The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-01-20

iority of members to hear the petitions
read They showed by their attitude
on these petitions that they are de-
termined to change the option law re-
CARELESS of everything.
One senator even found in his waste
basket a petition which had been sent
to him against the repeal of the county
option law, and he fshed 1t out and had
it read, although he is in favor OF the
repeal.
The big public meeting of the two
committees on public morals last night
at the state house was lively AFFAIR,
and enough argument was offered by
both sides to prove conclusively that
the county option law ought to be re-
pealed and that it ought not to be re-
pealed Both sides fired of their heav-
lest guns, and it is admitted that the
drys made a good showing. but even
at that there is no use for the Anti
Saloon League people to make any
further effort to head of the repeal
bill.
There are as many different ideas,
apparently, on the kind of saloon regu-
lative bill that should be passed as
there are members of the Legislature.
idea. and it is the general belief that
before any bill of this kind is passed
it will have to be amended and thresh-
ed out to a fragile.
The Democrats lack muck OF being
united on the subject. Some of them
are in favor of passing the Fleming bill.
which is the brewers bill. Others say
the Fleming bill will not do at all, and
thew are in favor of the Wise BILL which
is much more drastic in its provisions
Then there are others who feel that
neither bill will do and they are hgur-
ing out bills of their own.
One of the main questions over which
they have split is that of the amount OF
license fee to be charged. 1t has de-
veloped that the saloon keepers of the
higher CLASSIFY that Is meant the
keepers of the finer saloons in the
cities-are in favor of making the H.
cense fee as high as a thousand dollars
They take this position. 1t is being
charged because a high license would
drive the little saloons out of business
| and leave the field open to the richer
ones
| This has caused indignation on the
part of members from the smaller
| counties and communities which have
| a number of little saloons. One Demo
cratic member OF the House. in discuss
| ing this matter said.
| They have got to frame up better
bill than has yet been introduced t.
regulate the liquor business as 1t shouls
be regulated, 1 am opposed to the scale
of license fees proposed in the brewer:
bill The idea of charging such a higf
license fee in a small place is absurd
The saloons could not pay it There are
many little neighborhood saloons al
over the state which do a small business
some of them being run in connection
with groceries, and they could never
pay such a license fee. They would b,
driven out and the big, rich saloor
would then get all of the business.
This Democrat said that unless tn,
brewers bill was changed in many way.
| 1t would not be satisfactory to a 10
of Democrats. and that it could not b,
passed.
| 1t is believed that Representativ,
Adam Wise will take a whack at thu
brewers bill. and that he will stir up 81
much trouble that neither the brewer.
bill nor his bill will be able to ge
! through Wise, in the last day or two
by the way, has shown his hand in an
| other direction. He has become tn,
watchdog of the treasury. He has stat
ed 1t to be his determination to figh
every bill or effort on the part of Re
| publicans and Democrats alike to maxi
expenditure OF moneys-except where tn
expenditure is absolutely necessary
In other words he proposes to blocl
every appropriation unless he believe
it will do harm to the state to fail Il
make it. This is not going to be sat
isfactory, to all of the Democrats. blu
Wise does not seem to care. He is go
ing to make all the trouble he can 70
| everybody. and he is such a shrewd an
strong member. that it ned not caus
any surprise to see him in control o
the House of Representatives befor
the session is much older.