the years between 1870 and 1880, ir 43,000,000, which was more than the agricultu duet of the prohibition state of Main When the high license law went into effect in Penusylvania in 1888 there were 14, loons in that state, The enforcement of ut this number down at one blow ) a little more than one-half. And the has since been a steady reduction from year pro- site the to ropudiating nd voting down the amendment, increased her manufacturing in- dustries in ten years to £20,000,000 more than the entire amount of capi According to the ofticis mittee of the report of the com Massuchusetts legislature, under the five years of the license system in that state thero were 14,07 less arvests for drunkenness than there were during an equal period of time under prohibition in the state of prohibition, Prohibition would e the tax levy in Omaha and Douglas county to nearly 8 per cont, and at the same time depreciate the value of propert per eent to 50 per cent in a fow ye Thus would our property own- ers be caught in the vice, their fortuues waste away to ultimate ruin.” Tn states where high license was enforced, states surrounding prohibition communities increased in wanufacturing enterprises as fol- lows: Massachusetts, 1,140; Wisconsin, 661 ; York, 6, Maryland, Illinoi Minnesota, 1,223; Nebraska, 733, All this within a period of ten years, The revenue derived from liquor dealers under the high license system for the year 50,518, Of this amount 102 pllected in vavious towns and cities as and $18,970 was collected b; various counties for saloons located outside of their incorporated towns, The danger of prohibition ebruska has caused a delay to the invest- ment of £3,050,000, The investment of this vast sum would furnish employment to a vast number of people and enable them to purchase and pay for a large amount of gro- cel , dry goods and clothing. The prohibition book 0s that threefifth of all the idiots in the Maine asylums were cither drunkards or the direct descendants of drunkards. In 1850 Maine had 1,825 Did prohibition then prohibit dri New Hampshir mont S03: in lov Minnesota only 720, Alurge number of people are ready and willing to invest their money in buildings and other improvements when they are satisfied that prohibition is defeated. There aro also people in the eastern states whose business it is to loan money who have refused to put cent into Nebraska until they are satisfied that such is the case, The district and county court dockets in Nebri show fifteen 0s against saloon. keepers and their bondsmen for violation of logal regulations which hold forth redress to injured parents of mmors and wives of drunk- ards. Without the powerful restraining in- fluence of the saloonkeepers’ bonds there would be hundreds of infractions of the law and 1o possibility of redr During the year 1850 there were, to the state prison inspection of Maine, persons arrested for druukenness, Maine contained a population of less than seven hundred thousand people, with a small for. eign element in la vities, This is an apal ling number of arvests for one year i a pro hibition state for street drunkenness In Ma bemg enacted idiots. wking? In had 703 idiots; in Ve 1, and in high license achusetts, where the peopic b fair election, and where the intelligence and intellect of that state came forth to cast their ballots, prohibition as a doctrine was snowed under, Is it plausible to tell the people of Neb at all the people in Massuchusetss Arainst propibition were saloonkeepers, thugs und drunkards? | Prohibition in the where it has been sou either as a constitutional amendment or a statutory law —has done more to break down the commercial industry of those states than any other cause. The surrounaing state where prohibition did nat p | during the ten years from 1570 to 1850 were increasing in populution, prosperity and manufacturing in dustrie d a states of this union, wht to be enforced During the years between 1530 and 1500 under the influence of high license, there has been such an increase in population, com merce, products and industrics—both in mercantile and manufacturing—in the state of Nebraska that it stauds without a rival and without a peer in any other state in the union. With such a record as that the prohibitionists In 1860 we have one | | whispe the license fee, which shall not be less than 00 In villages and citles having less than 10,000 inhabitants nor less than 1,000 in cf having a population of more than 10,000, After thirty years of prohibition in Maine thero were 408 fnsane porsons in her asylums This was in 1850, At that time in the Ne. braska asylums there were but 1 Prohibition would bring a worse condition of things to Omaha than is now found in Council Bluffs —saloons everywhere running wide open almost wholly without legal straint, ro- Out of the 3 persons in the Lincoln pent- tentiary convicted of murder only 14 wore fne temperate and only s were under the influ- ence of liquor at the time the crimes wero committed, HOW TO VOTE AGAINST PROHIBITION, Those who are opposed to prohibition and desire our pres ent local option and high li- cense laws to remain in force should vote against both of the amendments, Those who desire to engraft the license principle coupled with regulation upon the con- stitution and forever prevent atutory prohibition as it now exists in lowa, should vote against the prohibition amend ment and {or the license amend- ment. vote for the li- cense ;lm(‘ndmcnt is not a vote Remember a against prohibition. Thes propositions are entirely sep- arate, If you want to defcat prohibitiorf you must vote against prohibition. The following is the form of the anti-prohibition tick “Against the Proposed Amendment to the Constitu= tion, prohibiting the manufac- ture, sale, and keeping for sale of intoxicating liquorsas a bev- erage.” “For Proposed Amendment that the manufacture, sale, and keeping to the constitution, for sale of intoxicating liquors in this state shall be licensed and regu- as a beverage s lated by law,” et e Keep It Beforo the People. Grand Istand Independent, Keep it before the people that there is not 4 state in the union with so few conviets in prison as we have in the license state of Ne- braska. Keep it before the people that there is not a prohibition state in the union in which the percentage of illiteracy is 50 low as in the li- cense state of Nebraska. Keep it before the people that there is not a prohibition state in the union with so few liquor dealers in proportion to the population as we have in Nebr Keep it before the people that there s nota prohibition state in the union that has 50 fow peovle in jail in proportion to population s we have here i Keep it before the people that there is not a prohibition state i the union where the public school facilities ave 50 good, in propor- tion to the population, as here iu the license state of Nebraska, Keep it before the people that there is not a probibitiou state in the union with so few in- mates in its msane asylums s we have i the o state of Nebraska Keep it before the people that there is not a probibition state in the union where the moral standurd of the people is 50 high as right here in the license state of Nebraska. Keep it before the people that there is not a prohibition state in the union where the com- merelal prosproity has boen so great for the Dast ten years as vight here in Nebraska Keep it before the peoplo that there is not a prohibition state in the union where the crease in population in the past ten yeurs | been anything like as greatas here in the 1i cense regulation state of Nebraska, These are facts worthy of consideration in the prohibition controversy and should be cavefully pondered over by every citizen who is anxious to do the right thing, acc bis best judgment, vding to - - i?oys and the Saloon, Frenmumt Flail, Larrabee favored the low resorts and holes in the wall as preferable to the respectable saloon on the busy street. His boy was safer, as he would not be so apt to go into the dog The Flail looks at it differently. The more secluded the den, the more apt the boy is to search it out and investigate it. When he would not think of going into a public saloon where his parents and friends mignt see him, he would hunt up the joints and holes in the wall as a mere matter of curios ity, more from the fact that they ar posed to be outlawed than that he atronize them. Since Eye partgok of the t, to’ place the ban on anything fs to make it coveted above anything clse sup- 05 10 under the sun, AW - ning From Ka Topeka Republican. There 15 not an_original package the state of Nebraska today RBut et aword inthe carsof our friends over the line: If you adopt the prohivitory amendment on the fourth of next month, the ve day thi that amendment sas. house in us ask us to change to the disastrous policy in effect in Towa and Kansas In 1888, when the high | into effect, the number of licensed drinking | in Philadelphia was 5,773, 1t had been | than that in previous years. In 1885 | it was 5,909 and the number had been six thousand. But the new license boavd de- | nied licenses to all but 1,347 of these and ina | single day over fourteen hundved saloous in Philadelphia were wiped out of existenc Now there are only 1,108 saloons in that city The local option feature of the Slocumb law is contained in section 25, the salient part of which reads ““The corporate authorities of all ¢ villages shall have power to license, reguluto and prohibit the selling or giving awuy of “ any wtoxicating, malt, spirituous and vinous liquors witbin the limits of such city or vil- lage.”" This section also fixes the amount of license law wel over | | fes and | lie on for- ot three original package houses will up for every saloon that closes, Don't get it Your trafiic is now restricted liquor laws that ever were or ever will be a The teaffic with you now bears its own burdens, The mau who now w your state pays for the priviiege und is amenable o your laws, Strike down your nse laws and the flood gates will beopened and free whisky wiil How unrestrained - Knocked Out Poy Tupeka Republican, Kansas in spite of probibition hus gained forty-two per cent in population duving the lust ten years. Nebraska without prohibi tion has gained in the same time over one undred and fifty per cent. Kansas notur ally is the best state and should have gained by the only suCCess, 13 lignor ation, IY A RELIC IN KANSAS 0 The Prohibition Oraze Spends its Foroo and Passes into History. HIGH LICENSE NOW THE ONLY WAV/ No State Can Afford to tinue Sumptuary Effcct of the Latest Court Decision, Topeka (Kan.) Republican, October 26 far as state prohivition is concerned, it s00n pass into history as one of unue- countablo erazes that at times have swept putiro states and countr The original | United States supreme ¢ last sumv mor rendered null and void all state prohibic tory laws, both constitutional and logislative, in so far us they apply to the importation and sale of intoxicants i ovg inal packages, This opened up an opportunity (which was grasped by thousands) to import into prohibition states liquors put up in. packages to suit all wsses of buyers, At the behest of n faction ut has never learned that personal libe are o sacred to bo tampered with by law making power of this country made an attempt to set aside the de the highost tribunal in the land by the prasage of the famous Witson bill, By the brainiest and most learned jurists of the land that law is pronounced unconstitutional, in asmuch as it attempted to delegate to the several states the power to regulate com merce between the states, n prerogativo exprossly resorved unto tho fede crnment. “Congress shall hav power to regulate commerce with foreign na tions, and among the several states™ - but this does mot give congress the authority to delogate that power to any state ors 1f congress has the authority under the con stitution to delegate the power to a state (o prohibit, or regulate interstate commeree in the matter of liquors, it has the same author ity to delegate to the states the power to pro hibit or regulate the commeree. between the s in cotton, corn, wheat, hogs or rticle, 1t is id1é to say that this would be done, The auestion is not wh would be done, but what could be dou The principle involved is what should bo taken into cousideration. Once decide that any state has had the po conferred upon it to mterfero with inter commeree fu any one article, and you bave oo tablished a precedent that will be when any state dosires to apply t to the commoree in any other article 1t certainly does not take a great lnwyer or i alaw which A will those ties the niEress sion ot principio tempts to give the commeny any other state, transcends the power vest in congress by the constitutiol As alroady said this is the opinion of the best jurists i the United States, The federal supreme court upon to decide this question in ture, and thei tuat they will s Wilson bill. Let us see in what position this is sure to leave the states that are so unwise as toadopt ov retain prohibitory measur Every citi- zen of such state will be forbidden to sell in toxicating liquors, but citizens of other states an come in under the sanction of federal nu- thority and open up drinking places on ev block” and at every cross roads all over tho state, and sell in quantities large or small, to youniz or old, inebriate or 1diot, night-time or will be called the near fu is not even a_bare possibility 1stain the law known as tho twice as much s Nebraska instead of ouly a little more thau one-fourth as wuch, Qay-tiwe, Sunday or weel day, without re straint, vestriction or responsivility. Look at Iansas today. That is ner condition, and that will continue to bo her condition until the people have learned sufficient wisdom 10 ennct swch regulations as they may constiti tionally do. tree whisky fromone end of the state to the other. Not a cent of reve nue: not a dollar paid into the treasurics of the cities: no arm strong enough to close tho doors of the drinking places at any time or against anybody A state may tear down her the fires die out in her distille and ¢l up her liconsed saloons, but across the | in the neighboring states 'the breweries distilleries will be quickened into reney activity and their agents will troop into tly so-called prohibition state by hundreds the same whisky, the same beer, the san toxicants of all kinds will be sold as hefor but the trafic will bear none of the bur that it imposes on the people and the dea be amenable to 1o laws. 15 there any wisdom Wwill good results condition of things! Is it a good wise business transaction to close flic to the people of your own state open it up for any citizen of all the states! 1s it prudent financiering to dr capital out of your state for investment in sutne business in other states: And ub and bevond all, is it conducive to the mo and good government of your state and to huppiness and safety of “your homes, to p the trafiic bevond the police powers of : state to regulate and restrict it—the in ble vesult of prohibitory enactments s as the coustitution of the United Stat mams asitnow is: Will it save your boy throw safecuards avound your inebviates close up the licensed saloon, where neith cau lawfully enter, and open up the joint, | dive and the original package hous boys, the inebriates and all others ¢ prohibited from entering and buying times Under the civenmstances which now exi:t and which will, in all human probability oo tinue to exist for generations to come, state can or will long continue to atten the maintenance of prohibition that b down every b to the free and u brewer in such a pol 1y flow from sucl - - Maine Lig Bath has 25 rumsellers, one for evers inhabitants, Belfast has 14 rumsellers, on for every inhabitants. Lincoln bias 5 ramseliers, ouc for inhabitants, Winn has 6 inbabitants, Orono hias S vum rumsellers, one for every ellers, one for every L inhabitants. Bar Harbor has 15 rumscliers, one 91 inhabitants Bangor has 140 rumsellers, one for « 120 inhabitants Portland has 261 inhabitant Lewiston has 318 inhabitants, Rockland has 137 inhabitants. Oldtown has 103 inhabitant Augusta has 31 inhavitants Biddeford has uhabitants Gardiner has 13 41 inhabitants, Eilsworth has 17 rumseller 480 inhabitants Houlton has 12 257 inhabitants Waterville has L vumsellers, labita Eastport has 10 400 inbabitants Brunswick has 0 vumseller O06 inhabitants, Vinulhaven ha 511 Inhabitar I 261 inhabitants, Skowhegan has 7 rumsellers 2 Inhubitants Fairfield has 6 rumselle 7 inhabltauts Old Orchard has 4 every 5 inhubituuts towns have | rumsellers eac 4 inhabitants, owns bave i ruse ¢ 1,021 inhabitauts. 1 in towns named, 640, 20 ramsellers, one for eve 60 rumsellers, one fo; 43 cumsellers, one for eve 1 rumsellers, one for ever 24 rumsellor 24 rumsellers, om for cvery one for ov rumsellors, one one for every rumsellers, one for overy one for ever, rumsellers, one for every , one for oWy D ramsell , one for ey sque Tsle has 5 rumseller one for eve rumsellers,