The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-08-20
EIGHTY-SIX
DRY COUNTIES
SENATOR MATTINGLY SAYS
ONLY SIX WILL REMAIN
WET UNDER LOCAL OP.
TON BILL WHICH
HE WILL PRE-
SENT.

Senator Ezra Mattingly, of Wash.
ington, who has county local option
bill for presentation to the next Cen
eral Assembly, expresses the opinion
that eight-six of the ninety4two coun-
ties of the State would, under his bill
go dry" the very first dash out OF
the box. The only six counties in the
State which would not drive the sa-
looms out if his bill were enacted into
law are. according to Mattingly, Van
derburg, Dubois, Marion, Vigo, Allen
and Lake.
And | ann not SO sure that Mar,
Ion would not join the list of dry"
Counties" he said in discussing his
bill and its effect Marion is com,
posed of people drawn to Indianap-
oils from all parts of the State. The
proportion of foreign born residents
is not great. With fair election, I
would not be surprised to see the
saloons banished rhere"
Senator Mattingly, who is one of
the temperance leaders of the Repub-
lican party, having led the fight in the
Senate two years ago for the high
license bill. thinks that local option
election should be held not oftener
than once every four years. Because
nearly every county will go dry at
the first election and then we can
hold the dry territory for forty-eight
months"
The argument was recalled, how
ever, that the brewers, knowing tba:
territory gained by them would re-
main wet for four long years, could
afford to- spend big sums of money to
carry the elections and to make use
of all their resources to bring about
a victory.
True" answered Mattlrigly, "but
under my bill elections could and
would be held in practically every
county of the State at the same time
The brewers, therefore, could not
switch their forces from one county
to another, could not colonize voters
effectually and could not employ UNI
fair means, as the whole State would
be aroused simultaneously"
In explanation, the Senator said
his bill provides that the Board of
County Commissioners must select
a day for special election to be held
not less than twenty or more than
thirty days after petition calling
for an election on The question OF
prohibition is filed Therefore, unit
ed action by the temperance forces in
filing petitions in all counties stimuli
taneously would result in ninety-two
elections within ten days of each 9TH
er. This, he thinks, would make a
State issue and by creating sentiment
up and down and across Indiana a
full temperance vote could be polled
AS full at any rate as the Republi-
can vote in the fall
Mattingly's bill. which will be pre-
sented early in the coming session,
provides that the petition for prolri-
Htion elections shall bear the signat-
ures of 20 per cent of the voting pop
ulation of the county and that it shah
be filed at least three days before the
regular meeting of the Board OF
County Commissioners. No other is
sue shall be presented for the consid-
Grafton of voters at the election. The
bill specifically states that it, as a
law, shall not interfere with the val
idity of the Moore and Nicholson
laws as they now stand.
Mattingly has another bill of more
than ordinary note. This provides
for the creation of public utilitie,
commission to supplant the State
Railroad Commission and TO have
jurisdiction over the railroads, trac-
ton companies. street car lines, tele,
graph and telephone companies, light,
heat and power companies and ex-
press companies of the State. The
commission shall be composed of five
members. three of one party and two
of the ether, or of four, two from
each party, the author has 10. yer
definitely decided. His bill, he en-
plans, will be modelled after the New
DIRK law, the best, he thinks, n the
country