The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-09-18
TO PUT INDIANA
IN DRY COLUMN
GOVERNOR HAWlEY DETER.
MINED THAT LOCAL OPTION
LAW SHALL PASS.

| INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, Sept 49,
Hoosier lawmakers gathered in the
capital today. at the call of Governor
Hanly, to begin what will probably be-
the most important special session of
the Legislature ever held in Indiana. AL
| though other vital ma tiers are up for
consideration the fight for and against
! enacting county local option law will
| likely be the feature of the session.
Governor Hanly is pronounced tenn
perance advocate and his highest am
bition is to place Indiana in the ranks
of the dry" states Under the Moore
| remonstrance law. a large part of the
state is already free of saloons. A coun-
ty local option law, such as proposed
by Governor Hanly, would likely drive
the liquor dealers from all but a few
large cities, and would serve as an en-
| tering wedge for state-Wida prohibit
ton.
! That the governors attempt to force
| the local option measure may have
grave results on the national election
is admitted Many politicians believe
| that the acceptance or rejection by the
legislature of a county local option bill
is likely to- change the entire poIltical
complexion of the campaign now in
| progress. The brewers and liquor
dealers realize the gravity of the situ-
alton and will do their utmost to pre-
vent the passage of the local option
act
| If the special session is harmonious
| It Will likely aid the republicans in
carrying the state. If a fractional fight
| results, the, democrats will have their
opportunity, and will not hesitate to
take advantage of it. The republicans
will make the local option bill a party
measure and seek to whip into line
enough votes to make it law, but
! doubt exists as to the ability of the
| party leaders to control the assembly
The house, of course, will be the scene
OF THE struggle if there is one. The
republicans have fifty three members
to- fOrty-seve democrats This is a
safe margin if caucus action can be
taken. But it is recalled that some five
Or six republicans refused at the reg
ular session to go into any temperance
caucus and it is feared that these may
cause trouble.
The republicans will depend upon
temperance democrats to make up for
thel members of their own party that
they cannot control Several democrats
voted with the republicans two years
ago for high license. These may play
politics, however, this session and with
hold support, in which event county
local option will be afar Off
Under the workings of the Moore re-
monstrance act, at the present time |
there are in all 764 dry townships in
the state out of 1915. There are 81
counties in the state which have sa-
looms in only one place; eighteen with |
saloons in only two places. and thirteen
more in which the majority of the |
population live in dry territory.
An understanding of the Moore re-
monstrancel law may throw some light |
upon the remarkable advance Of prohi- |
bition in Indiana Under it, the MAORI |
ty of voters in amy township or in any |
city ward, by demonstrating in writ |
ing against the granting of licenses, are
enabled to close the saloons in that |
township for two years.
RemOnstranceI campaigns take place !
regularly. 1t may be begun any day, |
and two days later the saloons of the !
district are closed Two dry" years !
are apt to make that particular town
ship undesirable to the SalOOnkeeper, |
who moves. never to return.
If the plans of the anti-saloon work |
ers are carried out, the passage of a
county local option measure will be |
but a step forward toward the submits !
sion of a constitutional amendment
providing state wide prohibition in /;
1911 A vote on this question, the
"drys" believe, would result in Danish !
ing liquor from Indiana forever.
AS the situation is now, Indiana has
Is counties which are wholly without
the saloon. The passage of local OPP
ton law. the anti saloon workers be-
lievei will mean at least so dry coun-
ties out of the go within two years. The
constitutional amendment they rely
upon to settle the matter for all time.
Another matter, and the chief OBJ
ject of the special session. will be that
of extending the appropriation act of
the last general assembly so as to pre-
vent unexpended balances of specific
appropriations from reverting at the
end of the fiscal year, Sept. 80, to the
general fund. AS the law now stands,
these unexpended balances would re-
vert and consequently hinder the work
of constructing several new institu-
| tions.
Another consideration will have to do
with providing protection against the
night riders of southern Indiana. There
have been no recent depredatiOnS, but
the tobacco crop is not yet harvested,
/ so raids are expected The experience
of Kentucky and Ohio has demonstrate
ed that state militia is unable to cope
with masked marauders who ride and
Urn and MIR n at unexpected places,
SC it is thought desirable that the gov
el.nor be given wide powers to deal
Nth any situation that mag deve.oi
WANTED.