Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-04-07
Satisfied it Will Not Injure Business
in Any Town.
SAYS IT WORKS WELL IN LINCOLN
Dahlman Asserts "He Has Killed the
Democratic Party"
GREAT INTEREST IN THIS CITY
Much Disappointment st the Action,
but Temperance People VIII CeIe-
brate nj the Auditorium
Soon as Possible,
H8rom a staff Correspondent

Grom staff Correspondent)
0 LINCOLN, April -(Speolal) )-GoNernor
shallenberger has signed the o'clock clos
ing bill and on and after July Il will be
unlawful for any person to keep a saloon
open between the hours Of o'clock In the
evening and o'clock in the morning, or
TO sell liquor between these hours. Re
cause the bill did not carry the emergency
clause 1t does not become effective until
three months after the adjournment OF the
legislature which will be July 1.
The governor announced his decision on
the bill at las O'Clock, Immediately after
he signed it. With the exception OF his
office force and two newspaper reporters
no one was at the office at the time the
general impression prevailing that he would
do nothing until after the funeral Of Gov
ernor Poynter. The news spread over town
rapidly and numerous inquiries were tele-
phoned to the office of the executive for
a verification of the reports.
Immediately after signing the bill the
governor dictated a statement to his
stenographer and then when that had been
written he with Private Secretary Furse
went at once to the Poynter funeral
Governor Shallenberger's statement was
as follows:
Cites History of Regulation.
Senate File No. 2S3 is a regulatory
amendment to the present Slocumb law,
which has stood for twenty-five years upon
our statute books as an example of reason
able liquor legislation for tho state. The
Slocumb law was passed at a time when
public opinion was excited upon the liquor
question much at present, and because
of the fact that It was a decided step in
advance of anything before enacted, IL has
remained intact through the years past as
a model of regulatory legislation.
The tide of further limitation and re-
striction OF the liquor traffic has recently
risen so high, that a great many states
have lately taken action upon H. some
enacting county and others state wide pro-
hibition Nebraska through this amend
ment has elected to apply further restric-
tion TO the liquor traffic by limiting the
time that liquor may he sold to those
hours universally admitted to me the least
Objectionable Of the twenty-four.
Tho plan proposed in this amendment for
the entire state has been tried In the capt
tai city of Lincoln, and both "wets" and
"drys' alike commend it's effect. Business
thrives in this city and the hotels and
places of amusement claimed most to be
effected are being continually improved
and constantly crowded with patrons 1t
is admitted upon all sides that IN this
city II has had the effect of eliminating
much of public rancor from the liquor
question.
Big cities VIII Get Beneat.
"This amendment has much opposition I'm
the two Omahas because business men are
fearful that It will affect trade and COM
merce adversely and for the further res-
I,ot ipnft In a
policy of ''home rule" upon this matter.
l believe, however. that experience will
justify the law, and that our large cities
will find that their prosperity does not
depend in any way upon two Or three ex-
ira hours for the sale of liquor.
"If the law is as wholesome in its ef-
feet as | believe 1t viii be, II will give solid
standing ground for those who believe In
strict regulation as the best way TO handle
this question"
During the morning several parties called
upon the governor to discuss the merits OF
the bill. Mayor Brown spent some time
with the governor and told him of the op-
Grafton of the o'clock closing law In Lin
coin. Because the law was conslnederd sat
isfactory here, though, no said. was no tn
dication OF how It would work in Omaha.
The two cities are not In the same class,
and the mayor refused to express an opin-
ion of what effect the law would have In
Omaha.
OmahRns DO Not See Executive.
w. j. Connel and VIII Herdman we're
in the reception room OF the governors
office but neither got an word with the
chief executive. Both denied that they had
any intention of discussing any bills or
talking about legislation. but had merely
| called to pay their respects while attend
ing supreme court Both left without see
| ing the executive.
| Al no time this morning was there a
crowd I'm the state house and only q very
| limited number called about the bill.
The action OF the governor In approving
the measure has sorely split the demo-
cratic party and several prominent dem
ocrats predict that the governor win be
defeated for denomination by Mayor Dahl
| man OF Omaha.
| "Dahlman said Shalenberger was four
| flusher." remarked a prominent democrat.
| "and Dahlman is right. The governor
| should have gone up down with his
! friends. lie should have stayed with ths
| people who elected him. No man can hold
| his strnegth who throws his friends"