Newport Goes Dry on December 7 — and the Town Has to Refund the Saloons' Licenses

Next Tuesday, Dec. 7, the saloons of Newport, Washington, will close as a result of the local option election held Sept. 7. The saloons will be closed during the day on account of the holding of the municipal election, but will be open from the time of closing the polls until midnight.

Arrangements are being made by the town council to issue warrants for 90 per cent of the unexpired license money due the saloons under the law. About $900 will be paid in rebates to the saloons. As the money for this purpose is not in the treasury, warrants will be issued for the amounts, cash secured on them and tendered the saloon men.

While there will continue to be saloons for some time on the Idaho side of the town, the sale of liquor on the Washington side will be strictly prohibited, and any attempt to operate blind pigs or bootleg will be handled severely, and the strictest penalties for violation of the law will be imposed. It is practically the unanimous sentiment of the citizens that the new order of things be given a fair test, and then, if found unsatisfactory from either a moral or a business viewpoint, there will be an opportunity to hold another election on the matter next fall at the general election.

Elsewhere the dry tide is running strongly. Cassia county, Idaho, went dry Wednesday by 700 majority, the vote being almost 5 to 1; to date twelve Idaho counties have voted dry and two wet. The Whitman county local option election held Tuesday resulted in divided honors — Colfax, Palouse, Tekoa and Colton went wet, but eight other incorporated towns and the county went dry. The Washington State Grange has started the movement for state-wide prohibition in this state, the question to come up before the next legislature.