The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-09
IOWA LEGtsLArURE.
Frnmipx New Liquor Law viii he Ons
of tile Important Matters Considered.

Frnmiax . New Liquor Law VIII BE Ons
of the Important Matters Considered.
Dies MONIES, Ia, Jan. 9--The iegis-
lature, which Is to elect a United States
senator from Iowa. opened at Q p. m.
The house was called to order by O. e.
Doubleday of Polk county, and the tenn
porary speaker is s. q. Van Glider of
Warren county. The senate was called
to order by Lieutenant Governor
Bestow, Democrat. The permanent
officers of both houses will be noni-
mated during the afternoon and elected
in the morning.
The senatorial contest il the chief topic
at present, but not the only one. The
prohibitory law, which has been largely
instrumental in keeping the Hawkeye
state before the country of recent years,
is to he considered, or rather reconsid-
cred. A modification of the law was
pledged by the Republican state conven-
tion, and was incorporated in the plat
form upon which the party went TO the
state and scored victory. Upon the
basis of this modification, however, the
Republicans are decidedly divided.
There are many who favor the retention
of the law as it now stands ON the statute
books, others favor its entire wiping
out, and still others are pre-
pared to give their support TO mod
ification. The same conditions exist In
the senate, but a majority of the men,
bers OF the latter body is said to be in
favor of an extreme modification of the
present law. Over score Of bills deal
ing with tho liquor traffic have been
drafted and will be presented within the
next Pa hours. A majority of these
recognize the prohibitory law as it now
stands, but propose tc levy an assess
ment of $500 to 81, 600 on saloons, the
exact amount to be made optional with
the boards of supervisors of the respect
i've counties. This is regarded as an
original method of
whipping the Devil Around n stump,
or, in other words, of recognizing the
claims of the Prohibitionists, while in
sisting that if the claims are to be
ignored in a few counties then those
guilty of ignoring the law shall be
obliged to pay the penalty and be
allowed to continue in the same line. As
an advocate of this compromise puts it
this is not TO be considered as a license
or protection against prosecution, but
should be regarded as an additional
penalty to be paid by those now
amenable to the law for the
liberal sale of intoxicants. Walker
Given of the Marshalltown Times Ire
publican), a SON of Judge Given and a
lawyer of repute, is the author of this
compromise, and which has been in
dorsed by leading republican authorities
Of the state and by representative di-
vines of nearly every denomination.
The measure is well and skillfully
drawn, and notwithstanding that it is ap-
parently a semi-legalization of the liquor
business it is extremely probable that il
will pass both houses Still another bill
provides for state license law with q
fee of $1,000. while the Catch bill,
which
Provides For Local Option
by counties, and has many infiential
supporters throughout the state, is again
offered for consideration. Altogether
the liquor question will furnish decid-
ediy interesting and probably prolonged
episode In the history Of the present leg
islature.