Gilpin observer., 1907-12-19
LOCAL OPTION
IN COLORADO
GOVERNOR BUCHTEL ISSUES AN
EXPOSITION OF THE WORK.
ING OF THE NEW LAW.
C0MMENDS 1T HIGHLY
PURPOSE OF THE LAW is TO GRE.
ATE ANTISALOON TERRI
TORY BY PEOPLES VOTE.

Denver.-Governor Buchtel has had
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 is in part as follows:
1.-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 a 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
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-
-1to tn -alr
territory may be taken SO as to in
clude all the territory within the .im-
/ its of any city, town, ward, ward sub
division, district or precinct.
THE vote may be taken only at a
general election for choosing county,
| city or town officers (never at spe-
cial election), and only on written re-
quest of forty per cent of the qualified
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 it is
desired to Great anti-saloon territory.
mo signature to a 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-
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 vote by the people. The will OF
the people is supreme, whether the
clerk is faithful or faithless.
"The clerk must print on all ballots
after the list of candidates this cues
ton: Shall this (city,
town, ward, precinct, as the case may
be) become anti-saloon territory7' 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 the
balloting and the counting of the votes.
The record of the vote is to be unide
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.
GAN ferritQry which iS made anti
saloon territory shall continue forever
to be antisaloon territory unless a
reversion to saloon territory shah be
made by vote of the majority of the
electors. The method of reversing the
vote is precisely like the metS.od OF
taking the vote.
"If the electors in any district shan
vote to reverse former ballot to-
create anti-saloon territory (so 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 bar to any further vote until
after the lapse Of twenty-three months.
That means that n vote in any city.
town, ward. ward subdivision, dis
trict or precinct is always a vete
which settles the question for period
of two years.
mo liquor can be sold In any quan.
tity whatsoever. nor can any license
to sell liquor be given. within the lin
, its of anti-saloon territory. Shifts and
devices to evade the law shall bs
counted as violations of the law, and
, the due punishment must follow. How
ever, man may use liquor in his own
home and serve il to his guests in
, his hcme. even though he lives in