Omaha daily bee., 1894-03-25
GLAD THE FIGHT IS OVER
Iowa Legislators Tired of the Liquor Regu-
lation Struggle,
ALL MEMBERS NOT WHOLLY SATISFIED
Even Those who Voted for the Modification
Measure In Many Instances Re
gard IL ms n Tempo
rnry Relief.

u SAbh vi Athit wv NV Nv - NHt faNbbAN
to modify the prohibitory law. The mulct
bill ran the gauntlet in the lower house in
a most remarkable manner, and narrowly
escaped defeat frequently. points being
scored in some cases by only a single vote.
Senator Ellis OF Clinton. who has led the
fight for local option, says the bill is full
of lmperfections, but is an entering wedge
In the right direction.
Senator Upton of Howard thinks that the
bill will do for Il makeshift until the next
legislature has an opportunity to enact a
more reasonable law on the subject.
Senator Brewer. whose heart was set on
the Catch Brewer bill. was the last OF the
local optionlsts to capitulate. and he did 1t
only at the urgent personal request of Chair
man Blythe of the state committee, and
filed the following explanation of his vote:
MIR. President-This bill does not meet
with myffull accord. 1t has provisions that
are distasteful to my convictions of that
which is best, but to which 1 yield in the
face Of the great need that is everywhere
manifest of better regulation and control of
the liquor traffic than now exists, and which
the supporters of this bill believe will re-
suit IL IL becomes a law. II is better than
an unfulhlled pledge to the people"
Senator Cheshire of Polk, after quoting
the resolution of the late city convention,
urging the members of the legislature to
support any measure that would actively
carry out the pledges of the party, said:
Leading republicans in various sections
of the county. outside of the city of Des
Moines, who have for years been recognized
leaders of the prohibition element of the
party, have appealed to me to disregard
the republican county platform. in view Of
the declarations in the state platform, and
the agreement to pass a resolution for re-
submission. Believing that the thirteenth
plank of the republican state platform
should be carried out in good faith, and that
| am now released from further Withholding
my vote from a measure with that purpose
In view, | vote yea"
Senator Conway of Mahaska, who lives in a
prohibition town and was expected to hold out
to the last. said:
"Mr, President-In explaining my vote /
desire to say that l am a prohibitionist from
principle. 1t is repulsive to me to be COM
PEELED to vote for this bill with the provision
permitting the drug stores to continue to
deluge the communities with whisky free of
charge, while other salOonkeepers are COM
PEELED to pay a license for doing the same
thing. But my constituents have demanded,
by petitions to me, personally, that l rem
der to them a duty which they have a right to
demand of me. | therefore yield to their
behests. and with them shall rest the re-
sponsibility. | vote yea
OF the eight republicans who Joined the
democrats in opposition to this measure, only
two explained their votes. Senator Chantry
of Mills said:
Mr. PRESIDENT am constrained to vote
against this measure from a sense of fidelity
to what | know to be the prevailing senti-
ment of my district; also believing any law
which levies a tax and is not of uniform
operation throughout the state Is of doubtful
constitutionality; and viewing the matter
from the standpoint of the Thirteenth plank
of the last republican platform, | am unable
to believe that this measure Is of a character
that will so control and regulate the liquor
traffic as will best serve the cause of tenn
perance and morality"
Senator Finn of Taylor. who has made a
f~actious opposition from the very beginning
of the session to any form of modification,
filed the following protest:
THE bill. in my judgment, is in violation
OF the promise made in the platform of my
party, which was that the present law should
be maintained in certain localities named.
and other methods of controlling the liquor
traffic in the interest of temperance and
morality be given to other parts of the state
only. The bill undertakes to change the law
generally throughout the entire common
wealth and to all localities alike, and such a
law will not best serve the cause of temper
ance and morality anywhere. | believe in
ebriety to be a disease of the most pitiable
and unfortunate character-one that the
state should be protected against as much as
smallpox or any deadly contagion. The
tendency of the saloon is to spread. and
every concession made to the saloon keeper
is in it's furtherance. To grant him license
is to empower and aid him to enlarge the
number of his victims.
The character Of this bill stands to the
democratic bill against which | voted as
varioloid does to smallpox; the only differ
ence being as to virulency of form.
/ believe the state should be quarantined
as far as possible against every such
ailment. The tendency of the bill is to
recognize the legal existence of the saloon,
In direct opposition to the established and
declared doctrine OF the party to which |
belong for the last twelve years. In my
judgment, drunkenness, gambling and pros
titution are evils alike to be deplored, and
the proposition to establish or license places
for the furtherance or carrying on of either
Is unworthy a patriotic citizenship. The
proposal to make the public share the pro-
ceeds of such evils by a tax or license fee
exacted only makes the thought more OBJ
jectionable and abhorrent. II they exist
1t should not be by sanction Of law, and all
three should be outlaws alike"
The filing of these protests closed one Of
the most memorable and dramatic scenes
ever witnessed in the legislative halls OF
Iowa. .-t
The senate passed the following bills; BY
Jamison, taxing costs in b~astardy cases to
the, defendant as in criminal actions; by
Harper, requiring manufactures, hotels or
buildings used for the assembling of persons
of three or more stories in height to provide
safe rope fire escapes. House bill, by
Blanchard, authorizing cities of second class
and having not less than 5000 inhabitants
To lew a speCial fund was passed. The
Dlll TtCOUlllltluth ~ Nv pN"NN "h'Ni "p
ISOLATION for regulation Of mines was dis
cussed at length, but no action taken.
The senate special committee appointed
to draft a. prohibitory amendment to sub
nit to the people has declined to accept
the Cornwall self-enforcing amendment
passed by the house and will favor the
submission of the single manufacturing
clause, but the house Will likely refuse to
agree to this change, The house passed a
bill prohibiting coloring OF imitation butter
and cheese to resemble the genuine product;
also a bill limiting the compensation OF
sherifs and their deputies. The salaries
fixed affect counties only OF not less than
2S, 900, where the amount is limited to
80, 300, and over $4,000 to 81, 900. The de-
putles get 81 600 each in all cases.
Atlantic Bank Officers Rearrested.
ATLANTIC,NIa March 24-(Special Tele-
gram to The Bee)-A. w, Dickerson, cash
Ter, and j. c.. Yetzer, president of the Cass
County bank. which recently closed It's
doors. were again arrested today and each
placed under $4,000 additional bonds, max
Ing $780, 600 against each. Dickerson, who
has been out on bail, was returned to Jail
IN detoult of bonds. Yetzer failed to secure
bonds, but was reported too sick to be
taken to Jail.
Killed While boarding IA Freight.
BOONE. Ia. March 2I,-(Special Telegram
tn Tho Hoo l-Haryav Ernest agad 81 was