The Tucson citizen., 1902-10-02
HIGH LICENSE
ORDINANCE
The City Election Tomorrow
Attracts a Good Deal of
Attention.

The city council participated in an
other legislative burlesque at the city
hall last evening. In fact, it might
better be styled a "Conecy Of Errors"
as there was no apparent attempt on
the part of the city lawmakers to right
anything. They admitted, even down
to the 'Old Alcalde," that the matter
before them last evening was without
law or precedent, and still they per-
sited N ratifying it.
1t will perhaps strike most people
as being rather peculiar and strange to
say that the Councilmen themselves
looked upon the bemuddled state of
affairs as being rather unordinary.
They seemed to be possessed with some
unseen power from above or below,
before Or behind, which pulled, pushed
or dragged them on against their wills.
However, there was one redeeming
feature in the farce, and that was
Billy Reeds refusal to participate in
it. After warning his fellow council
men that they were sanctioning an
| illegality, and thereby committing an
offense themselves, he withdrew from
the meeting. His action did not in
terrupt the performance, however, and
the show went on. N
1t will be remembered that the spe-
cial meeting of last evening was called
| to draft an ordinance to be submitted
to the people at An election. which had
been called by the council. ,se Some Of
the councilmcn seemed to have had 1t
| in, for the Buehman ordinance. from the
beginning, and were anxious last even
| ing to divorce the measure and it's
original sponsor. 1t occurred to 9TH
ers, however, that it was the Buchanan
ordinance which had been agitating
the public, the council, the air and
everything else for the past month, and
new ordinance would mean repeti-
ton of the whole agitation. Russell
wanted to cut the thing short, so that
it would occasion as little laughter as
possible, and he accordingly. moved to
submit the Buehman ordinance to the
people.
The time-Worn, weary, wrinkled doc
ument was reread to the council. as If
ii, had not been read to them at least
eight times before. The mayor saw
an objection in the clause which said
that the license would be due six
months in advance. Russell, how
ever, said that the dive-keeper was
opposed to it in any manner, shape or
form, and that trivial phrases should
be overlooked, He then proposed his
amendment abolishing winerooms,
side and back doors to saloons. After
much Wrangling the amendment was
made the fourth clause of the ordi-
nance and Barkley seconded RusselIs
motion.
Reid broke in on the proceedings
at this iuncture by asking with the
innocense of a newborn babe: What
is the Buehman ordinance?" He
called the attention of the council to
fact that they could only present a
proposed ordinance, if they presented
any, to the people at all. He insisted
that there was no Buchanan ordinance
and that it had been defeated, Bueh-
man insisted that his, ordinance was
still among the living, and to show
Reid, he had it read. In spite Of Rus
sells solictiude, the errors were pro-
ducing comedy, so he withdrew his
old motion and made a more specific
one. The specific part consisted in re-
ferring the ordinance to popular
vote of the people The vote on the
election was unanimous. Reid said
this was too much for him and asked
to be excused, and then withdrew.
The others, however, seemed salts
fled, and proceeded to complete the
details. The "Old Alcalde" was a little
perplexed as to how it would be pos
sible to prevent illegal voting in an
illegal election. Barkley. however,
said that this election was the coltn-
ellis, and not the people's;" that the
council was sit" and that votes could
be thrown out at will. Russell said
it did not make any difference. II the
election was a farce. it could be dis
regarded by the council This conclu-