Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-01-07
MAYOR HAD THE
DECIDING VOTE
City Council Adopted the
Midnight Closing Ordi-
nance at It's Regular Meet
ing Last Night.
MUST CLOSE AT IL
Saloons Nor Bawdy Houses Can Sell
Intoxicating Liquors for Five Hours
Each Nfght-Ehe Ordinance Is Al.
ready Effective

Beg ming tonight all tae saloons
n this city will close at II o'clock,
midnight, and remain closed until 5
O'Clock each morning. During the
same period that the doors Of the
dramshops are closed, no intoxicat
Ing liquors OF any kind will be sold
IL any bawdy houses or other places
where dramshop licenses are in ct
feet
This edict follows the passage OF
an ordinance by the Pine BluE
ty Council last night, which was
presented some weeks ago by Alder
man Harvie Hudson of the Second
ward, requiring the SALOONS 70 close
at midnight and remain closed for
five hours. When the ordinance was
presented last night it met with
20 little opposition.
Aldermen William Nichol, OF the
second ward; j. II. Dellmon, of the
First ward, c. F. Huntington OF the
Third ward, and Gabe Meyer from
the Fourth ward opposed it. Alder
men j. \. Clement, a. c. Jordan,
Harvie Hudson, and Fred Fox, each
representing one of the four wards
in the city, favored the ordinance.
Heated argument was advancer by
the councilmen when the ordinance
was up for it's third reading. Some
of the aldermen opposed to the
measure attempted to amend the
original ordinance to make it read
/ O'Clock a. m. insteada of u o.
clock. midnight This ATTEMPT fail
ed When the vote was called for
the eight aldermen voted four and
four and it was necessary for Mayor
'roney to cast the deciding vote. He
voted for the ord nance and it was
declared adopted
Aldermen William Nichol and
otBtlS WIN OpPooSa LIN Ah'ANAA' oANN
closing ordinance raised q question
as to whether Mayor Toney had the
authority to cast the deciding vote
III such a matter. The argument
was advanced that the Myor has no
night to vote where money is appro-
priated by the city and that there
was no law authorizing him to vote
In matters of this kind. One OF the
sections of the law says that ma
jority of votes of the aldermen elect
is necessary for the passage OF an
act in the citys legislative body
The Mayor is not mentioned as be-
ing the deciding voter. In another
section, however, the Mayor is given
authority to cast the deciding vote
where tie vote is cast in the coun-
Gil
The Midnight closing ordinance
becomes effective immediately upon
its passage and tonight it will -
enforced for the first time. This
same ordinance was adopted in Lit
tie Rock some months ago and is
proving effective. 1t has caused the
closing of nearly all the restaurants
and cafes there at the midnight
hour however, the proprietors ad-
vancing the argument that they
cannot. make lights" without serv-
ing drinks.
When the midnight closing Or
dinance was presented in the Coun-
Gil several weeks ago the questio
of the bawdy houses was brought
up and it was necessary to refer it
to the ordinance committee for
amendment, including the sale of
liquor in bawdy houses after the
midnight hour. The ordinance was
adopted last night with the amen l.
ment attached thereto.
Many members of the Law and
Order League, among them being
Reverend C. c. Cline, J. w. Craw-
ford, e. l.. Vail and others, were
present at the Council meeting last
night when the ordinance was be-
ing considered.