Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-07-29
z MORE COUNTIES
Anti-SaIoon League Preparing to
Extend Michisan's Dry
Territory.
FRAMING Up LEGISLATION
Wm Try TO Have Local Option Prin-
cipal Extended TO Cities. Villages
and Townships.

If the Michigan Anti-Saloon league
plans for the coming spring pan out
the nine dry counties in Western
Michigan will not be lonesome after
next May
In twenty-five countiesEmost of
them in the western half of the state
the league is already planning to
submit the question. and three others
NAV be added to the lists
Last fall the league leaders an
nounced that thev would try to sub
NIT local option in twenty-four coun-
ties this spring Their campaign was
latein starting and in several counties
thew forgot to figure that there was no
fall meeting of the board of supervisors
Other matters intervened and the aues-
tion was actually submitted in but
fourteen In ten of them it carried
This time" said X y Holsaple.
western Michigan manager for the
league. I'VE shall have plenty of time
for our campaign and 1t is safe to say
the question of local option will be
submitted in nearly everyone of the
counties we plan to enter
Say. however that we get petitions
in only twenty counties If we do as
we'll at the polls as we did this spring
there will be fifteen or sixteen more
dry counties in Michigan after the
first of Nav. 1909"
The counties il is planned to enter
are mostly in the western part of the
state. because the league sticks to the
"dry' The managers believe "drv"
territory is more apt to stay dry" If
il surrounded with other "drv" terri
tory than..if the surrounding are wet. +"
1t is for this reason that .thev choose
contiguous counties to make their fight
in.
I'VE do distinguish between a fight
ing chance and a chance to fight.
though -" said Mr.. Holsaple. I've 10
no believe it wise to submit local --op-
tion until the counties where 1t is to
be submitted are--ripe for it
Following is the list of counties
where Anti-Saloon league workers are
trying to get the necessary petitions
signed.to insure submission.
Berrien Moutcalm
Calhoun Clare
Ingham Alconia
Ionia Tuscola
Isabella Hillsdale
Kalkaska Eaton
Huron Ottawa
Newavgo Mecosta
Branch Lake
Allegan Oscoda
Livingston Sanilac
And possibly in Genesee
BenZie Leelanau
Officers of the league have planned
ont their legislative campaign and the
local option bill they propose to ask tue
legislature to pass is already being
framed Ii viii extend local option TO
cities. townships. villages and resi-
dence district. th ough the ward feature
of the Lugers bill will be cut out
The puzzling point just now is 70
figure out how the residence district
feature.will be applied. There is no
political unit to 20 by in holding cleo
tions and manv people object to the pc
tition plan.
The ward idea was given up because
in many wards there are botn business
and residence districts and the divided
interests made il seem advisable to cut
out the ward ides.
A drastic plan of punishment for
KEEPERS of 'blind pigs will also be
worked out. The "hlind pig" flour
ishes both in dry and wet territory.
but the leagures Will get after him in
both.
Il understand the liquor interests
are making desperate efforts to get II
men in the senate, So that all anti
liquor legislation may he blocked. -
said Mr.. Holsaple.
I'VE are watching his situation and
will see to it that the people know
something of the affiliations of the men
for whom tbev are asked to vote. We
shall not he too disheartened If they
are successful this time though. for we
firmly believe that the longer the Ii
ouor interests put OIL decent local OPP
tioD law by such methods the closer
they get to absolute prohibition In the
state