Willmar Tribune

Prohibition Press Bulletin.

Issued by W. G. Calderwood,

Minneapolis.

The State Prohibition convention was held in the city of Minneapolis on June 14 and 15. It was full of that interest and enthusiasm that always characterizes the gatherings of that party. Chas. W. Dorsett of Minneapolis was nominated for governor; J. F. Heiberg of Heiberg, Minn., was nominated for lieutenant-governor; H. A. Rygh of Litchfield was named for secretary of state; Fremont R. MacManigal of St. Paul was named for state auditor; Delbert W. Weld of Windom was named for treasurer, and Louis J. VanFossen, Minneapolis, for attorney-general. A full electoral ticket was put in nomination. Forty-seven delegates were named to attend the National convention which is to be held in Indianapolis June 29 and 30.

In addition to the business of the convention, Oliver W. Stewart, national chairman, and Clinton N. Howard of Rochester, New York, delivered addresses to the general public urging the importance of the issue represented by the prohibition party, and the lack of any defined differences between the dominant parties on any problem or problems of national importance.

The prohibition party in Oregon, taking advantage of the initiative and referendum which is the law of that state, introduced a local option bill of most stringent character and fought it thru at the polls, winning a handsome majority. The measure is a fair, honest prohibitory provision and not a license law in disguise. The liquor men fought it with all vigor, and to the Prohibitionists as such belongs the credit of its submission to the people and of its success at the polls. In 1900 the Prohibition vote in Oregon represented the largest per cent of the total vote than any other state in the union and this year they made a showing of large gains over four years ago.

The Minneapolis Times is responsible for the statement that the issues this year are not between the opposing political parties but within the political parties.

The Liquor Press charges Tammany with having decreased the saloons of New York city by over one half a thousand.

In 1879 Kansas went under a prohibitory law. In five out of 105 counties the law is practically a dead letter. These five counties have 17 per cent of the population and furnish over 30 per cent of the crime. In this connection it might be interesting to note that Kansas contracted with employers of labor to furnish convict labor for a certain term of years basing the number of laborers they would furnish upon the criminal population of the state. Prohibition so far reduced the criminal population so that the state of Kansas was compelled to enter the markets and employ free labor to fulfill her contracts.

The Epworth League of the city of Minneapolis is making a protest against the issuance of every license in that city.

The merry war between Dunn and Collins continues to emphasize the dearth of any real issue between the old parties in this state.