The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-12-24
SALOONS CLOSED
OF TUMWA IS DRY
"RlLlYn SUNDAYS CRUSADE TO
BEAR SOME FRUIT.
"A BIG PETITION is FILED
AT Same Hour the Protest Was Made
of Record the Thirty-Eisht Ii
.quor Houses Closed Their
SIS Places Of Business.

Ottumwa, Ia, Dec, 23.-Thirty
eight salons and Wholesale beer ant
liquor houses closed here at 4:4i
o'clock yesterday afternoon. at which
hour the petition to close the saloons
was filed with County Auditor Nc
Carly. The closing of the saloons IL
the result of an agitation started by
Billy Sunday at the close of his re
cent revival and which ha- been KEEP
up by his followers.
When 1t was thought that sufficient
names had b.. n secured, the petition
was filed. TIL petition was brought
to the county auditors Office by J. G
Hutchinson, William McNett w. III
Hunting, George Blount and seyera
other men who have taken an active
part in the movement. Action on the
validity of the petition was begun this
morning by the saloon men.
1t is claimed by the leaders of the
movement that over 1900 voters have
signed the petition to close the sa
looms, and that these represent more
than majority necessary to make
the petition effective, as there were
1856 voters at the last general cleo
ton. $50
j. G. Hutchinson, a local wholesale
grocer, and who was defeated for
governor of Iowa by former Governor
Boies. is the leading man in the move
lnent against the saloons. He said
that nothing like compromise would
be made with the saloonists and that
he with other men had taken up the
movement for the welfare of the city
The saloon men will probably open
one saloon and stand prosecution for
a test case. They will also all file
suits against the city and county for
the recovery of license money paid.
which may necessitate the cutting OFF
of city street lights and other econom-
lcal measures, The, city Treasury, Is
now at the legal fim1t or indebtedness.
The OttumTa Wholesale Beer &
Liquor Dealers association addressed
the following letter to Mr.. Hutchinson
Liquor Mems Address.
AS you seem to be the leading
spirit in the movement to close the
saloons, this open communication Ii
addressed to you.
The purpose il is to present to
you the wish of some hundreds oil
city voters who, upon reconsideration
have decided to withdraw their sig
natures from the petition to close the
saloons, and who have expressed
their desire SO 10 do by signing pc
tition of revocation of signatures
which this association put in circula
ton on Saturday last.
"The members of this association
believe thai you and those other men
interested in the movement to close
the saloons want to be perfectly fair
and do not want to file your anti-sa
loon petition unless you have suffi
ciCnt number of names of voters t
make it effective. Surely you woulC
not wish to file a petition which does
not bear the majority necessary Il
definitely express the will of the PEG
pie on the question.
Now. on behalf of those men who
wish their names withdrawn from
your petition, the members of Thu
association think that in all fairness
you should permit them to do so be
fore the petition s filed, and we ash
you to accept this offer in the fai
spirit in which it is given.
THE members of this association
are perfectly willing to accept th'
will OF the majority, and We believ'
that you and your associates also fee
the same.
I'VE await your response to thi
communication, and if you accept /
our attorneys will visit the lawyer
employed by you, and together thes'
men can effect a plan to take OF tn
names of such men who wish thei
signatures withdrawn from your pc
tition.
Certainly nothing could be NOR
fair than the acceptance of this pre-
| position, and surely it would be wei
in keeping with the spirit OF the sea
son-peace on earth; good will to
| ward men,"
Probably no city has ever eXper
fenced a more frenzied atmosphere
than the one created here following
the meetings of Evangelist Sunday
and the movement against the saloons
1t is quite evident that greater spiri