Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-04-24
AIMS AT HIGH PURPOSE BUT
FALLS FAR SHORT.
is COMPROMISE MEASURE
Residence District Is Defined and
Then Exceptions Made SO Liberal
That the Saloon May Find Place
Almost Anywhere-Madison May
Have Even 100 Saloons.
Madison, April Is.

district may possibly determine
whether or not they viii permit the
existence of saloons in their midst is
the uncertain privilege granted by the
provisions of bill No. 232a by the com
mittee on state affairs. The measure
is known as the residence district OPP
ton bill and has passed the assem-
bly, and is now awaiting action by the
senate.
The bill provides that any clearly
described, contiguous, compact terri
tory in cities, villages or towns bound
ed by corporation or ward lines, pub
iic streets, public alleys or water
courses, in which actually reside not
less than 100 nor more than 1000
qualified electors may be constituted
a residence district. Its greatest
length shall not be more than four
times its narrowest width. No part
of any one district once used to de-
termine one residence district, while
continued as such, shall be again used
in fixing another residence district.
The provisions which determine
what shall not be a residence district
are:
1. The frontage on either side Of
any street in one block in any city or
Incorporated village upon which one
third of the lineal feet of the proper
~ abutting thereon is devoted to or
used for commercial, mercantile or
manufacturing purposes.
@ The street frontage OF either
side of such street if one-third of the
iineal feet of property abutting on
both sides between intersecting
streets is so used.
8. The frontage of either or both
sizes of a highway in towns or unin-
corporated villages within distance
of 800 feet if one-third of the lineal
feet of the property abutting on such
highway is used for business pur-
poses.
Property occupied exclusively for
educational or religious or charitable
purposes and public parks in resi-
dence districts may be included as
residence property but shall not be
used in dete mining the boundaries or
size Of such district
In any territory containing not less
than 100 nor more than 1000 electors,
which is bouded by corporation or
ward lines, and where license has not
been previously granted, majority
Of the electors may file a remon-
-t.o,, 90 3, 1rr;+;pu v,,it1, th1 cifv clark.
and when this is done no license shall
be granted in such district unless a
majority of the electors shall there
after consent in writing.
After July l, 1908, no license shall
be issued or granted to any person
within any residence district if ma
jority of the electors residing in such
district shall, not earlier than the
first day of May nor later than the
fifteenth day of May in any one year
file with the clerk of the city, village
or town in which such distric. is sit
uated, remonstrance signed by
majority of the electors, describing
the boundaries of the district and OBJ
jecting to The granting of any such
license, until a counter petition signed
by a majority of the electors in such
district pra ying that license be grant
ed shall be filed with the clerk, when
It shall be lawful for the proper au-
thorities to issue license
The bill also limits the number of
persons or places that may be Ii
censed to sell malt, ardent or spirit
nous liquors IN the various towns,
cities and villages to one for each
$50 inhabitants or major fraction
thereof except where greater num-
Der of licenses are in force on the
first day of June, 1907, the local au'
thorities are authorized in their dis
erection to issue licenses equal to the
number then in force but no more I'M
til the increase in population reaches
the $50 limit.
It further provides that in all cities,
villages or towns In which no license
has heretofore been granted or are in
force on the 1st day of June, 1907, by
reason of the electors having voted
against the same, no license shall be
granted or issued until by a vote,
such action of the qualified electors
is reversed or revoked and license
again authorized.
The bill further provides that no
license shall be granted to any per-
son not a full citizen of the United
States and of this state and a resi-
dent of the town, village or city in
which such license is applied for, nor
shall any license be granted to any
person who has been convicted of an
offense against the laws of this state
punishable by Imprisonment in the
state prison.
That feature of the bill which pro.
vides that but one saloon may be IL
.censed for every ESQ inhabitants has
no merit as a restrictive or CONTROL
ing measure and is in the nature of
a lemon handed to those who are
striving for a better control of the
liquor business. For instance, In
Madison with its $4,000 inhabitants
there may be. under this provision.
100 saloons whereas the IS which we
nov have are all too many
Then, too. the method Of determin-
ing the conditions under which any
Community may become a residence
district under the provisions of the