The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-03-05
OPTION.

Undoubtedly the greatest contest
| OF the present legislature will center
| about the liquor question. Repre-
sentative Ormsbee, in his bill recent
| ly introduced, seeks to amend the
county option act in such manner as
to make townships the unit rather
than counties. Under such system
much territory, ordinarily dry un-
der present regulations, would be-
come wet and vice versa.
Wherever a largely populated cen
ter exists, in the midst of farming
territory, as for instance in Kalama-
zoo county, the pro-saloon vote of
the city offsets the strength of pro-
hibition sentiment and renders the
entire district wet. In the particu-
lar county noted an election to decide
the question was held at the same
time that Oakland voted on the sub
iect. Practically all of the townships
of Kalamazoo voted favorably to pro-
hibition. Kalamazoo city rolled up a
majority of over 1000 against the
proposition and as result the entire
county remained wet territory.
Under the Ormsbee proposal the
township system would make it pos
sible for that county to become prac-
tically dry with the exception of
Kalamazoo So far as Oakland is
concerned the application of the
township unit system would have
made six townships wet, while the
remainder became dry. If the law
became effective much territory, now
held by the prohibition forces would
become wet, while much that cannot
be gained at present would vote dry
Applying the township system to
Michigan would, as whole, be
equally effective to both elements.
Larger cities and towns would retain
saloons while country districts voted
them out
1t is the theory of this proposition
that prohibition cannot he made sue
cessful only so far as sentiment ia
vors it. In other words those who
contend for the township system ar
que that county local option forces
upon unwilling territory measures
that the majority has registered its
voting strength against and that
such a system in the end prevents
enforcement Of the law. On the
other hand the advocates of the
county system see in the proposal for
the township system plan OF the IL
quor forces to retain all large cities
Within dry districts, thereby endan-
gerng such territory by close con-
tact with the saloon. Undoubtedly
the township proposal is in confor
nifty with the new constitution,
which gives every locality the right
to govern ITSELF there are circum-
stances surrounding the movement
for township system that are likely
to weigh heavily against any pro-
posals for its adoption.
Thousands of people have accept
ed local option by counties on triaf
They desire a sufficient test of the
law before making any changes.
They are familiar with the license
system They have seen it's abuses
and the attitude of the liquor forces
with respect to their privilege.
Whatever ideas of self-government
that may therefore be embodied in
the township proposals are likely to
be Offset by protests against apply
ing the principle to the liquor ques-
ton until the experiment has been
tried out to "a more definite conclu-
sion. If there is merit in the county
to desire time in which to ascertain
its workings before acceding to the
demands of the liquor forces for
change from the county to the town
ship system. Pontiac. Press Gazette