their predictions of economic ruin confounded by the fact of a new prosperity. For a long time the economic argument that it would "hurt the town "prevented the business class from throwing their influence heartily for reform. But when their fears were dispelled by the successful experience of towns here and there, a tremendous new force was enlisted and progress toward universal prohibition became easy and rapid. It is notable that while the earlier arguments for the abolition of the liquor traffic were almost wholly ethical or moral, the arguments used in the final successful campaigns were generally economic and social.
Independent voting. In the days of extreme party domination it used to be held by sociologists that a marked tendency among the people of a state to independence in voting was a sign of exceptional intelligence. By that test the people of the Northwest would at once take front rank. Their voting, for many years, has been characterized by nothing so much as a determination to be irregular. In Oregon, for example, where the Republicans have had a clear and large majority, nominally, since reconstruction days, the people in the past sixteen years have generally chosen a Democratic governor. They are now represented in the United States Senate by two Democrats,^ while their house members are all Republican. In 191 2 the presidential primary gave the Republican
1 Since the above was written death has removed one of these, his place being filled by a Republican.
