The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-03-11
PARTY IS At SEA
ON LOCAL OPTION
REPUBLICANS IN LEGISLATURE
FEAR SALOONS AND AFRAID
or THE CHURCHES.
FAIL TO COMPROMISE
And Anti.saIoon League May Get the
Worst of it in Fight TO Follow
Signs Point to Passage
of the Ohio Measure.

| Springfield, ILL.,. March l0.-Loca
option is being handled in the tw,
houses Of the legislature as the mos
serious political qucs ion in the state
at the present time. The Republicat
leaders in both houses believe thai {
mismanagem Mt Of the anti.salooy
measure will deprive their party q
its control Of the house OF representa-
tiyes two years from now If it does
not defeat the next Republican stat.
! icket.
It is considered as a. considerably
more pe,pleXing problem than the
primary law. which caused a special
ses ion, and it has been mad the
harder 10 handle. because. attempts
at coniprfmisea last week failed. 10
accomplish anything. =.
|: The bill reaches ao voting stage III
the Judiciary committee. within a
FW elk il plans, be followed OFT. The
commi tee by an agreemeht. reached
Esome"tcn days ago will take the mat.
ter up. for settlement on Tuesday:
if the pres lit intention he followed
and the friends of the bin are. conf
dent that they are in. sufficient
strength to. report the bill out favor.
ably as it stands, or at least With
out amendments OF importance. As
10 what will follow any.bodys gu SIS
IS good and il is not an unreasonable
prophecy that If the bill gets on. the
tlcor Of the house without serious
alteration it viii get to the senate
In that shape
Republicans in a Dilemma.
Th Republican organization literal.
ly is between the devil and the deep
blue sea No political organization
likes to invite the antagonstic com
5ined liquor intereats OF the statr
atnrttu. - -r.--.------.--
state
eNither does any politica! o.ganiza
ton care TO invite the antagonism oi
churches and that body of citizens
who habitually vote straight Parry
tickets but who can be aroused 10
leave party lines If It becomes 4
straight out fight between the saloons
and the church s..
If the legislature passes the local
option bin as it stands the Republican
party VIII have the liquor interests
with all the forces It can command
IN the field agains, it and dete rmi1ed
to select a new body of men for the
succeeding general assembly and Sc
cure a epeal of the law
If II passes the bill with any seri-
ous amendments. amendments which
would make It satisfactory to the sa-
loon and liquor interests il will have
to stand respons bic to tn increasing
number Ut voters who are ready ~
make an issue of the local option
question at the reque of the Anti
Saloon league.
The TWO horns OF this dill NINA have
been seen with great clcarness by the
men who are responsible for what the
legislature does. Thy have endeay
ored 10 get hold Of both Cf them
and have failed mp TO the present
Compromise Efforts Fail.
Mr. snurtleli. for the house, assist
ed by Repr sentatiyes Cicero J Lind
Ilv and u l. Sheldon. and Senate
Berry for the enate. have endeavoro
10 secure a comprom se agreem n
with the Rev. j X Shields state su
ne e.intendent of the anti saloon league
The liquor men, presented 10y form
CT Judge Eibridge c.. Hanecy and 9th
or attorneys have no, been iu any "a
these conferences but hey hav beet
close Ar hand and hay" been consult
I'd throughout
All attempts 10 reach au agreenen
have gon 10 smash and there seem.
to be nothing t0 do except ta fight D
ut and the indications are that iH'
/ Legislative will not give The a1ti-a
loon league an the best OF &c.
4 e not the most unlikely thin'
IN N world that the legislature vii
take this ohio law" bill Is a slbstI
itu-s fo- the one backed by abe AM
saloon league and pass ii hop.n
thereby % meet the demands ~ cif
zers whose chief s. re- Is the pFs
lection Of their own ue.ghh.rloc1
and knowing that the saloon interet
will not fight IT,
George &. Cole unterr.fed.
George +. Cole is uut rH.fe3 by Oh
fact that bis proposition 70 Feiistris
the state and do away With minurit
rar esentadon IS no greeted by gre1
.laei.'.tf,a enthusiasm. He has mad
the start toward the acc mp.lshme1
of frls change hy having in.rot4c-
ia resolution for The submission OF
+ con fi0nai amendment permiuiu
F. 1.-The -edsttciiug. aud uow be is ei
r fdoaroring 70 shoE the legislators "a
. errors Of the present says ard u
! righteousness Of the proposed ehang'