The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-04-01
WILL BREW BEER
IOWA LEGISLATURES LATEST EF-
FORT on PROHIBITION.

BIZ has Been Recommended for the Per
mission 20 Manufacture Malt Liquors
in the sfate-In Communities of Fiv.
Thousand Population or Over 1t is Nee
essary to Secure the Signatures of Sixty
Five Per Cent of the Voters Some OPP
position VIII Develop Against the Bill
Penalties Prescribed are Severe.
Des Moines, Ia, March 31.-The bill
permitting the manufacture of liquors
n Iowa, which was recommended for
passage by the committee on Suppress
ion of Internperance in the senate, will
come up as special order in that branch
Of the general assembly soon. The
bill is the one originally introduced by
Senator Ellis with the committee amend
ments. 1t is drawn on the lines of the
present mulct law and does not assume
TO legalize the manufacture except in
the way that the mulct law puts a bar
to the prohibitory statute.
The bill provides that whenever the
city council of any city Of 5000 popula-
ton or more shall, upon the written
statement of consent of 65 per cent of
the voters of said city, according 10 the
vote cast at the preceding general cleo
ton, grant its consent to manufa cture
within the limits of such city for sale
for lawful purposes to authorized deal
erS spirituous malt and vinous liquors
at wholesale, any person, partnership,
or corporation within such city manu-
featuring or selling any such liquors, or
any carrier transporting the same, shall
be exempt from any and all penalties
now provided by law for the manufac-
ture and sale or transportation of such
liquors. 1t is provided, however, that
sales and shipments of spirituous and
malt liquors shall not be in quantities
less than four gallons or an eighth Of
a barrel contained in a single package
and of vinouS liquors in quantities Of
not less than two dozen pints or one
dozen quarts in any one case or pack
age.
In case it is desired to manufacture
in any county outside of a city having
a population of 5000 or more the state
ment of consent must have the sigma
lures Of 90 per cent of the voters of said
ton specified, and this statement Of
consent must be filed with the board of
supervisors, and when the board grants
its consent the manufacture and sale
may be carried on in the same manner
and subject to the same provisions as
are stated in the case of manufacture
in city.
No tax is required TO be paid by the
manufacturer. The penalties of the aot
are severe and provide that any manu-
facturer violating the act or selling
liquors upon the premises where manu-
factured, by the dram, shall be liable
to the penalties of the present prohibi-
tory law The city council or board
of supervisors, as the case may be, are
to be the judges of the sufficiency of
the statements of consent, and the
county auditor and county clerk is re-
quired to keep for the inspection of any
one the papers required to be filed with
him by this act and a failure or neg
lect to do so will render the person thus
failing liable to a fine of $3.50 for each Of
fense. No establishment for the man
ufacture Of liquors may be maintained
within 300 feet of any school or church.
The signing of the name of another
to any statement of consent is punish
punishment of bribery of voters are
made applicable to the bribery Of any
person TO sign any of the statements
of consent. All names must show the
date of signing and no names that are
signed prior to thirty days before the
date of filing shall be counted. All
obligations incurred by the manufac-
ture, sale, or shipment of liquors are
made legal and enforcible in the courts
of the state.
The bill was carefully drawn and 1t is
the opinion of the lawyers of the senate
that it does not conflict with the mulct
law and is no unconstitutional
About its fate when it comes up for
passage there is considerable doubt
The friends and the opponents Of the
have each made careful can
vases of the senate and neither party
is certain where it stands. Senator
Perrin who is chairman Of the commit
tee on Suppression of Intemperance,
says that his canvass shows twenty
five votes against It.
The best that the friends of the bill
can do is to count up twenty-four SEN
aors who they are certain will vote for
it, and then they have four others in
the doubtful class, They claim TO have
Der will vote for the bill. It is a fact,
however. hat but little organized ef-
fort has been made to secure its passage
Last summer there was an organiza-
ton formed in many of the cities of the
state, known as the Liberal League of
Iowa. It's objects were stated to be to
defeat the prohibition amendment. TO
secure the right 10 manufacture intox-
lcating LIQUORS in Iowa and nrOrec+ III q
personal and property rights of the
people"
A large membership was secured to
this league and il was stated that the
plan Of work would be TO bring influence |
10 bear through petitions from the
homes Of the members asking them 70
vote for manufacturing. so that those
members who were personally favora-
bic TO the measure should have. the |
home backing necessary 10 induce them |
to vote for it. For some reason. how