Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-06
NEW SALOON MEASURE IN IOWA
EXPECTED TO HIT RIVER
CITIES HARD.
WILL REDUCE NUMBER
OF SALOONS IN IOWA
Law Now in Effect One of the Most
Stringent Ever Enacted in lowa-Has
Many Strings to It-Puts saloonists
on Defensive at All Times - Other
State News.

Council Bluffs, July 6.-Carefully
groomed for the test, the fifty-fve
Council Bluffs saloons which have
qualified under the new statement
city have started on an endurance and
reliability race under the Moon law.
This regulative measure, one of num-
Der enacted by the Iowa legislature at
its session last spring, receives its COM
monty accepted name from the man
who introduced it. Edwin j. Moon of
Ottumwa, senator from Wapello coun-
ty
The Moon law marks new era in
Iowa saloon history. In some cities,
particularly in the interior of the state
the changes which it brings are not so
radical as in the so-caled river" cities.
Probably nowhere else in the state,
with possibly one or two exceptions,
are its effects so sweeping as in Council
Bluffs.
The purpose of the Moon law is to
reduce the number of saloons in all
Iowa cities and towns where saloons
exist, to not more than one saloon to
each 1000 population.
The law, however hedges saloons
about with such rigid restrictions that
the road the saloonkeeper must travel
is like the straight and narrow path of
scripture, and, like that thorougheare,
few there be who may walk therein.
No longer can the saloon man expect
the tolerance and leniency OF the past.
The law is arbitrary No. "one-two--
three times and OUT for him, but ore
little slip, and the scrap heap for his u.
In view of the present attitude of the
city council. which is favorable to a
continuance of the present number OF
saloons in Council Bluffs, it therefore
SINNERS down With the saloonkeepers
solely to question. not whether they
are willing to obey the mulct law, but
whether they can do so. Using again
the reliability test contest as compar-
ison, the saloonkeeper must come thru
with a perfect road score. So long as
his score is perfect. he may continue.
The first point charged against him
sends him to the garage.
Outline Of Law.
Altho enacted BY the legislature sew
eral months ago and approved by Gov
SAAiOi NoAioiI VII -APfil 4os liiC idN was
not given a publication clause, and
therefore took effect on July 4, Sun
day.
The major provision Of the Moon
law forbids city and town councils
from giving consent for a greater
number OF saloons than one to each
| 1000 in population Of the city or town.
! For the purpose Of this computation
the last preceding state or national
/ census must be taken. The state cen
sus OF 1905 placed the population of
Council Bluffs at 1921, and, II this
provision had not been modified, the
number of saloons in this city would
today have been reduced to twenty
five.
In the principal cities OF the state
the application OF the ratio would re-
duce the saloons to the following num-
bers:
Des Moines. rs; Burlington, %: Ce-
/ dar Rapids %; Clinton. %: Davenport,
SO; Dubuque, Al; Fort Dodge, IA: Keo-
kuk, IA; LeMars, 8; Mnrshalltown. 12;
Mason City 8; Muscatine. IS; Oska-
losa, 10: Ottumwa, 20; Sioux City, 40;
Waterloo. 1s
In these places, as in Council Bluffs.
saloons now in operation in full COM
pliance with the mulct law may be
permitted to continue, but the fore
going figures represent the ultimate
limit OF saloons, when the expected
process OF elimination shall have tax
en- place, or untfl the figures shall be
changed by another census.
Saloons are permitted to continue
in business under section of the Moon
law. This section provides that in all
cities and towns where greater num-
Der of persons than one to 1000 popu-
ation hold resolutions of consent at
the time the law takes effect, 1T shall
not be mandatory for the city or town
council to cancel or withdraw suf-
ficient number Of such resolutions to
bring the number OF saloons down to
the ratio named, and that the council
.may renew such resolutions of consent
as may be in existence at the time the
law goes into effect, to the person or
persons holding them, and to their as
signees and grantees.
String Tied to IL.
This extension Of the tenure of ex-
listing saloons, however, has a long
string tied to 1t in the shape of GER