Evening journal., 1905-03-23
KENT COUNTY
WILL VOTE ON
LOCAL OPTION
This Was the Only Anti
Liquor Measure That
Passed
STRENUOUS DAY OF LEGISLATION
snecIal 10 The EvenIng Journal.

Hpoctal 10 Int HNfnllb t'NA htAif
Dover. March 23.-The Legislature en-
tered upon its closing session today with
IAN legislation out OF the way. The last
meeting on which bills could be passed
upon ended at o'clock last evening in
la tumult The outcome was the passage
by both Houses of local option bill for
Kent county and II now awaits the Sig
mature of Governor Lea 60 become law.
THE Senate materially amended the mea-
sure which was then concurred In by the
House All other anti-llquor bills fell by
the wayslde.
Senator Monaghan was the only mem-
ber to vote against the bill I'm the upper
House while Senator Lingo refrained
from voting In the House, Representa-
ltives SEWER, Mahoney and w. S. Mere
idith voted against the Senate amend
ments. The new features Of the bill pro-
vide for separate polling places during
the general election, the local option polls
closing half an hour earlier than the gem
eral election voting places. This will re-
quire separate election officers, one from
each party
LIQUOR INTERESTS ADVANTAGE.
Should local option in Kent county pre-
vail. manufacturers will be given two
years in which to dispose of their stock
outside Of the State and holders of retail
licenses will be allowed to finish out their
licenses. The liquor interests agreed to
the amended measure and this accounted
for the withdrawal of opposition. AS the
bill was enacted, Il gives every advantage
to the saloon men, who claim that the
local option election can be held I'm "a
cellar. garnet, barn or any other out OF
the way place.
Aside from this a majority Of all the
qualified voters In Kent county must vote
no license" before the saloons viii be
closed.
THE MEASURE DISAPPEARED.
When the Kent county bill came up in
the senate it looked like another measure
as Senator T. c. Moore, fearing the pos
sibility of the powerful liquor lobby dc
feating il, had been compelled TO frame a
substitute upon which the opponents OF
the bill gave him written compact thai
enough Of them would sign 20 pass Il:
A sensation was created immediatell
after the close Of business by the disap
? pearance Of the bill 1t had been returned
T. TO .he Senate by Clerk. Lewis OF th'
y House, but could be found nowhere Of
his desk. In the commotion that followe,
. Senator Alice entered and denounced Will
/. uplifted hand the oligarchy formed bl
: the liquor men with which they had con
4 ttrolled affairs of State throughout tn,
day. Senator Sparks threatened to go be
fore the Governor and advocate an extri
session OF the Legislature to right th'
wrong.
Meanwhile Senator Thomas c.. Moor
had hurried over to the House to maxi
vigorous search. Representative Bagg
. was almost heartbroken over the anal
and the father of LOCAL option Represen
tative Garrison. was pale as a ghost
1T has been passed but ten minutes
and now it's gone" d6jectedly exclaime'
Mr.. Baggs.
Suddenly the door Of the Senate cham
Der opened and senator Moore shouted
"The stolen goods are found. The bill
is safely tucked away in the pocket o
S the Speaker OF the House who will see L
il that Il comes in correctly enrolled.
Mr.. Denney. having decided to take n,
chances, had directed Clerk Lewis to re
turn the bill to him.
The liquor men renewed their EFFORT
e against the local option legislation. lat
in the afternoon, when Representativ
= Mahoney offered a resolution instructinl
the Speaker TO recall the Sussex count,
local option bill from the Senate and de
clare 1t lost. Mr.. Vandenburg seconde,
the motion, but Mr.. Baggs got through
j a motion to lay it on the table.
/ Soon after the afternoon session begal
- Representative e. T.. Ellis made an ef
fort to recall the grain distillery bill from
c the table, but the motion was lost by
tie vote OF 16 to 16 Messrs. Davis and Alb
bott, who have been favorable TO temper
ance measures, refrained from voting.
Then Mr.. Wilson called for action Oh
the rural New Castle county local optiol
bill. Mr. Sewers motion TO lay this OF
e the table was lost by vote Of 16 70 Il
d Messrs. Jester and Stafford not voting
e These men also refused TO vote when tn
, bill was put on final passage, ana IN
l. vote was 10 yeas and Is nays. Speake
e Denney announced that he would reserv
i his decision. Representative Smith wa
u granted the privilege OF changing hi
Z, vote to yea for reconsideration, il tw
, in the Affirmative
When Mr.. Hart came Into the roor
: some time after. he had his vote recordc
- in the Affirmative and the yeas stood Il
This passed the bill.
SOUGHT TO OPPOSE SPEAKER.
At the beginning Of the afternoon ses
=, sion. the liquor interests renewed thai
- warfare - an attempt to depose speake
Denney. Like the efforts to the same on
earlier in the day, however. II failed
The Speaker finished the day as IN
most fearless officer who ever presided /
the Delaware General Assembly and II
i was generally congratulated. IIt-had hel
y the "whskey = ng," which tried TO dc
h feat all local option bills by the odQptio
'e Of nlibustering tactics. in check through
j, out toe troLb.ous day.
Railroad Assessment Reduced.