The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-12-18
THE CRUSADE AGAINST DRINK
PROGRESS MADE BY CHAMPIONS
FIGHTING THE RUM DEMON.
James X. Shields, Superintendent OF
the Illinois Anti-Saloon League,
Writes About O Notable Victory

James X. Shields, Superintendent OF
the Illinois Anti.Saloon League,
Writes About Notable Victory
in Illinois.
Illinois is the whisky and beer centre
of the world, is the third State in the
Union in population and contains the
second metropolis Of the Nation; yet.
during tle session of the Legislature
old Illinois swung into line on the
question of temperance legislation,
and possesses to-day one of the best
and most effective temperance laws
Of any State north of the Mason and
Dixon line. In the passage Of the
Berry-Sheldon Local Option bill the
voting part of 100000 people was
enfranchised on the saloon question
and the next year will witness one
of the greatest campaigns against the
open dramshop that has taken place
anywhere in America. Until the
passage of this measure the people Of
the State had to depend upon the de-
cision of city and village councils,
composed Of the mayor and alder
men, to decide this great moral -ques-
tfon for every community. Hence
forth, the people will decide it for
themselves.
The bill provides that when twen-
ty-five per cent. of the voters Of a
township, or of a precinct in coun-
ties not under township organization.
petition for the right to vote upon
the question of saloon or no saloon,
then at the next regular election the
matter Is settled by majority vote
at the ballot box. 1t is, however, a
law for the purpose of creating anti
saloon territory. and is so framed
that NO city or village, or any portion
thereof, or any part of a township
that is already temperance territory,
can he changed or jeopardized in any
in favor of aDti-saIoon territory. In
case the vote fails to reveal a major
ity in favor of anti-saloon territory.
the situation remains unchanged and
the present dramshop law Is in effect
under which saloons. may be licensed
and located according to the discre-
ton of those in authority.
The strong point about the town
ship feature of this bin is that 1t will
enable each of the farmers of the
State of Illinois to help decide the
question as to whether or not the
dranshop shall be in the incorpo-
rated city or village in his township,
It also enables the people of an in
corporated village that has voted ont
the saloon to help. Danish the cold
storage house from any portion Of the
township surrounding the village.
In case, for any reason, the town
ship does not care to vote as whole,
the city and village can vote indie
pendently of the township, and the
majority vote will decide the ques-
tion as to whether or not the dram
shop shall have an existence any
where within the corporate limits.
This law is the greatest advance IN
temnerance legislation yet gained in
the State. But, entirely aside from
the question of obtaining a splendid
law, the victory of the recent Legisla-
ture was one of the greatest moral
triumphs ever won in Illinois. It has
been pronounced bv the National Su-
perintendent, DR.. Baker, as the sec
ond greatest victory won by the Anti
Saloon League in any of the States.
1t is revelation Of the value of
united effort and indicates the great
possibilities of the federated churches
applying Christianity through the bal
lot box for the uplift Of the morals
of society. ...
The League began to do practical
business seven years ago. Six years
ago a local option bill was introduced
into the House of Representatives
and was assigned to the License Com
mittee, which took just about ten
minutes to cut it's heart out. To
make long story short, the crystal
ization of forces and the growth Of
sentiment in the last six years has re-
suited in q situation where practical
ly the same local option bill Of six
years ago, introduced into the House
and Senate of the last Legislature,
was able to overshadow all other leg
islation, command the attention of
the public press and Of the entire
State for four and one-half months,
and to be the one great problem to be
settled by the Assembly, finally to be
passed on the 7th day Of May by that
body, after the most vigorous debate
and most terrific opposition by a vote
of eighty-two to sixty-fve. When
the Speaker of the House called up
our bill on the third and final read
ing and the clerk began to call the
roll, it was the most exciting moment
seen in the session of the Forty-fifth
General Assembly, yet it was evident
from the beginning what the result
would be. That the liquor advocates
were defeated was written SO plainly
on their faces and in their attitude
that any one familiar with the situa-
lion could prophesy the result. When
the last name was called and eighty
two votes had been registered in the
bills favor-five more than consti-
tutional majority-tremendo cheers
of approval, such as are very seldom
heard in legislative halls, rang from
the local option members of the
House. A great majority of those
voting for this measure were fully as
anxious as to the final outcome as the
Superintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League or any of his workers. Many
of them rushed from the House Of
Representative to the telegraph and
telephone Offices to send messages to
their friends throughout the State
thai the long fought battle was won.
The bill is now signed by the Gov
ernor.