Iowa Old Press

Burlington Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
April 23, 1874

State Temperance
The Buchanan county Bulletin says:
The ladies are meeting with excellent success in procuring names to the petition to the Council to raise the saloon licenses. Nine out of ten of our population not directly interested or dependent in some way on the liquor traffic recognize the justice of this demand, and it is probable, with the backing of public sentiment which the petitions will show, that the Council will refuse to grant it. The petition will be presented at the regular meeting of the Council on Monday evening. After speaking some hopeful words for the cause of temperance the Washington, Iowa, Gazette says: The great temperance engine is still running, in this city, under a full head of steam. We cannot say whether the spirit that move the leaders, is becoming greatly diffused, but one thing is clearly developed. The enthusiasm of those who have enlisted heart and soul in the cause, is becoming greater, and this spirit, leaven like, may yet permeate the entire community. Even though the movement were to stop now, there are few but will admit that it has been beneficial. The Des Moines Journal says that a few days ago the ladies of Jefferson visited the City Council of that place in a body and made an appeal for prohibition. The result was that the Council appointed a committee to draft a prohibition ordinance, and will undoubtedly pass it. One saloon man had quit the business and several others are offering to sell out at cost. The temperance crusade has broken out in Vinton, Benton County. The ladies are visiting saloons and drug stores; some of the proprietors of which are disposed to yield. The prohibitionists of Waterloo are determined to inforce the law to the very letter, and prevent druggists from selling spirituous liquors for medicinal purposes. A large temperance mass meeting was held at McGregor on Monday night. The speakers advocated the banishment of the cup from the side-boards of society, believing it to be the root of the evil. No definite movement toward a crusade has taken place. The Marshalltown Times says the physicians of that city have signed an agreement to not prescribe liquors for medicinal purposes under any circumstances whatever.

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Burlington Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
April 30, 1874

A case of considerable interest has just been decided by the court at Cedar Rapids. James Bronson, a shoemaker in the employ of Frank Yarnall, a dealer in boots and shoes, went into a saloon kept by one Ponelka and there became intoxicated. He lay there in this state for nearly ten days, being kept drunk all this time; his clothes were taken from him and appropriated by the saloon keeper, and filthy rags, filled with vermin substituted. Yarnall sued Popelka for $100 damages under the provisions of section 1,557 of the Code, which gives employers right of action and damages in such cases. The jury awarded sixty dollars to Yarnall in which public sentiment strongly concurs.

Forty-six saloon keepers of Keokuk publish a card pledging themselves not to sell ale, wine, beer or other drinks to minors or other persons injured by the use of intoxicating liquors. They declare further that they will not discountenance any person or persons engaged in the liquor business that will not unite with them in carrying out this reform. To aid them better in their purposes they solicit notifications in writing from parents, guardians, wives or relatives, and ask also the aid of all parties personally interested.

Judge Maxwell has issued an order to the Sheriff of Polk county to close all saloons and other places in Des Moines that were declared nuisances at the term of court yesterday.

State Anti-Temperance Association
A "State Liquor-Dealer's Association" has been organized in Davenport, whose purposes and plan of operation we condense from the constitution of the organization, as quoted in the Davenport Democrat:
The constitution of the Association announces its purpose to be that or organizing societies throughout the State of Iowa whose object it shall be to remove the so-called Maine Law and its appendances, and to labor for the introduction of a judicious license law instead. We will oppose the encroachment of puritanic temperance demagogues, who now more than ever entertain thoughts of depriving us of the liberties guaranteed by the constitution of the United States. Every honorable citizen, or others who have declared their intentions to become citizens of the United States, can become members of this society. Every
member has a right to demand large assistance from the society; to what extent such aid shall be given is optional with the Executive Committee. It shall be the duty of every member of the society to support such candidates for public offices as are favorable to a general license law, whether such candidates be
one one ticket or another."

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