The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-01-26
A NEW TEMPERANCE BILL
Explanation of the Ward and Mu-
nicipaI Option Bill Now Be-
fore the Ohio Lesis-
lature.

Ward Local Option, that has some ex-
cellent features. The Bill extends the
Local Option Law now in effect in
Townships to Municipalities and Wards.
Under it's provisions, when one-fourth
of the voters of Municipal Corpora
ton, or Ward thereof, petition the
Council for special election to deter
mine the will of the people on the ques-
ton of saloons or no saloons, the Coun-
Gil is required to order such election.
The Bill does away with the present
Council Option Law.
Council Option is unsatisfactory be-
cause the ordinances which the Council
have authority to pass are not always
effective in prohibiting the selling, fur
nishing or giving away of intoxicating
liquors.
If the Council refuses to pass the ordi-
nance, the people are without remedy
except by election of new Council.
At the regular election of councilmen
other questions arise which hinder a
fair test of sentiment on the saloon is
sue.
At the informal elections held under
the present Council Option Law, none
of the safeguards that protect a regular
election apply.
The proposed law strengthens the
weak points in ordinances that may be
passed by Councilmen under the pres
ent Council Option Law.
By dealing directly with the selling
furnishing and giving away of intoxicat-
ing liquors for beverage purposes. An
ordinance may prohibit only THE
PLACE WHERE IT IS SOLD; eva
sions by giving away and furnishing
are made easy.
By effectually reaching the beer
wagons or saloons on wheels which sue
cessfully evade present prohibitory ordi-
nances.
By making it obligatory upon county
and municipal officers to enforce this
law; ordinances are enforced only by
municipal officers.
The Bill provides for the question to
be settled directly by the people at an
ELECTION which has all of the pro-
lection against bribery and corruption
that surround regular election. In
numerous cases the Council have sub
mitted the question to a vote but the
elections have been vitiated by fraud
and corruption because the election has
not been legal. In many places after
the people have voted by majority
against the saloons, the Council have
refused to pass the prohibitory ordi-
nance.
The law will furnish a true measure
of the amount of sentiment in each
community against the saloon, and only
as the sentiment backs the law will it
be allowed to remain on the statute
books. Under the provisions of the law,
elections will not be forced upon COM
munities where there is no possibility
of carrying the election.
An election held under the provisions
of the law is not final, but allows time
for experiment, and in two years after
saloons are banished, if the people con-
slider their absence loss and their
presence blessing, they may be re-
turned by the vote of the people at an
other election.
The Bill grants relief to the resi-
dence portion of large cities where the
residents desire the saloon to be ban.
ished. Under present conditions sa'
looms are established in residence wards
regardless of the protest of the people
Ward Option will limit the extent o1
the saloon districts and make it much
easier to enforce ordinances regulating
saloons. In large cities the police force
is often inadequate to watch the sa
looms, scattered as they are over large
areas.
Ward Option affords protection tt
the youth in residence wards who are
constantly tempted by the saloons il
the immediate neighborhood.
Ward Option grants relief to prop
erty owners in residence wards where
the presence of the saloon destrOys
rental and property values.
The Municipal Option provision O
the Bill offers fair opportunity for the
peo pie in every municipality, who are
opposed to the saloon, to secure Law
which can be enforced and to demon
strate the practicability and advantage
of having such law.
r Under provisions of this bill saloons
are voted out where the law closing
them can be enforced and not where
enforcement would be impossible.
Ward and Municipal Option are based
on safe, practical American principles
of government, and the enactment o
these principles into law is the mex
step forward for honest government b.
the people in Ohio.
The bill has a fair chance of passing
if party bosses keep thesr hands off
and we ask our readers to keep thei
eyes on the Legislature.
OUR REMARKABLE WEATHER.
While the weather has been remark
able with us this winter, it has beel
!