Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-01
RULE BY COM y|SS|ON
Southern Cities May Change
Form of Government.
VOTE ON THE PROPOSITION
Mississippi Legislature Authorizes
an Election at Biloxi
IRON-CLAD PROHIBITION LAW
Crime to Even Offer Your Friend or
Member of Your Family Drink
in Southern State.
IRON-CLAD PROHIBITION LAW
By WILLIAM T CURTIS


BIZ WILLIAM CURTIS
Special spondence of The star and the
Chicago Reco1d-Herald.
BILOXI. Miss March n. 1908.
notice that the legislature of Illinois
Las ordered an investigation of the prac-
ticabiliiy Of the commission form of gov
eminent as exempIified in the District of
Columbia Galveston and Des Moines.
This action has been taken upon the rec
ommendaticn of merchants associations
in Peoria, Springfield Bloomington, Rock
Island Galesburg. Joliet and ether cities,
and committee is to report whether that
system, which involves division of re-
sponsibilties and authority, is applicable
10 the cities named and other municipali-
ties in Illinois
These interested in this subject should
know that tie lesis allure of Mississippi at
its recent session passed IN act, introduced
by Dr. Talbot dentist who represents
Biloxi in the legislature. authorizing a
change Of government 70 the commission
system or Galveston plan upon the vote
# a majority Of the citizens. An election
must be called upon a petition of IL per
cent Of registered voters. No city As yet
has taken il UP. but the subject is being
agitajed with a great deal of earnestness
in Biloxi just now, particularly because OF
public dissatisfaction over an ordinance
recently adopted by the city council. i'm
posing a road tax of So cash or six days
labor upon the public highway by every
voter in the city. \ petition asking the
repeal of this ordinance has been signed
by I.2oo men. almost the entire voting
population of Biloxi but the Counciimen
are obdurate- They insist that the roads
must be repaired and improved, and that
the necessary work cannot be done or
paid for in any other way.
But w II. Bailey, corporation counsel
of Des Noines. is really responsible for
the passage of the act, and the text was
prepared by him al the request of DR.
Talbot Mr.. Bailey comes down here
every winter 10 spend few weeks. and |
last year he leCtured and was interviewed |
and did a good deal of private ia kinS Z!
about the success of the commission plan |
m Des Moines. He thus awakened a |
great deal of public interest, which has |
since been growing. and il is safe to |
predict that Biloxi will be the first COM
minity in Mississippi to take advantage |
IF the privileges of the act.
There are several good public buildings |
here. and the principal streets well |
paved. The post office, classic structure
of white marble, costing 100000. is by |
far the most beautiful and pretentiouS |
building on the coast. and the Peep are |
very proud of it. although it furnishes a |
very striking contrast to the private |
structures by which II is surrounded.
The governmental by commission idea is |
also developing in Florida. and an organ |
iZation has been formed in Pensacola !
to petition the legislature, which will
charter dividing the executive authority
between five persons. The subject is be-
ing discussed with a great deal of ami
nation by the people of that city, and
mass meeting has been called TO give
expression 10 their sentiments
Strict Prohibition Law.
\ statewide prohibition law. which
is probably more strict than any that has
been adopted in other states, went into
affect in NiCSiSeioni ha Ct n Ia
airy, 1909, and now it is a m.sdemeanor.
punishable by fine and Imprisonment, for
hospitable man to offer a guest or aneigh-
Dor any beverage that contains alcohol.
The Mississippi law does not prohibit the
use of liquor, because the solons at Jack
son wer- OF the opinion that such leglsa-
ton would be unconstitutional. but
il does forbid treating and all forms
Of hospitality which Involve the pass
ing Of a bottle or the consumption of
wine. beer or strong drink 1t is said
that the law is evaded by placing the bot
tie on the table and by keeping it on the
themselves without invitation. and that
custom IS quite general among the panta
t.on arlstocracy as we'll as In the larger
towns Beer and whisky can De and are
shipped IN from New ORLEANS in large
quantities through the express companies
by private individuals. but it is unlawful
for such Importarions To be served at a
dinner table in a private family lust the
MS wife or his son a drink of whisky !
without mourning penalty, but thus far /
there nave been no arrests for such Of |
lenses.
Down in this part of the state prohib.- |
ton sentiment has always been very |
strong. and comparatively little liquor I
Was conSum ID. even before the enactmen. 7
of the new law. / have talked with sew |
eTal hotel keepers and they all agree tha |
their tourist patronage has not been a =
tected 10 any degree by the closing of the /
he. G-I-1Fsr Fr1~ LIN 81
not come here. They are not encouraged |
10 come. The habitual summer and win /
Ter resorters are plain people who hav |
no desire 10 drink or gamble or indulge |
IN any OF the fashionable vices
1ae testimony s also universal that !
during the three months since the prohi- /
hlr.o1 law went into effect there has been
no disorder: that The number of arrests
Tor oftenses that could Be attributed ID
aTunke1H IS nave very largely fallen off /
that no crimes have been committed; thar ,
the workn=n are spending their money il
the shops instead OF the saloons. and thai
their wives and ckildr n are better ess-
ed and better led than formerly. Most
q me DdrroomS remain they were be-
fore the LIST Of January. and ali kinds OF
soft drinks are sold over tn m by
former saloon keepers Some OF these
S"lt ar1ahS are said 10 be quite as DE-
SfrIctive TO health and morals as alcohol.
because they contain opates and tones
tlat destroy the nerves and il IS suspect
81 and openly charge d tina in many OF
mem Y : Just as easy for the regular
customers 10 get a drink whisky or a
rottle beer as u ever was but the
negro element for whom the prob bition
.aw was especially designed. are not abb
- procure liquor. and they and eeyrybodv
Csc are benefited THEREBY
2-ississippi Terrapin Farm.
= fashionable New York market com
many nas terrapin farm down here, con-
Quoted n lie same plan as the farms in
Kansas and other western states where
Texas steers are given finishing educa-
tion before Their advent in society al rhe |
chicago stock yards. The farmers in This
case buy the turtles ON professional
fishermen in the marshes OF Iouisian. |
paying from Sc To SO dozen. and keen (
them captive in a pen forty or fifty feet
-Quare which extends down into the mud
~ water OF the Biloxi river. The turtles
are fed fish and Shrirnns twice a Dr.. b.,