The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-10-27
HIGH LICENSE AND LOCAL
OPTION vs. Low LICENSE
AND wHlsKEY OPTION.
(By william staeey.)


constitution, relative 10 the liquor
question is greatly misrenresented BY
It's advocates when they call IL a high
license and local option measure, for
IN truth and in fact II is neither, but
a proposition to establish low II.
cense and whisl1ey option system. I'm
der this measure, If the municipality
where The election Is held goes wet, no
other election can be held for a period
OF five years, but II It goes dry
an election may Immediately be called
and so continued until the town goes
wet when 1t will remain so five years.
This taken in connection with the pro-
vision Of the law that the chief exc
cutive OF a city must call the election
for day not longer than Ten days from
the petition is filed with him is evil
IDENTIFY designed TO enable the vets to
colonize a city or town with sufficient
votes to carry their point. Under the
constitution man gains a residence
in a precinct in 30 days. BY limiting
the period In which the election must
be called to ten days, the time neces-
sary to keep tioaters in city Is very
short. After the first election, II the
vets are defeated they will see how
many votes they require 10 carry their
nolnt, and have them on hand at the
time OF the second election. This Ger.
tainly is not local option for it is de-
liberately designed to defy the win OF
the local population. Such law can
only properly be designated as a "whis.
key option
In every other local option state
either side may call another election
but not within from one to three
years. 1t is to be noted also that this
proposed law limits the right to vote
on the question at all to The voters in
cities, towns and Villages thus grand
dadying the farmers SO far as the
whiskey business Is concerned.
In regard to the ~high license" part
Of the law the claim Of its advocates
is just as absurd. II provides for two
kinds of retail license; one to cost
$4,000 annually, which will permit the
drinking Of liquor on the promises,
where sold; the other to cost $500 an
nually, allowing the sale OF liquor in
original packages not TO be drank on
the premises. Il fixes no maximum or
minimum amount requires no bond or
places any other restrictions what
ever on the sale of liquor In the origi /
nal package, and In addition to this,
the cost Of the license Is less than in
any other state in the union In Texas
the original package license costs an
nually 5000; in Arkansas $500: in Ohio,
$1,000; in Missouri, 81 200, besides the
states mentioned and all other states
granting such a license, require a
heavy bond and make many restric-
tions to the sale Of liquor, such as FIX
ing a maximum and minimum amount
to be sold, the hours at which sales
can be made and the parties to whom
it may not be sold For example, in
Arkansas not less than five gallons
can be sold at any one time and in
not more than ten gallons
nor less than three gallons It is EVIL
dent from the foregoing that no man
Will pay $4,000 for a license in a city
the size Of Chickasha, subject 10 all
The severe restrictions provided for
in this law, when many other places
in the city with a $500 license win be
liquor in quantities. as small
as single drink or as large as the
parties want, and WITH no restrictions
whatever.
The adoption Of such law would
convert Oklahoma into a bootleggers'
for they could obtain their
supply of liquor from these original
package joints in any quantities and
without risk Of having Il coniiseated
N transit or course, the advocates
IF the bill will claim that this original
package license is a wholesale license,
out the proposed law itself gives the
ie to that afgumenr as the last para
graph OF subdivision 1s, section l, pro
gides for the issue OF manufacturers
and wholesalers license.
The voter should bear in mind that
lhese conditions on which license
would be granted If this amendment Is
ldopied will be incorporated in the
constitution and cannot be changed by
he legislature.
This proposed law has been devised
oy the brewers and distiilefs for the
purpose or establishing stations IN this
state. Under the original package IL
sense, liquor may be legitimalely sent
nto the state and when once here
are not concerned I
whether 1t is distributed by licensed
saloons or bootlegeers. The provis-