The Van Buren press., 1893-04-01
LOCAL PROHIBITION.

Nine Sections of Arkansas Made Con.
pieteiy Dry-The Legislsturs Heeds the
request OF Some Communities, and Gives
.nem Laws Prohibiting the Sale Of
Liquors Within Prescribed Tepritory-
How This Was brought About.
The st. Louis Post Dispatch a few
days ago contained the following letter
from Little Rock, which will be read
WIN considerable interest by advocates
on both sides of the liquor question:
The@uthority vested in the legislature TO
chaet special laws prohibiting the sale of In.
toxlcants within specified distance of q
church or sehoolhouse in any locality where Z
majority OF the citizens residing in the terri
tory desire the tanishment OF the saloon has
heen freely exercised during the present ses.
sion OF the general assembly. The wholesale
liquor dealers OF St. Louis, Cincinnati and
Louisville have had their representatives at
Little Rock but despite all their arguments
only one bill OF this character has been dofeat-
eo that exception being the one which pro-
posed TO prohibit the sale OF liquor within ~
mlIes OF the Hope female college In Hampstead
county. In this ease the merchants md bust
ness men OF Hope and Washington took hand
In the fight and the influence was too great
ior the legislature to ignore it. All other local
option bills. introduced In either house haye
passed without debate and by large majorIties
The laws of Arkansas provide three ways by
Whlch the sale Of whisky and other fermented
liquors may be prevented.
| AT every general election the voters OF each
county decide whether or not the county shall
grant license to saloon-keepers At the cleo
tlon In September, 1892, one-thred of the coufl-
Ties In the state voted against license, as fol.
lows: Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Cleveland,
Columbia, Dallas, Drew, Franklin Fulton,
Grant Hot Spring lizard, johnson, Lawrence,
polt pAv.o Gait
Sharp, Union, Van Buren and Washington.
| License for dramshons ia denied 10 n maior.
fly of the adult citizen, within a miles at =
church or schoolhouse petition the county
court demonstrating against n. mis- IL the
second way by which the snIe Of Honor mov 10
prohibited
The third and most effective scheme bv which
the saloon may be shut out OF d comm,pitv h
by special act of the legislnture Snecial lsws
OF this character have Eeen enacted since 1ssg
and none OF them have been rereaiea M m.t'
ter how numerously signed the petition may DO,
praying for the repeal the legislature ALWAYS
refuses to obliterate the circle within which
the sale OF the ardent is prohibited
During the present session. OF the.legislature
two bffIs were introduced asking the repeal OF
| local option laws.. The first concerned jones'
boro, the. county seat of Craghead county.
Hon. Emmett Rodgers an active, intelligent
and energetic young journalist. was elected
representative from the county by majority
Of almost two to one the issue in the primary
canvass being the question OF the repeal OF tho
4-mile law ut Jonesboro enacted by the legisla-
turc of 1887. Mr.. Rodgers was In favor OF tho
repeal Of the law In the formation OF the house
committees Mr.. Rodgers was made chairman
OF the committee ON temperance. He brought
10 the legislature petition signed
by nearly all the citizens OF Jonesboro and VI
emily anected by the law asking for its repeal
after considering nvt \ ,
entire afternoon, defeated the bill. Mr.. Rodg-
ers resigned the ehairmanshtp OF the commit
see new Gays ago. he said ne believed In To-
e"i sun government was IN invor OF rec0m-
nienuihs .ne passaRe OF DIS proniDiting the
saie Oh ihtoxieahts WITHIN localities where the
nayoi'ios y, ci.iAens desired such laws ana
was was aiso willing TO make similar reports upon
piiis 70 repeal sucn laws when desired BY
,aalosHy " ettzens va taxpay sr5' ne pe
ie'ea 'ne 'uio shouia pe AuoWeu 10 Work poth
Why's
inc second case In which the legislature de-
eiihea 10 repeal one OF these acts was that In
which Batesytlle was interested The law pro-
hiDlts the sale OF tntoxicants within miles OF
the Arkansas college, located in Batesyille. and
was enacted bv the Legislature OF 1891. Since
that time couple OF frult distiileries have been
established near Hatesville. ana o majority OF
he.eltixehs came TO the conclusion that II they
could only throw on the shackles Of prohibition
tiihes Wouiu DO ehilvehtl IN tneif mlust, ana
instead OF the blind tiger . fewSaloons might
be established in the town from which the cOun-
W ana municipality might derive considera-
bic revenue. Much time was consumed In dis
GUESSING the bill which hnally suffered defeat like
the Jonesboro measure.
In about one-half OF the territory In the state
OF Arkansas the sale OF intoxicants is prob
tied. In addition TO the twenty-four counties
which voted against license ut the September
election localoption laws are In force Ut tho
following places, the limits averaging from Ito
10 miles.
Arkansas County-DeWitt.
Benton-Rogers.
Boone--Rally Hill.
Clark--Long's schoolhouse, Gurdon Arkadel-
phia Ol1olona.
Conway-Morrilton, Center Ridge Spring
field
Cleburne-Sugar Loaf
Cleveland-Kingsland.
Craighead-Jonesboro.
Dallas--Dalark. Shady Grove
Drew-Monticello.
Faulkner-Conway Viona, Greenbrters
Frankln-Alus.
Hampstead -Bingen, Ozan
Independence Batesviile Jamestown
Acknowledgements Tuckermun.
Lawrcnce-Portia.
Nevada Prescott.
Newton--Jasper Western Grove academy
Philiips-Poplar Grove.
Scott-Park academy, Boles Waldrou, Cauth,
ron.
st. Francis-Wheatley
Sever-Brownstone academy.
Observation-Disclosures, Hickory Grove
Van Buren-Clinton.
Washington -Fayetteville.