The Dries Sweep Stevens County—and 39 Saloons Get Their Notice

In the campaign against the saloons throughout the Northwest only an occasional 'wet' victory is recorded. On Wednesday a sweeping victory for the dries occurred in Idaho: four counties—Kootenai, Twin Falls, Washington and Lincoln—voted, and all delivered a verdict in favor of the dries.

In Kootenai County the dries win with a majority of 138, according to first reports. All precincts but one that is isolated have been heard from. The victory for the dries comes as a surprise to many, as a fierce campaign had been waged, and it is estimated that $15,000 to $18,000 was expended to win a wet victory. Practically all the lumber companies operating in the county and the leading business interests signed a circular to the voters favoring the retention of the legal saloon, but it was without effect. The votes of the women and the rural districts combined was too great to overcome. The total vote cast in Kootenai County was 3,017 dry, 2,879 wet. The cities of Coeur d'Alene, Spirit Lake, St. Joe and St. Maries went wet. Coeur d'Alene gave a wet majority of 303, Spirit Lake 41. Rathdrum was a dry stronghold, casting 387 dry votes to 123 wet. In Idaho the counties vote as a unit and the towns are affected by the whole vote.

It begins to look as if statewide prohibition was in store for both Idaho and Washington.

County Auditor Jesseph, Dr. G. W. Sutherland, chairman of the board of county commissioners, and Prosecuting Attorney H. G. Kirkpatrick, acting as a board of canvassers, convened at Colville Tuesday and canvassed the election returns from the Stevens County unit on the local option special election. They found the returns to show 1,491 dry votes and 814 wet, giving the dries a majority of 677.

With but little interest taken in the election and an estimated vote of only one-half the voting population, it is evident that the population of the county is increasing rapidly. The experience of this county is similar to that elsewhere—the ranchers, when given an opportunity, will vote to put the saloon out of business.

Thirty-nine saloons are put out of business by this election and will close their doors on Feb. 7. This leaves but three places in the county where saloons can be licensed: Northport, Springdale and Chewelah. The latter town has already voted wet and the contest will soon be waged in the other two, with the chances that they will remain wet.

At Springdale, this county, the saloon issue will be fought out at the municipal election, thus doing away with the necessity of holding a special election. Both the wets and the dries will have municipal tickets, and if the dries win out the council will refuse to grant further saloon licenses.

As yet no report has reached here of any disposition of the case of the Newport saloons against the town, contesting the validity of the local option election. Unless a decision favorable to the saloons is rendered they will close on Dec. 6, the 7th being the date of the municipal election.