Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-17
End of the Fierce Contest Over
Il the Mulct Petition in But
Ter County
TEMPERANCE PEOPLE WIN FIGHT
Succeed in Taking Sufficient Number of
Names From the Petition to Bring 1t
Below the Requirements - Contest
Has Been Bitter-second Petition
Filed in Tama County.
ecial to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Allison, Dec. 17.--After one of the
fiercest contests that has taken place
in Butler county in many years between
the saloon and anti-saloon elements the
mulct petition recently filed has been
defeated. The fight against the petition
was led by III. Fl. Abrams of the anti
saloon league and for the past two
weeks the campaign has been very bit
ter. When the petition was filed ten
days ago 1t had 100 more than the
necessary number of signatures, ac-
cording to the statement of the men
circulating the petition. The law pro-
vides that ten days must elapse IN
which the opponents may examine the
petition and attack it's accuracy. Any
signer may have the opportunity or
withdrawing his name. So successful
were the temperance people, they sue
ceeded in reducing the number OF
names of names on the petition peieW
the required 65 per cent and When the
board of supervisors met today the
petition was declared insufficient. IL
is believed, however, that another petit
ton will be circulated. There is
feeling that legal saloons would be
preferable to the joints and illegal
places that have been operated. Nearly
twenty joints and drug stores in But
Her county were indicted or had their
term of court.
The mulct petition circulated IN But
Ter county, commencing on eiectlon day.
was filed with the county auditor In
Allison, Iowa, Dec. 4th, and notice was
given promptly in the official papers
of the county that the board of super
visors would proceed to canvass the
names at the adjodrned meeting of that
body Dec. Is.
The Anti Saloon League OF the
county, under the direction and guild
ance of H. III. Abrams, superintendent
of the state league, and Attorney II. II.
| Acres, of DEBORAH, prepared to defeat
the movement and resist the opening OF
saloons in the county.
They commenced work promptly on
the filing of the petition and appointed
| number of workers in each township
who were kept diligently at work to
secure withdrawals from the petition
until the evening of the last day on
| which they could file.
On Monday, the first day of the ses-
sion, the board did not have time to
make the canvass, and during this time
| ATTORNEYS o. B. COPYRIGHT and w. L.
Evans for the petitioners. and u. r.
| Acres for tho temperance element, were
busiiy engaged in examining the petit
| lions and Withdrawals to determine the
outcome. On Tuesday morning they
agreed that the petition was INSULT
client. and the board of supervisors de-
clared it so. For this reason we can not
give an official count of the board, but
| can give what is claimed by each fac
| ton.
The total number of votes cast at the
| last election was $685. of which SIS per
cent is 2.2S1. The petitioners claim to
| have had on their list 2,3S6 names. and
admit that thlrty-two names were
signed twice in Shell Rock township;
that there were a number of errors in
signatures, not corresponding as to ini-
tials with the poll book. and that about
| twenty OF those who circulated the pc
| tition, thru thoughtlessness, witnessed
their own signatures. thus throwing
| them out, but claim that their forces
were not properly organized at the be-
ginning of the fight, and for that rea-
son worked at a disadvantage. They
| hold that 65 per cent of the voters oil
the county favor the mulct saloon, but
that 1t is almost impossible to go thru
/ the procedure of putting the petition
thru without number of names being
| thrown out because of technical errors
4 The temperance workers give the fol-
lowing statesmen, which is being pub
| lished In the county papers: I'VE fine
] that the total number of names on Pc
/ tition is 2,S17. OF this 307 are invalid
/ either because of names not being or
poll books, not properly witnessed. oil
j signed more than once. In addition tc
this, there are 1873 Withdrawals, leaving
1897 on petition. or 454 less than the
required 65 per cent
This settles the matter for at leas
another year. 1t has been an expensive
ordeal for both sides, and those whc
took an active part in favor of the peti.
ton have not expressed themselves as
to whether they will take the matter VI
lin the future.
TAMA'S PETITION FILED.