The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-02-02

resolution offered in the several days
ago looking to that end.
Where the Line Was Drawn.
1t was expected that there would be
a red-hot fight over it when the reso-
luton came on for adoption. But 1t did
not come. Representative Grieger Of
Laporte county offered an amendment
to the ffeect that the commission
should go as far back as 1a1 In max
ing its investigation Of the expenses
of the state offices, the purpose be-
ing to show that the democrats. when
they had the Offices, spent as much
or money than the republicans are now
spending. But this amendment was
voted down by strict party vote.
Then the resolution was adopted by a
unanimous vote, every republican and
every democrat voting for 1t. The res
oiution now goes to the senate, and it
is understood that the republicans in
that body will also put it through
A New Liquor Bill.
Senator Proctor has liquor bill that
he will introduce in the senate in the
next day or two that will be different
from any yet offered during the ses-
sion. And, by the way, it will be the
first one to make its appearance in the
house. It will repeal the county op-
ton law, but 1t would not substitute
township and ward option. It would
do away entirely with saloons in un-
incorporated towns and in townships
with population OF less than 500. His
idea is to conf1ne saloons to the cities
and towns that have more than 1900
inhabitants. This feature alone he
says, would make much more dry terri
tory in the state because there are
many wet townships whose population
is below 1900. He would give the peo-
pie of each city ward the right to vote
on whether they shall have saloons. but
in towns the whole town would vote
The minimum license fee would be
5000 in towns and $500 in cities, and
the council or board OF trustees could
increase this to $1,000. The bill would
preserve the Moore remonstrance law
and the Nicholson law. The results
of local option elections already held
would not be interfered with.
Senator Proctor says he knows full
well that a bill to substitute town
ship and ward option for county op-
ton would not be considered by the
senate. therefore he offers this one as
the best democratic substitute
Wants Fair Trial for County Option.
Abe Simmons of Bluffton, who was
one of the Indiana elegates-at-large to
the democratic national convention at
Denver last summer, has written a let
ter to Representatives Merriman of
BIuffton, one of the temperance demo-
Gratis of the house, in which he ad-
vices Merriman to stand pat against
IL
law. He says that It is not now an
issue and should not be made one.
He says that at the time when the
platform was adopted declaring for
| township and ward local option there
was no local option law in the state
and the democrats believed that this
would be the best kind to enact If any
were enacted at all But, now, he
says, there is a local option law on the
books. The democratic state platform,
he says, did not declare for the repeal
of the county option law and it could
not be so understood. It merely de-
clared for township and ward local OPP
ton when there was none of any kind
in force. If the democrats had gotten
to 1t first, he says, they would have
enacted a township and ward law, but
the republicans got there first and the
thing to do now is to accept the re
suit. He says the county option law
should be given fair trial and if it is
found to be wrong then the next or
: some other legislature can repeal it.
} The letter of simmons has created a
great deal of talk here since it was
received yesterday
The brewers of the state are in bad
fix They are scared stiff over the
prospect that is before them, for coun-
ties are voting themselves dry in all
parts of the state and the legislature
now seems determined to not try to
stop the drying up process. There
are millions of dollars invested in brew
cry properties in this state, and If it
goes on as it is going now the time is
not very far distant when brewery
stock will not be worth much. IN two
years from now, If county option cleo
lions continue to go as they are now
going, you can buy a dollars worth of
brewery stock for a plugged nickel
Brewers from all over the state are
coming in and camping on the trail
of the Legislators In a frantic effort to
stem the tide but they are not making
] bit Of Roadway. The temperance
forces have the bit in their teeth and
r they are running at full tilt.