Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-01
Liquor Dealers are Securing Names
Of Voters Today.
MUST HAVE 1917 NAMES AT LEAST
Hope 20 Have tho Work Finished by
Saturday Night and VIII Present
The Petition 10 the Hoard of
Supervisors Monday.
From Thursdays Daily.

NOHIFaTy TO Une report Unat mas Ceel
circulated the saloon men of this city
will not fight the matter of preparing
a new petition to be canvassed by the
board OF supervisors, but are now at
work securing the consent of major
ity of the voters of this city as re-
quired by law and in accordance with
the recent ruling of The supreme
court. 1t has been said and the report
has been circulated by irresponsible
parties that the liquor dealers would
fight, the reason being that they We're
afraid they could not secure enough
names to comply with the law. A prom
inent citizen of Ottumwa was heard to
remark today that in his opinion they
would have no difficulty in securing
the desired number, and that ne would
rather see them run in places where
they could be controlled than have the
city infested with holes in the wall.
Another thing" he said, sit would
make hole in the revenues of the
city that would be very hard on the
taxpayers" A saloonkeeper was heard
isto make the remark that he did not
care il the authorities shut him up, as
he is not making any money now, but
might it it came to, resorting to boot
Logging methods.
No action has been taken by any
organization in this city against the
liquor dealers, neither do they contem-
plate any. The city authorities will
give them reasonable length, of time
TO get a new petition without moest-
ing them. The liquor dealers today put
two men in each ward in the city So
Netting names to the consent petition
and one of them said this morning
that he apprehended no difficulty.
AT. the last general election 1881
votes were cast in this city. According
to the law in cities having q popula-
ton Of 5000 or over the consent of a
majority of the voters in such city
must be secured, thus leaving to the
saloon men the work of securing the
signatures of 1917 voters at the least
calculation. 1t is highly improbable,
however, that they will stop at a bare
majority, but will work to get enough
names to put the matter beyond guess
ton. h8
In the First ward there were GAS
votes cast last November; in the Sec
ond ward, 669; in the Third ward, SAT;
K in the Fourth ward, SIS; in the Fifth
ward, 435; in the Sixth ward, 513, and
in the Seventh ward. 446.
Lists of the voters have been pre-.
4 pared from the poll books and will be
checked off as rapidly as the canvasser
gets their signatures to the petition,
\ and it is confidently expected that the
list will be secured in time for the
board of supervisors to canvass it at
their meeting next Monday.
Situation I'm Des Nloilles.
The saloons in Des Moines are all
closed awaiting the filing of the new
petition, which it is thought will lie
IN about ten days from the time of
Z the ruling OF the supreme court. They
will open sooner, however, if the SUI
preme court grants a stay of Judgment
on a petition for rehearing which has
been filed and will be argued tomor-
row. Up there it is hoped and expected
: by the saloon men that the supreme
court will sustain this motion for a
rehearing and stay, and that as rel
suit, and pending the final adjudication
of the matter, the saloons may be con-
Quoted as formerly. Should this ac-
ton before the supreme court fail,
however, the saloon men have still an
other legal anchor; and may open the
saloons relying upon the apparent in
tention Of the anti-saloon league and
the Ministerial association to devote
their attention solely to the present
petition and not bring any prosecuting
action against saloon keepers who have
I obeyed, so far, every requirement OF
the law, but are left at heavy expense
and at a disadvantage in point OF time
by the action yesterday of the board
of supervisors. The liquor dealers are
figuring on rebates from the city for
4 the amount OF license paid should the
saloons be closed permanently and the
consent petition fail in securing
enough signatures. In Des Moipes
there are sixty-three saloons, and IL
rebate is allowed the whole amount
that would have to be refunded would
amount to about $4,000. The anti
saloon league makes the claim that the
saloon keepers are not entitled to any
rebate; and when they paid the
amount OF the license the law did not