The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-02-05
Optionists Started Out to Get
100000 Petitioners, But
Only Succeeded in Getting
About $4,000.
WORKERS CONCEOE THE
"WET" FOR ONE YEAR
State Failure Due to Fact
That Not Enough Ministers
Have Made Effort to Help
The Movement.

Chicago, Feb 5.-Chicago Will be 4
wet town for another year at least.
The movement by the drys to have the
people vote at the April election on
the question of excluding the saloons
from the city under the local option
law has fallen down. They started out
to obtain the necessary 100000 petition
ers to place the question on the ballot,
but got less than 10000.
The failure of the movement was re-
ported at a meeting of the no license
committee in the First Methodist
church which was attended by thirty
f1ve persons. Today is the last day for
filing local option petitions and it had
been planned to gather in the peG-
tions at the meeting and prepare them
for presentation to the election CON-
mission.
The workers brought in the petitions
but it was apparent that they were far
short of the required number of sign
ers. Chairman John H. Hill declined
to make any estimate of the total.
Will Try It Again Next Year.
In the midst of a general feeling of
encouragement the members of the
committee decided to make another
effort next year. They authorized the
organization of a committee Of 100
each member of which should pledge
himself to subscribe $50 and obtain
1000 signatures to the petition. Twen-
ey-four of those present volunteered to
serve on this committee
Chairman Hill said the failure re-
suited from too much confidence. Each
worker, he said, thought so many
others were engaged in the circulation
of petitions that he would not have to
exert himself unduly. The result was
that the movement had suffered from
the falling out between the prohibi-
tion and anti-saloon organizations.
THE trouble is that we have not
had majority of the Christian min
listers of this city with us in this
work." asserted Frank Conner. who
obtained more than 1000 petitioners.
why, there are ministers Of the gos-
pei who actually are opposed to the
prohibition movement. have in mind
certain south side pastor who is
the head of a law enforcement organ
ization which has prosecuted a number
49, liz ic inic .
| quoted in a newspaper as opposing the
prohibition movement and one of the
saloon keepers he had prosecuted
promptly posted the clipping on the
front door of his saloon in Thirty-sec-
ond street.
Quotes from Brewers Journal.
This utterance reminded Secretary
Leo F. Jeanmene of something, for he
jumped to his feet and pulling a paper
out of his pocket. said:
II have in my hand a copy Of the
Brewers Journal, which contains this
item: The Rev. Morton Culver Hart.
zell. pastor of the South Park Avenue
Methodist Episcopal church is among
| those sensible members of the clergy
| opposed to prohibition
Edward E. Blake condemned the re-
form organizations as absolutely use
| less in promoting no license move
ments under the local option law. He
| said it was necessary to rely on indi.
| vidual effort entirely in circulating pc
/ titions.
Censures Some Church Members.
mo You can't depend on these or.
| organizations of the churches, either
| in this fight" said Attorey H. NJ. Tay-
/ lor, who said he used to be drinking
man down in Kentucky. but had re-
| formed 1T is foolish to expect help
| from the churches. There are worse
men in the churches than there are
outside