The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-11-20
County ProhihitorY Law.

In view of the fact that the people of
Van Buren, County are soon to vote
upon the new County ProhibitOry law
a brief outline OF its provisions is given
herewith. The full text of the law
Is too long for newspaper article.
Is II covers nine pages OF the Public
Statutes. 1t will be found ON page 2S6,
OF the Public Acts of 1889, and is mum
bered Act No. 20;.
The first provisions of the law specify
that where the act has been rendered
operative in the manner afterwards
prescribed, the general law relating to
the sale or giving away of Intoxicating
liquors shall be suspended and become
imperative except SO far as il relates
TO druggists and IL shall be unlawful to
sell, keep Tor sale, give or furnish t0
others rs beverage any Intoxicating
liquors in such county.
Ia order to ascertain the will of the
qualified voters OF each organized coun-
", in regard To such prohibition it is
provided that petitions shall be circu-
lated and must be signed by not less
than one-fOurth of the qualified voters
OF the county. The petitions must be
separate, one for each township. They
must be sworn to by one or more cleo
tors, the ai1idavitS stating that he or
they are personally acquainted with the
parties whose names are signed To- the
petition; that he knows that they reside
i'm such township and that the signatures
are the genuine signatures of the persons
signing the said petition. The petition
from each township must be accOmpa-
MED by transcript of the poll list of
the last general election in such town
ship, for the purpose of notification,
and must be filed with the county clerk
The county clerk thereupon calls a
meeting of the board of supervisors
and it is their duty, after examination
of she petitions, to satisfy themselves
that they are correct and that the re.
quisite percentage of qualified voters
have signed them, to call an election
Such election shall be on Mon
day, not less than forty nor more
than sixty days from the date of the
meeting of the board. At such election
the county clerk shall furnish ticket.
and the election is held in other respects
rs elections under former laws. Tn,
wording of the ballot must be as follows
Should the manufacture of liquors, anC
the liquor traffic be prohibited within
the c0unty-1es,' or SHOULD the man
ufacture OF liquors, and the liquor
traffic be prohibited within the county
No The ballot may be either writer
OF printed.
The Monday succeeding the election
the board of supervisors shall meet as
canvassing board, and if a majority o
the votes east shallfavor prohibition tn,
board OF supervisors may pass a resolu
ton declaring the law in full force anC
effect in said county, and such resolu
ton shall go into effect on the LIST dal
of May thereafter and remain in fore,
until the law shall be disannulled i'm tn,
same manner in which it has been rem
dered effective. But such resolution
must be passed by the board of super
visors at least forty days prior to the Is
day of May. Elections under the law
may not be held oftener than once il
two years.
The penalties for violation Of this &C
are, for the first Offense not less thar
$50, nor more than 5000 fine. or i'm
prisonment in the county iai not les
than twenty days nor more than 81,
months; and for a second ofTense fin,
of from 800 TO 5000 and Imprisonment
at lonia from six months to two years