The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-16
Dual Feature May Be lncor-
pOrated in Next Measure If
County Local Option Law Is
Killed.
DEMOCRATS PREPARING
FOR STATE CONTEST.
Chairman Jackson Says His
Party Has Found Enough
Errors to Elect Cox. Bailey
And New.
Ellis SearIes.

indianapolis, Ind, Nov. 16.--There is
democrats and the republicans may get
together on some kind of law to take
the place Of the county local option
law. AS has been said before in these
dispatches, it is quite certain that an
effort will be made at the coming ses-
sion of the legislature to repeal the
county unit law and the prospect is
that it will be superseded by some 9th
er kind of statute, but just what that
will be can not now be told.
Most of the republicans agree that
the vote at the election two weeks ago
showed that the people do not want
county option, but they are also of the
opinion that the law should not be re-
pealed unless some other act is passed
that will come nearer to meeting the
real desire of the temperance people
OF the state.
Some months ago, when the cam
paign was hot and the county option
question was being discussed up and
down the state the Anti-Saloon league
prepared bill for introduction at the
special session that embraced both the
county and the township and ward
units. At that time it was a question
whether the county option bill could
pass the legislature, and this dual bill
was prepared as a compromise meas
ure In the hope that it might bring the
republicans and, democrats into har-
mony on the proposition.
But Governor Hanly rejected the du-
al bill. He insisted on straightout
county option and would be satisfied
with nothing else. So the compro-
mise bill died before it was born.
Some of the Anti-Saloon League lead
ers believed that since the republicans
were standing for county option and
the democrats for township and ward
option a bill such as this one would
satisfy both sides because it embraced
both units. 1t is suggested now by
some of the republican leaders that an
effort should be made to get the two
sides together on something to be ad-
vanced temperance legislation and still
suit all parties, and 1t is understood
that overtures looking to such an end
have been made already. Whether
they have in mind a dual option bill,
such as the one explained above, or
some other Kind, is not known as yet.
Charles Sefrit, of Washington, who
had charge of the republican editorial
bureau during the campaign, said yes
terday that he believed it was time for
the republicans and the democrats to
agree on something of the kind in or
der that the temperance question may
be taken out of politics entirely. He
argued that il they should agree on a
bill and pass it at the coming session
neither party could be blamed for it's
defects or claim credit for it's good re-
suits.
Get Contest Material.
The democrats have been making a
canvass of the votes and the tally
sheets in all the counties of the state
gathering material for the contest
which their candidates for state offices
Will make at the coming session of the
legislature to obtain the offices from
the republicans, and Stokes Jackson,
democratic state chairman. said yester-
day that they have found enough err
rors in the counties thus far heard
from to assure the election of James F.
Cox, for secretary of state. Marion Bal
ley for auditor of state and Burt New
for reporter of the supreme court. He
said that when all the returns are in
he believes they will show that still
others have been elected. also. but he
claims to be sure of these three.
Speaking of the contest, it has all
along been a question as to how the
democrats could hope to gain anything
by 1t, inasmuch as the senate is still
republican by majority of four votes
The law requires the house and the
senate each to appoint committee of
seven members to hear the evidence
and determine the contests, and it says
that tn decision of these fourteen
members. sitting as a joint committee
shall be final. 1t is reasonably sure
that the house members of the COM
mittee will be democrats and the SEN
dtc mSiuucio iCpupiieduS, 80 q ulNluSu
report is looked for. In that case it
is hard to see how the democrats
would be able to oust the republicans.
who have been given commissions for
the offices 70 which the contests will
be made.
But the democrats claim they have
found way out Of 1t. They say that
the report of the committee will have
TO be made joint session of the house