Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-12-20
LOCAL OPTION
IN COLORADO
GOVERNOR eucHTEL ISSUES AN
EXPOSITION OF THE WORK.
ING OF THE NEW LAW.
C0MMENDS 1T HIGHLY
PURPOSE OF THE LAW IS TO GRE
ATE ANTi.SALooN TERRI
TORY BY PEOPLES VOTE.

Denver.-Govcrnor Buchiol has had
n number Of copies of his exposition
on the Colorado local option law
printed and copies can be had on ap'
plication mt the State house. His
statement Is In part as follows;
'The Colorado local option law Is
one OF tho best local option laws ever
passed by any Northern state. Gov
crnor Folk Of Missouri called spc-
ciai session OF the Missouri iIcsislA-
turc In tho hope Of securing for Mis-
souri, an amendment to their local op-
iion law which would make possible n
vote by ward subdivisions. The Mis-
souri Legislature refused Ia pass that
wholesome amendment. Whn, Gov
crnor Folk could no, secure for Mis-
scuri we did secure for Colorado. la
fact. We secured all that and much
moro for Colorado in our local option
law. Sensible and progressive people
are constantly rejoicing because the
Sixteenth General assembly passed
no many notable reform measures. Tho
most conspicuous of NIL thCs. progress.
sIyc measures wax the local option
law.
''Thc purpose Of the Colorado local
option law IL to create antlslioon ter
ri,ory by vote Of the people: that u.
territory within which the keeping and
Ral. OF Intoxicating liquors IN prohio-
tied. The vote to create anti saloon
territory may be- taken va aH to In
clud. nil the territory within thc s:ni-
its Of nny city. town. ward. ward sub
division. district or pIccinci.
'rh- vote may be taken only nt q
general election for choosing eonn'y.
city or town officers 'ncgor NJ spc-
ciai cicciIonb. and only on written re-
quest Of forty per cent Of tho qualified
electors within the territory which is
described In the petition for u vote.
iIy qualified clccioFH IN meant those
who are qualified to register TO vote.
Il Ia not ncct Ksnry. for tho purpoao OF
signing n petition. that the Hnlh quail.
lied electors should he actually reg
Is,crcd at the time OF Hirning. 4 pc
,iiion for vote ON this question must
be properly nlci n, least thirty days
before general election. and must
clearly define the district which II 10
desired TO Great anti.siinon territory.
NO signature to n petition shall bo
valid or counted unless tho date of
signing IN within ninety days proceed
ing the date Of Ming: and every nig'
nature must he dated: and In elites
Of over 10000 population II is re-
qulrci that tho street and residence
number shall be given with every sig.
nature.
Adequate precautions are rccitcd
In the law TO prevent fraud In signing
petitions. The laws penalties for per.
Jury End forgery are always severe
The c.crk IN required 10 give adequate
notice to tho electors that vote In
to be taken on the question nf crt1t-
Ing n certain district antisaloon terri.
tory. But tho failure OF tho clerk tn
keep tho law In giving notice shall
not affect the validity or binding force
Of vote by the people. The will Of
the people In supreme, whether tho
clerk ia faithful or faithlcss.
THE clerk must print ON all ballots
after the list Of candidates this ducs-
tion: Shall this tcity.
town. ward. precinct. aB tho caBc may
bel become antiBaloun tcfritoryr Tho
voter then indicates his wish by plac-
ing 4 mark t%) opposite the word
YES. or opposite the word NO.
Watchers who represent both sides
are to be admitted to witness both tho
balloting and the counting Of the votes.
Tho record Of the vote is to be made
by the clerk In n well bound book.
and this record IN to be accepted ns
evidence In all courts. The result OF
the vote IL TO 20 into effect thirty days
after the day of the election.
"All territory which liz made anti
ssloon territory shall continue forever
to be anti.Baloon territory unless a
reversion to saloon territory shah bG
made by vote Of the majority of the
electors. The method of reversing the
vote is precisely like the method OF
taking the vote.
''1f the electors In any district shall
vote to reverse former ballot To
create anti.saloon territory ESQ max
ing said district to be again saloon
territory then this said distric, does
not become territory without law. But
all former resolutions. regulations and
ordinances providing for the restric-
ton. regulation or prohibition OF
the liquor traffic In said territory be-
come at once in force as the law. A
vote on this question In any form
shall be bar to any further vote until
after the lapse of tweDty.thrcc months
That means that vote In any city.
town, ward. ward subdivision, dis.
trict or precinct is always vote
which settles the question for a period
of two years.
"No liquor can be sold In any guam.
tlty whatsoever, nor can any license
to sell liquor be given. within the Inn
its of anti.saloon territory. Shifts and
devices to ovadc the law shall bc
counted as violations OF the lau. and
the due punishment must follow How
ever. man may use liruor in his own
home and serve II to his guests In
his hcme. even though he lives in