The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-06
DUAL COUNTY LOCAL OPTION.

SoHk SoSN ISSSN- W si~'N'
County local option has assumed
even greater proportions in Richmond
and Wayne county since the late cleo
ton than before that-unhappy, as far
as republicans are concerned-event.
This Is due to the efforts of a local
committee that is circulating a petit
ton, having for it's object the calling
of a special election in this county to
decide whether or not we will remain
wet" or become dry"
As to the merits of either contention
that Wayne county retain or eliminate
the saloon, the Palladium does not feel
1t to be within it's scope to comment
one way or the other editorially, but
simply to give the news of both sides
of this question as it arises from day
to day. Primarily, the question OF
whether ones vote is to go for
dry" county or wet" county,
should be settled as each individual
voters intelligence dictates.
In considering the county local OPP
ton law. however. and especially as it
is at present administered, we believe
It could be amended in such a manner
as to work to better advantage and in
a fairer spirit. Not that the Palladi-
um for one minute backs down on the
proposition that the county is the prop
er unit, or that it considers the demo-
cratic proposition of the ward and
township unit as anything but step
backward, as far as just and wise tenn
perance legislation is concerned. The
Palladium does believe, however, that
the present county local option law
has at least one serious drawback and
that 1t should be removed by an
amendment.
Instead Of the present form Of the
law with the county as the sole unit,
it would be much wiser and fairer If
dual form Of county local option
were provided. Fairer in this re-
spect, that In counties such as Wayne
with a city the size of Richmod, 1t
would work to better advantage II. I'M
der the law, the city were allowed to
vote separately from the rest of the
county regarding the settlement of
this question within it's limits.
To our minds it would be wise If the
next general assembly would amend
the present county local option law
in this wise; in all counties in which
there is no city of 5000 population or
over as shown by the nearest census,
let the present law apply; in all coun-
ties In which Is located one, or more
than one, city of 5000 population or
more, as shown by the nearest census,
let the dual form apply and let any
such city, or, if there is more than one,
let all the cities in the county of the
prescribed population, vote on the
question separately from the rest of
the county; and, finally, retain the
Moore Remonstrance law in order that
the majority of people living in any
word or township in a wet" county.
may state whether or not saloons shall
locate there.
lin every way the above proposed plan
would be fair under conditions as they
exist today. Just as the democratic
plan Of ward and township local option
was a ste poi twenty-five years back.
wards, SO was the republican plan of
county local option as enacted into law
by the general assembly in special ses-
sion assembled last September. a step
too far in advance along temperance
lines, to do the most good under exist
ing conditions regarding the majority
of citizens understanding of such mat
tiers. Dual local option In a county
end the retention of the present Moore
Remonstrance law will work to far
better advantage and will be the wisest
and safest, besides being the fairest,
compromise along temperance legisla-
tive lines, that the next general assem-.
bly, could devise.
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