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ELSE LAND CO.
. Doland, and Redfield, South Dakota.
Will sell you improved or unimproved farms in the ,
Famous James River Valley of S. B.
We now have some splendid bargains in single quarters, half sec
tions, and also improved farms. Good soil, plenty of good water, and
mostly all well located. All kinds of small grain and good crops of corn
are raised here. From present prospects South Dakota will harvest the
largest crop ever known this year. Telephones, rural routes, schools
and churches are established all over the valley. We also have unim
proved land and ranches from one to eight thousand acres further west,
which we will quote you prices on if desired. Mr. W. J. Else, ane of
our firm, is now in Nebraska selling our lands. If you desire to consult
him, notify the Redfield office and he will call on you when possible
and give you accurate information about South Dakota land.
Excursions First and Third Tuesdays
of each month. Why not make arrangements and go with Mr. Else on.
one of these excursions. We will gladly show you these lands, if you
conclude to make a personal investigation by visiting our towns, and
will also convince you that the price is right.
REDFIELD, S. D.
DOLAND, S. D.
Xoute Mo. L
Farmers on the route commenced to
harvest their wheat Tuesday.
Tbe Standard Bridge company have
moved their out6t from tbe Matbias
bridge to Will Gerholz'e place, where
they will put in a new bridge.
Frank Ami, sr., and Gootlieb Berch
told returned last Wednesday from
Switzerland, where they spent three
months visiting the scenes of their boy
hood days, from which tbey bad been
absent for a quarter of a century. Of
course, there were many changes, but
there were still many familiar scenes.
Eoute Mo. 5.
Farmers are busy laying by their corn
and harvesting wheat.
Mrs. L. P. Hahn came up from York
last week and they are now keeping
house on the old borne place on route
No. 5.
Tuesday Will Houser was droging the
road between the Platte bridge and
Henry flouser's, with a road drag. He
is giving the roads some needed atten
tion and as a result tbey are in fine con
dition. There "will be an ice cream social at
tbe Hahn school house Friday evening,
July, 17, beginning at 8 o'clock. The
proceeds will go toward paying for the
organ in the Kinsman district. Help in
any way will be appreciated by those
giving the social.
EDITORS ARE
Neftnsh Scribes Defeii ail Sip-
ftrt tie SltCHffib Local
Of trti Law.
DENOUNCE "COUNTY OPTION"
It tk laH drier Traffic m Wet
m4s Is fostered by Dry Tewis
Which Are Braiie! of Moiey.
t
In 1890 Nebraska editors partici
pated In a memorable campaign
against the proposed amendment to
the state constitution to prohibit the
manufacture and sale of intoxicating
beverages. At that time a majority
of the editors favored the retention
of the high license, local option law
enacted In 1887, believing it to be
the best method of controlling the
liquor traffic In this contention they
were supported by many of the lead
ing men of the state, including Hon.
W. J. Bryan.
The presumption is that the major
ity of Nebraska editors are of the
same opinion still, and that they are
again ready to defend the Slocumb
law against attack. A number of the
best-known editors of the state have
expressed their views on the subject
In letters written to the Merchants'
and Manufacturers' Association of
Omaha. Some of these letters are as
follows:
FREMONT DAILY HERALD.
Fremont, Neb., June 2, 1908. Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' Associa
tion: Gentlemen: I helped into ef
fect the prohibition law -in Iowa
by voting for It My observations
after the election and for sev
era! months convinced me that I
B&ade a mistake, and I have not voted
for prohibltloa since. A well-regulated
license law, and enforcement
thereof, will be of far greater benefit
to any community than a so-called
prohibition law. Prohibition does not
prohibit. The national government
has been at work for a century trying
to stop distillation in the mountains
of Tennessee, and it has failed to ac
complish "prohibition." I am satisfied
that prohibition in Nebraska would
result in more drunkenness, more bad
whiskey, more bootleggers, more whis
key drug: stores, and a greater general
menace to society than ever before.
The continued improvement in meth
ods' of saloon men, brewers, and deal
ers generally Is going steadily on,
making: a license law such as we now
have more desirable than ever hereto
fore. Ymm&ntj, Hare G. Perkins.
.EY CITIZEN.
rMeblay 27, 1908. Mer-
eturers' Assoria.
.,
u ..Heparins to-your
M-twhy I favor the present
law in prefer-
to a state prohibitory law or
FOR
wOt7ojglojiiitw.wouIay that I
ELSE LAND CO.
Marriage Licenses.
Samuel A. Jacobs, David City 31
Ada M. Leeper, David City 20
Herman Schuster, Oolumbus 37
Maggie Carman, Silver Greek 28
Route Ho. 4.
Dan Bray and Mert Fish have tbeir
wheat harvested.
There waa a well attended dance at
Andrew Ebnerfe tbe Fourth.
Charlie Bray was taken sick the
Fourth and bad to be taken home.
All the wheat fields on the low ground
were badly flooded by the rain of San
day. Miss Emma Garten of Genoa waa the
guest of Miss Edith Barnes from Satur
day until Tuesday.
J. J. Barnes left Sunday for Denver,
where he will remain two weeks and
take in the convention.
Louis Zabawa and wife, Martin Zaba
wa and wife and Steven Sidock, all of
South Omaha, arrived the Fourth for a
few days' visit with Joseph Zabawa and
family.
have lived in Nebraska since tne
adoption of tbe present liquor law;
have seen its workings; know it to be
prohibitory if tne community desires
to enforce its provisions, and no other
state has a law that is equally as pro
hibitive. I have been in Kansas and Iowa
since those states adopted state pro
hibition, and at the times of my visits
to them was a drinking man, and soon
found out that I could get all the
"booze" I wanted to drink.
Several years ago I lived in Utica,
Seward county, and in my newspaper
business had dealings in both York
and Seward. York was supposed to
have the lid on tight, and Seward had
four or five open saloons, yet one
would see more drunken men in York
than in Seward, and it was a subject
of general comment at the time that
the city and county officials of York
were very lax in their enforcement of
the law.
I have for years argued with the
temperance people those who favor a
prohibitory law that they should use
their endeavors to amending the rev
enue laws of the government in ef
fect, to have the government refuse a
license when a municipality voted for
no saloons. In that way, with the
strong arm of tne government to en
force its laws, bootleggers would go
out of business.
No town in a county has a right to
say to another town that it shall not
do as it likes. No state has a right
to say to another state, "You must
obey our laws." That is the reason I
oppose the county option bill. Yours
very truly, P. P. Compton.
LOUP CITY STANDARD GAUGE.
Loup City, Neb., June 20, 1908. Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' Associa
tion: Gentlemen: I have been a tem
perance man all my life, but am strict
ly opposed to prohibition, because:
First, it was never known to pro
hibit. Second, it makes criminals out of
good citizens, both for and against.
A system that sets neighbor against
neighbor is degenerating, and a law
that puts a premium .on outlawry
should be repealed. A law or a sys
tem that encourages men to watch the
back door of their neignbor with the
hope of making a criminal of him
scarcely ever fails to mane a criminal
out of the watcher. Freedom of
speech and action is the one God-given
heritage that the common people seem
to have a perpetual figut to maintain.
From ail ages the fanatic, whether re
ligious or political, has been the su
preme foe of the masses. Laws have'
been made and gerrymandering ac
complished that the majority of the
people never realized until they awake
to find their liberties either curtailed
or annihilated. The masses should
wake up to the fact that the softening
sentences of religion do not better
their condition once they allow their
liberties to be snatched from them.
A better understanding of mediaeval
history would be beneficial to the
world. George H. Gibson.
SCHUYLER FREE LANCE.
Schuyler, Neb., May 29, 1908. Mer
chants' and Manufacturers'. Associa
tion: Gentlemen: In response to your
letter of recent date, will say that I
am opposed to statutory prohibition in
Nebraska and am a great believer in
the efficiency of the present Slocumb
law, which is a measure designed to
fit the prevailing sentiment of any
community Itxlf- amoiel loss!---
tJott lftW and. fegartllNs'of What any
person's individual opinion may be, hef
can endorse the provisions of the SUv
cumo law. Public sentiment is always
stronger than statutory provision and
the latter becomes ob:K)lete when that
sentiment is not in harmony with it
Under the provisions of the Slo
cumb law, in communities where the
prevailing sentiment is against sa
loons, the people can have prohibition
as effective as they could under the
most rigid prohioitory laws, and in
communities where prohibition wouia
not prohibit and would be a farce, the
traffic can be held in check under a
wise license system and bootlegging
and the attendant lawlessness will not
be the common method. If the Slo
cumb law cannot be enforced in a
community, most surely any prohib
itory law cannot be. Enforced legis
lative provisions of a personal nature
must follow in the wake of public sen
timent, and the wise Slocumb law
seems to have been framed to fit the
conditions of each and every commu
nity. Public sentiment as expressed
by the majority makes each commu
nity one of prohibition or one of vari
ous degrees of high license under not
alone the general restrictions of the
state law, but under additional pro
visions of ordinance at the will of the
local majority as well. The Slocumb
law is the best possible, and should
be let alone. If there 'is a genuine
criticism of that law, it Is that it gives
the saloon man little right and sub
jects him too much to the malice of a
citizen.
I am also opposed to the proposed
county option, for it destroys, in a
measure, local option and the princi
ple of home rule. It is unjust in that
it gives men a vote as to municipal
affairs wRen they pay no municipal
taxes and have no real interest in the
municipal government. Taxation witn
out representation all Americans agree
Is wrong, and the reverse is equally
so. Very truly yours, John C.
Sprecher.
SALINE COUNTY DEMOCRAT.
Wilber, Neb., June 8, 1908. Gentle
men: The coming struggle over the
liquor question should be J approached
with the greatest moderation and for
bearance on both sides.
The manufacture and sale Of a bev
erage that has been in use as far back
as authentic history goes, and ages
before the dawn of Christianity, can
no more be prohibited by statute law
because the depraved appetities of a
few bring discredit upon those who
supply tie public demand for it than
can the preaching of the gospel be
prohibited because the vicious pro
pensities of a small percentage of min
isters and the excesses of their pat
rons bring contumely upon the whole
church, by transgressing upon divine
as well as civil law. To my icono
clastic mind both are in the same
class there for the money that Is
in it
In my opinion, the Slocumb law of
Nebraska Is the best form of regulat
ing the liquor business that has yet
been devised. It has stood the tests
of the courts for years and where any
reasonable effort towards Its enforce
ment by the local authorities has been
made, it has given almost general sat
isfaction. Witness the Jubilation of
the "dry" forces at the result of the
recent spring elections. It gives each
community local option. To tamper
with It would be tempting Providence,
because the introduction of just one
innocent-looking little "joker" by some
adroit schemer might lead from order
ly regulation to absolute chaos.
Prohibition has been adopted in a
number of the southern states just "to
keep the niggers from getting it" If
adopted here, it will be the white man
of limited means that will be the
greatest victim. In many localities it
would be those colonies of hard-working,
law-abiding and thrifty citizens
who have been 'accustomed to the
moderate use of malt beverages from
childhood. The fellow who has got the
price will get all he wants anyway,
wholesale by case or cask, and make
no bones about it And won't it be a
pretty spectacle to see the tramping
hoboes with a capital of ten cents go
to the place across the street and rub
shoulders with the sanctimonious
Pecksniffs who yowl prohibition and
affect to scorn the open saloon, but all
the time take their nips on tbe sly in
the back room of the "dispensary?"
My memory of history may have be
come a little defective through ad
vancing years, but to the best of my
recollection, whenever it has come to
a downright contest between the "puri
tans" and their more broad-minded
fellow men, it has generally been the
self-righteous that have done the emi
grating. Better "let well enough alone." It
is my firm belief that the present agi
tation has been started by self-seeking
politicians only to distract the atten
tion of the people from far more seri
ous evils.
It is universally conceded that com
mercial exigencies and educational in
fluences are steadily advancing the
temperance cause. Let these good in
fluences continue, but from an acri
"We won't!" with its personal recrim
monlous campaign of "You will!" and
inations and long-enduring animosities,
Good Lord deliver us.
One who has been tirough the "cru
sade" oi the early seventies and the
hard-fought campaign oi xoo ought to
have formed decided opinions about
the futility of well-meant but Impracti
cal legislation. Respectfully, John
Knight, Editor and Publisher.
GREELEY CITIZEN.
One of the best weekly newspapers
in Nebraska fe the Greeley Citizen,
published by Messrs. E. P. and E. E.
Compton. Its editorials are uniformly
well written and forceful. Its issue of
June 5 contained the following.
"It is but just to state that the Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' associa
tion is not a saloon'organtzation, nor
is there a saloon man (either whole
sale or retail) nor a brewer among
its members. It Is an organization of
manufacturers and wholesale and re
tall merchants of that city banded to
gether for' the distinct purpose of
working for what they deem for the
best interest of Omaha and the state.
Some of the best and most influential
papers in the state have published J
uwnmuw mutt mm f mir nwiw mv
tentibti to it on the last page. . .
-The Merchants' and Manufacturers'
assdeiatidh or the Antl-SaloOn League
shodid enjoy equal facilities at the
hands of the Nebraska press and, with
few exceptions notably our contem
porarythey will, and a full and frank
discussion of any public question will
never Injure the morals of any one,
and no one but a hypocrite would ob
ject" THE WYMOREAN.
E. M. Burnham, editor of .the Wy-
morean, expresses this view of the sub
ject:
"If prohibition prohibits, I am for it.
If voting "the saloons out "of 'Wymore
means that the liquor traffic will still
be continued underground, by boot
leggers and In holes In the walls, I
say license the saloons, and have the
liquor business carried., on in a way
that gives the city a sum of money,
which is badly needed, and conducted
by men whom we know and who are
good citizens. In towns and states
where saloons have been shut out, the
liquor traffic has -been transferred
from responsible hands to outlaws and
scalawags, and from an open business
to an underground one. I do not be
lieve that shutting out the saloons In
Wymore will stop the sale of liquor
and for that reason I am for local
license."
COLUMBUS TELEGRAM.
Hon. Edgar Howard, one of the
ablest democratic editors in the state,
makes the following editorial reply to
an anonymous correspondent:
"This liquor problem is a large
problem, and It cannot be settled and
settled right by men who are so lack
ing in courage as to write an anony
mous postal card. It is a question
which needs the best of thought of all
good citizens. Men may honestly dif
fer as to the mode of dealing with this
great question. Some men are honeBt
in the opinion that the traffic in In
toxicating liquors should be wholly
prohibited. Other men honestly be
lieve the traffic should be regulated
by law. Why should It seem neces
sary on the part of those who believe
in prohibition always to question the
honesty and integrity of those who do
not,belleve In prohibition?"
SCRIBNER NEWS.
In its issue of June 5, the Scrlbner
News says:
"A great deal of misrepresentation
has been put in circulation in regard
to the Merchants and Manufacturers
association of Omaha which is making
a strong and dignified fight against
prohibition, and what is still worse,
county option. The association Is
composed of leading business men of
Omaha whose names are familiar
throughout the state. No distiller,
brewer or liquor dealer is eligible to
membership.
"Now if those advocates of prohibi
tion will read and consider the weekly
columns furnished by tbe above
named association, they will notice
that some of the best business men of
the state are strictly against county
option."
WESTERN NEBRASKA OBSERVER.
Kimball, Neb., May 26. 1908. Mer
chants' and Manufacturers' Associa
tion r Gentlemen: I came here over
a year ago from Kansas where I lived
fifteen years. I had ample opportuni
ty to observe the workings, or rather,
the non-working qualities of the pro
hibitory law. I am sick and tired of
drug-store saloons and joints which
pay no license and cause more drunk
enness than open saloons. The
Slocum law in Nebraska is all right
as it now stands and needs no chang
ing. A saloon run strictly in accord
ance with this law Is a great deal
more to be desired than a "dry" town
with its drug stores, its bootleggers,
and its numerous shipments of mail
order booze and consequent drunken
ness. Very respectfully, R. D. Wil
son. MORE MAIL-ORDER BUSINESS.
Every local merchant in Nebraska
has felt the unfair competition of the
eastern mail-order house. There is a
state association of merchants, the
object of which Is to make sentiment
antagonizing the mall-order business.
The local merchant contends that it Is
unjust to him, a local taxpayer, to per
mit a company paying no taxes in the
state to ship into a Nebraska com
munity merchandise at prices less
than the local merchant can afford to
sell for,' because of the Insurance, tax
and rental rates he is compelled to
pay for the privilege of doing business.
He is casting about for some means
by which the mail-order business may
be stamped out
In this connection. It is interesting
to cite one .phase of the situation in
Butler county, brought about by some
of the towns whose people voted not
to issue liquor licenses. A David City
banker writes that immediately upon
the adoption of the dry policy, there
sprang up an active 'mail-order busi
ness in wet goods. The same is true
cf Beatrice. All such money, of
course, leaves the county, and while
as much liquor as formerly may be
consumed, the volume of local money
Is depleted.
It is said on good authority that
every Saturday night trains from Kan
sas City to Topeka carry mail-order
original packages of wet goods for the
Individual consumer at Topeka.
A well known, citizen of Cook, Neb.,
writes of the mall-order business in
wet goods as applied to that town, as
follows: "In one month there has
been shipped into Cook seven and one-
half barrels of wine and whisky and
twenty barrels and five cases of beer."
The Chamber of Commerce of Sa
vannah, Ga.. has Issued a circular
stating that the new prohibition law
of that state has created an immense
mall-order traffic in liquor amounting
to something like 1200.000 a month,
which Is leaving the state, and in re
turn for which liquor is received for
local consumption.
During the days when the policy of
prohibltloa was sought to be enforced
in Iowa, the mail-order business from
Omaha houses into the various towns
of western Iowa was enormous; the
money, of course, leaving the local
communities of Iowa to enhance the
profits of Omaha dealers. -The enact
ment of the Mulct Tax law in 1894 put
a stop to most of the traffic.
These instances are few compared
with the large number within the
knowledge of the people of Nebraska
towns
E G. PERSON
- Buggies,
Wagons,
Implements,
Lawson
Gas Engines
Smithing, Wagon Making and
Shoeing.
eral supreme court has, t In three no
table cases, decided that no valid law
could be passed to prevent a citizen of
one state ordering liquor shipped from
another state for his own use; there
fore tbe original package mail-order
traffic in wet goods is strictly s legiti
mate from a legal point of view, or.
at any rate, the right can not be
abridged by law.
It is a question for local merchants
and taxpayers to decide for them
selves whether or not they shall favor
a local policy which would be certain
to build up an immense mail-order
business, thus creatine a constant
drain upon the money of any town
adopting that policy.
THE SNYDER BANNER.
Manager Gus H. Weber of the
Snyder Banner, discussing the mall
order liquor trade, says:
"With prohibition every taxpayer
will have to cough up more money
proportionally but the "jug houses"
do business just the same depriving
the towns of their annual income of
license, and at the same time increase
the mall-order trade which has be
come a heavy drain on local merchants
all over the country.
We do not believe that people could
not exist without liquor, but while
we are positive that some- so-called
prohibitionists insist on its use we
are going to stand for license, to
which the community is more entitled
than those jug houses ever dared to
be.
To give a plain illustration of how
liquor trade is going abroad we wish
to relate the following story which
recently came to light: A well known
citizen in a country town called at
the depot asking the agent If "his
books had come." The agent replied
that no books were received at the
time. Later the same party inquired
by telephone about the expected mer
chandise, when the agent replied.
"Yes, your package is here, but there
are no books; it is billed as liquor."
Seeing that he was caught in a trap
our citizen refused to accept the pack
age. It Is not necessary to state that
that man will vote for county option.
but he must have the booze."
'CLAY CENTER SUN.
The editor of the Clay Center Sun
makes the following significant com
ment:
"It has been said in our bearing
many times that tbe business of Has
tings has fallen off greatly since the
saloons were closed. The extent of
that decline, as reported In some in
stances once-half did not to us seem
possible, but that there has been a
heavy decline we are forced to believe.
What follows such a decline in busi
ness? Discharge of help. We cannot
guess how many worthy ladies and
gentlemen are thrown out of employ
ment. Does one hundred overstate
it? We guess not Half of these will
miss their salaries, though perhaps
small, exceedingly, and as much as
the ladles might abhor saloons
wouldn't they feel that the presence
of the saloon, so far as they are con
cerned, where the evil effects are not
seen in their families, can more easily
be endured than the want of tbe week
ly stipend that they receive when busi
ness is better and their services are
needed in the stores? We learn
through the Hastings Tribune that one
hundred and nfty-nve or Hastings
most progressive business men re
spectfully call the attention of the
city council to the fact that at the
last municipal' election a majority of
206 votes were cast for the policy of
local license and that the general
business of tbe city is suffering from
the effects of the present policy."
STERLING SUN.
As Sterling has saloons and none of
tbe neighboring towns have any, it
will be a good opportunity to make
comparisons during the year as to rel
ative business conditions, amount of
drunkenness and other disputed ques
tions as to prohibition and saloons.
There are a great many temperance
people who do not believe in, but dis
courage the use of intoxicating liquors
as a beverage; who are not prohibi
tionists, so-called, because they do not
believe that prohibition of the liquor
traffic prohibits, nor is it the best way
to control the use of intoxicating
liquors.
KEARNEY DEMOCRAT.
Editor F. L Whedon writes:
A corporation lawyer ought to know
better than we do, because we are not
a corporation lawyer, why the people
living In any of the outlying town
ships in Buffalo county should not be
permitted to vote to control the ac
tions of a municipality or municipal
corporation. Cities and towns are
seiiarated and sesrerated from the
control of the canntv government bv i
statute and It is in violation of law
and the constitution of the state for
a citizen of Logan township to come
to Kearney or go to Elm Creek and
cast his vote upon any question or up
on any proposition which is being vot
ed upon by the voters of those corpo
rations. He becomes a criminal the
moment he does so. He is not, should
not, and the courts will not give him
legal right to have a voice in such
local government because to give him
such a voice in the municipal govern
ment would be to give him representa
tion without taxation, which would be
destructive to the priciple of home
rule, would be Illegal and un-American
In every sentiment The constitution
j ttf ti r ot abide la toe
pi iiefftMt of count? opttotv Mcmm
tW'r Protect touts std village
igalnst the domination and encroach
ment of a larger number of .voters
throughout the county in which they
are situated, who 'are not t taxed) to
maintain municipal or corporate1 gov
ernment and have no more right water
the statute and 'the constitution of
controlling or shaping the affairs of
those towns and villages than has the
city of Kearney to dominate and vote
upon the affairs of Ravenna or Shel
ton. The plan of county option is to
have the county dominate the city of
Kearney, providing county .option
should receive "a majority of the votes
within the county, but permit Kear
ney to work out its own salvation If
a majority of the votes wltttm the
county should be cast against county
option. Kearney always has. and we
believe always -will be perfectly able
to understand its own affairs what It
wants and what It does not want
what It can afford and what it cannot
afford better than the voters of Lo
gan township do or can."
LOUP CITY STANDARD-GAUGE.
The saloons closed their doors at
noon Tuesday, their license having
expired. It has been a dry town
since, but every one seems to satisfy
their thirst as they did when the sa
loons were open. Just the other
evening a case of the best that money
can buy came in from Kansas City.
Does that look like you can shut it
out of the city? It will be had when
it is desired no matter how the "Wa
ter Apostles" arrange matters, so let
'em o.
SCHUYLER FREE LANCE.
Hon. John C. Sprecher, editor of the
Schuyler Free Lance, In a recent is
sue of his interesting-and ably-edited
paper, says:
"The leading business firms and In
dividuals of Omaha have organized
what is known as the Merchants' and
Manufacturers' association for the ex
press purpose of fighting not alone pro
hibition in this state, but county op
tion as well. And those business
men are not brewers nor distillers nor
saloon keepers nor "boozers," but are
the leading business men of Omaha
who know the serious effect upon bu
siness prohibition has and also realize
-that county option is unfair. They
favor the present Slocumb law, which
is fair to all elements and permits the
majority of any community to rule.
That association has a press bureau
and that bureau is sending out litera
ture as well as furnishing the local
press with articles and plate matter.
So far as the association and its mis
sion are concerned, the Free Lanc
editor is in harmony with them and
their opposition to prohibition and
county option is in accord with us. We
agree in general with the matter,
which is simply presenting their side
of the question.
LOUP CITY STANDARD GAUGE.
Every voter should clearly under
stand the situation andgtf he wants a
law passed that allows his neighbor
miles away to tell him what to do
then he should vote for the represen
tative or senator that will pass it If
he desires to govern himself and
grant the other roan the same right
then elect a man who is against coun
ty option. Don't be fooled on the
word local option, we have that:
county option destroys that privilege.
Suppose the fight that the fanatics are
making for county option is defeated
at tbe polls, what have they lost? Not
one piivlleee. or power: but if they
win, they have succeeded In windfag
the people in one more mesh called
law. that robs you of your liberty.
Don't forget that your liberties are
easily given away, but once gone are
mighty hard to recover.
HASTINGS TRIBUNE.
That you may better understand
just what these 150 business men are
praying for we print a copy of their
petition, which follows:
"We. the undersigned citizens and
business men of Hastings, Neb., recog
nizing the imperative necessity of con
tinuing the established policy of gov
ernment, wherein the majority shall
rule, believing the business interests
of this city are best protected by fol
lowing the expressed will of tbe ma
jority, respectfully call your attention
to the fact that at the last municipal
election a majority of 206 votes were
cast for the policy of local license and
that the general business, of this city
is suffering from the effects of the
present policy.
"We, therefore, pray your honorable
body to at once take up and act upon
the several petitions for liauor JI-
bYBBhBBbBBBbJ fCa IB
'SiSJEP
Electric Lighted Trains
-TO-
COLORADO
EQUIPHED WITH
Pullman Palace Sleeping Cars,
Free Reclining Chair Cars,
Dynamo Baggage Car,
Dining Car, (Meals a la Carte),
Running Daily to Denver
VIA THE
UNION PACIFIC
Inquire of
E. Q. BROWN, AgenC
cng( tow m witB'-tnrcity
elernV .
GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT.
At its state meeting held in Has
tings recently the anti-saloon league
declared its opposition to the Slocumb
law and expressed Itself, In favor of
the repeal of the same. It also de
clared itself in favor of the county op
tion law. evidently as a temporary
measure. The Slocumb law permits of
prohibition for every community which
wants it "The county optloa law- per
mits of people outside of a community
govering such community provided
they will govern It one certain way.
,
SCHUYLER FREE LANCE.
The prohibition element Iq Ne
braska promises to be very active; and
they also give evidence of helms as
unprincipled as they are aggreivf.
Abuse and misrepresentation atver
win anything and that is their prifi
cipal means of attack. This editor
prefers law aad order rather than the
opposite and prefers licenced saloqri
In lieu of bootlegging and so stands
by the Slocumb law.
PENDER TIMES.
There are lots of good intelligent
people who do not believe in the
liquor traffic who do, however, believe
that while it is with us it can best lie
regulated by local license, which is
far more preferable than bootlegging
and other attendant evils even pro
hibition towns must put up with, to
say nothing in reference to the ques
tion of revenue and the wishes of the
majority of tbe community.-'
GENEVA GAZETTE.
Syracuse,. Nebraska, went dry and
the town board bad to cut expenses
to meet the pocketbook they were to
carry for the year so tbey cut out the
street lighting service, reduced the
salary of the treasurer, did away with
the office of attorney and made the
water and light commissioner act as
town clerk.
The prohibitory law in Georgia,
which went into effect the first of
January, stopped the manufacture
and open sale of liquor. The secretary
of the Commercial club at Savannah
says- that the club has sent agents
over the state to ascertain the effect
of the law upon the business of
Georgia. He writes that insofar am
an estimate can be made at this time,
he finds that merchants are losing
hundreds of thousands- of1 dollars of
trade a month, which is going to out
side dealers of liquor who are ship
ping liquor into Georgia in original
packages. The commercial clubs of
Georgia have combiped to see what
can be done to keep such money in
the state. They hold that there Is
just as much( liquor being consumed
as ever.
Be it remembered that local option
as defined by the Slocumb liquor law
affords the fullest measure of home
rule. It is a vital quality of the law.
Destroy it, and the whole structure
must fall. So-called county option, as
defined by the Anti-Saloon league, la
intended to destroy this element of
home rule by putting the power in
the hands of rural voters to dictate
to the taxpayers of villages and towns
as to what they shall or shall not do.
Pretended county option means that
the limits of villages and towns shall
be ignored, when the people of .a
whole county may be permitted to
vote to prevent the issuing of liquor
licenses. With such a law as that in
effect, the home rule of villages aad
towns would be destroyed, and their
policy with respect to the control of
the liquor traffic would be dictated by
the farmers of the county, who pay
no taxes in the towns.
The secretary of the Fort Scott
Commercial club says that owing to
the blight of prohibition in Kansas!
Immigration into that state during the
last twenty-four years has been less
numerically than the birth rate. He
says the policy has put a check upon
the material progress of the state as
compared with other states, whereas
Kansas is naturally one of the most
productive states in the union.
County option was enacted in Texas
and Xorced upon the people of many
towns against their will. The secre
tary of the Denison Commercial club
estimates that the operation cf county
option in that city cost the merchants
and property owners nearly a million
dollars.
All
ElKtic
LitltX
.y
VA
