The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-08
Address 10 the Voters of Travis
County, la favor of Local option.

In accordance with the provision of
the Constitution of Texas, The last
Legislature enacted the following law:
An act to prohibit the sale, exchange
| or gift of Intoxicating liquors in any
county, Justices precinct, city or
town III this State tina: may so elect :;
prescribing the mode OF election and
affixing u punishment for its viola
| ton.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legis-
lature Of tie State Of Ieras, That it
shall be the duty of the commissioners
court of each county in the State, upon
the written petition of fifty qualified
voters of said county, or upon such pc
tition by twenty qualified voters of any
| Justices precinct, town or city therein,
to order an election to be held by the
qualified voters of said county, JUS
tlce's precinct, town or city, as the
,asc may be, to determine whether the
sale of Intoxicating liquors, and medi
Gated bitters producing intoXication,
shall be prohibited in such covqty,
| Justices precinct, town or city, or not;
prOcided, that nothing herein contained
shall be construed to prohibit the sale
of wines for sacramental purposes, nor
alcoholic stimulants as medicines in
cases of actual sickness when sold upon
the written prescri ption of a regular
practicing physician, certifying upon
honor that the same is actually neces-
sary as a medicine.
Sec. 2. 1t shall he the duty of such
court, at its first session after the fiji
ing of such petition with the clerk
thereof, to order an election to be held
at the regular voting place or places
within the proposed and prescribed
limits, upon day not exceeding thirty
days from the date of said order; and
said order shall express the object of
said election. The clerk shall post, or
cause to be posted, at least five copies
of said order at different public places
in each Justices precinct, town or city
in which such election shall be held for
at least twenty days prior to the day
election. Said court shall appoint and
qualify the proper officers under existing
laws. At said election those who favor
the prohibition of the sale of intOxi-
eating liquors within the prescribed
limits shall have written or printed on
their tickets the words 'For Prohibit
tion," and those who oppose it shall
inderse on their tickets the words
Against Prohibition" The officers
holding said election shall IN all re-
spects not herein specified conform to
the existing laws regulating elections;
and after the polls are closed they shall
proceed to count the vote; and they
shall, within ten days thereafter, make
due report of said election to the afore-
said court.
SEC. 8. Said court shall hold a
special session on the eleventh day af-
ter the holding of the aforesaid cleo
ton, or as soon thereafter as practical
BILE, for the purpose of opening the
polls and counting the votes; and if
majority of the votes cast are For
Prohibition" said court shall immedi-
ately make an order declaring the re-
suit of said vote, AMI absolutely pro-
hibiting the sale Of intoxicating liquors
within the prescribed bounds Except
for the purposes specified in section
one of this acD until such time as the
| qualified voters therein may, at legal
election held for the purpose, by ma
jority vote, decide otherwise; and said
order of court so declaring the result
of election and prohibiting the sale of
Intoxicating liquors shall be published
| for four successive weeks in the news
paper having the largest circulation in
the county; and in such counties as
shall have no newspaper by posting
said order at three public places within
i 81 Itrf ~
ity voting at such election vote ga gaiust
Prohibition" the court shall make an
order declaring the result, and have
the same entered of record in the office
of the clerk of said court.
SEC. 4. No election under the fore
going sections shall be held within the
same prescribed limits in less than
twelve months after an election under
this act has been held therein: but
failure to carry prohibition in a county
shall not prevent such election being
Immediately thereafter held in JUS
tees precinct, town or city of said
county; nor shall the failure to carry
prohibition in town or city prevent an
election Immediately thereafter being
held IN the same Justices precinct; nor
shall the holding of an election in any
Justices precinct in any way prevent
the holding of an election for the en-
tire county Immediately thereafter.
Sec. 5. When any such election has
been held and has resulted in favor Of
prohibition, and the aforesaid court
has made the order declaring the re-
suit, and the order of prohibition, and
has caused the same to be published
as aforesaid, any person or persons who
shall thereafter, within the prescribed
bounds of prohibition, sell, exchange
or give away, with the purpose of evad-
ing the provisions of this act, any in
toxicatlng liquors whatsoever, or In any
way violate any of the provisions of
this act, shall be subject to prosecu-
tiop, by information or indictment,
and shall be fined in sum not less
than twenty-five nor more than two
hundred dollars for each and every
violation of any of the provisions of
this act.
SEC. 6. 1t is hereby made the duty of
the district judges to give this act in
charge to the grand jaries; and it is
made the especial duty of the county
attorneys, the county judges and all
the justices of the peace having jurIs-
oiction in the premises to see that this
act is rigIdly enforced. An officer fail
ing to discharge his duties under this
act in any respect shall be subject to
indictment, and, if convicted, shall be
fined not less than one hundred nor
more than one thousand dollars. All
fines collected under this act shall be
paid into the county treasury, and shall
constitute part of the school fund for
the county, justices precinct, town or
city in which the law is in force.
SEC. Z. All laws and parts of laws
In conflict with this act are hereby re-
pealed.
Takes effect ninety days after twen-
ty-fourth of June. 1~7G
In pursuance of the above law the
Travis county court has ordered an
election to be held on the seventeenth
of March, 1877, when the question will
be decided whether the sale of intoxi-
eating drinks as beverage shall any
longer be tolerated. We appeal to you
to vote for the prohibition of such sale
because
10 costs such immense sums of n0Hey.
Il costs the United States seen hun
dred millions or dollars. 1t costs the
State of Texas tIceaty;fce millions of
dollars. 1t costs the county of Travis
-four hundred ana one thousand dollars.
This is its cost to the consumer in
actual money. And for this enormous