The Lamar register., 1907-12-18
OPTION
IN COLORADO
GOVERNOR sUcHTEL ISSUES AN
EXPOSITION OF THE WORK.
ING OF THE NEW LAW.
c0MmENDS 1T HIGHLY
PURPOSE OF THE LAW 10 TO GRE.
ATE ANTI-sALooN TERRI
TORY ~ PEOPLES VOTE.

Denyer.-9overnor Buchtel has had
a number Of copies Of his exposition
on the Colorado local option law
printed and copies can be had ON ap-
plication at the State house. His
statement il in, part as foilcNs:
THE Colorado local option law Is
one of the best local option laws ever
passed by any Northern state. Gov
ernor Folk of Missouri called q spe-
cial session of the Missouri Legisla-
ture in the hope Of securing for Mis-
souri, an amendment to their local op-
ton law which would make possible a
vote by ward subdivisions. The Mis-
souri, Legislature refused to pass that
wholesome amendment. What Gov
ernor Folk could not secure for Mis-
souri, we did secure for Colorado In
fact, we secured all that and much
more for Colorado in our local option
law. Sensible and progressive people
are constantly rejoicing because the
Sixteenth General assembly passed
SO many notable reform measures. The
most conspicuous of all these progress
sive measures was the local option
law.
THE purpose OF the Colorado local
option law is to create anti-saloon ter
ritory by vote of the people: that is,
territory within which the keeping and
sale of Intoxicating liquors is prohib-
tied. The vote to create anti-saloon
territory may be taken so as to In
clude all the territory within the linn
its of any city. town, ward. ward sub
division, district or precinct.
The vote may be taken only at
general election for choosing county,
city or town officers (never at a spe-
cial election), and ouly on written re-
quest of forty per cent of the qualihed
electors within the territory which Is
described in the petition for a vote.
BY qualified electors is meant those
who are qualified to register to vote.
1t is not necessary, for the purpose OF
signing a petition, that the said quail
flied electors should be actually reg
istered at the time Of signing. A pc
tition for a vote on this question must
be properly filed at least thirty days
before a general election, and must
clearly define the district which 1t il
desired to Great anti-saloon territory.
NO signature to petition shall, be
valid or counted unless the date Of
signing is within ninety days preced-
ing the date Of filing: and every sig
nature must be dated: and In cities
of over 10000 population it is re-
1 quired that the street and residence
number shall be given with every sig-
nature.
Adequate precautions are recited
in the law to prevent fraud in signing
petitions. The laws penalties for per-
jury and forgery are always severe.
The clerk is required to give adequate
notice to the electors that a vote Is
to be taken on the question Of Great
ing a certain district anti-saloon terri
tory. But the failure of the clerk to
keep the law in giving notice shall
not affect the validity or binding force
of a vote by the people. The will Of
the people is supreme, whether the
clerk IL faithful or faithless-
THE clerk must print on all ballots
after the list of candidates this ques-
ton: Shall this (city,
town, ward. precinct. as the case may
bel become anti-saloon territory" The
voter then indicates his wish by plac-
ing a mark (X) 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.
The record of the vote is to be made
by the clerk in a well bound book.
and this record is to be accepted as
evidence in all courts. The result of
the vote is to go into effect thirty days
after the day of the election.
All territory which is made anti
saloon territory shall continue forever
to be anti-saloon territory unless a
reversion to saloon territory shall be
made by vote of the majority Of the
electors. The method of reversing the
vote is precisely like the method of
taking the vote.
IF the electors In any district shall
vote to reverse a former ballot tc
create anti-saloon territory ESQ max.
ing said district to be again saloon
territory then this said district 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 a bar to any further vote until
after the lapse of twenty-three months
That means that a vote in any city
trict or precinct is always vote
which settles the question for Z period
Of two years.
mo liquor can be sold in any guam
tity whatsoever, nor can any lice.se
to sell liquor be given, within the lin
its of anti-saloon territory. ShiftS and
devices to evade the law shall be
counted as violations of the law. and
the due punishment must follow. How
ever, man may use liquor in his owr
home and serve 1t to his guests in
his home. even though he lives II
anti-saloon territory"
Tn, governor goes on to tell the his
tory Of the law. the penalties it pre-
scribes, the results expected from 4
and its merits as compared with the
laws of other states.
Ottawa. Ont.-The independence O
} Canada is now openly discussed and il