Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-21
DAYLIGHT SALOON
BILL BOTTLED UP
MEASURE IS NOW HELD IN SEN
ATE COMMITTEE AND PROBABLY
WILL BE KEPT THERE; WILL
PASS IF 1T COMES OUT.
[BY w. Fl. POWELL.1

Des Moines, Feb. 2O.-(Special)- -
Much attention is being paid by those
who are interested in anti-liauor legis.
lation, to the Shankland bill which
one of the Polk county members has
introduced 1t provides that a special
election. called upon petition, shall be
held TO decide whether a community
shall have saloons, It Is designed to
substitute this measure for the pres
ent plan whereby the signatures of
voters are secured to petition of
consent which must bear the names
Of half the electors Of the community
affected in order that saloons may be
established and conducted.
The "drys" see in the bill deep
laid plot to secure saloons in many
Iowa towns that are now without
them. 1t is a well known fact that
many men who really want saloons In
their town refuse to sign saloon
petition because 1t Is public docu-
ment and they lay themselves open to
criticism from the anti-liauor forces.
For that reason 1t is hard for the s%
loon interests to secure valid petit
tion now in many places, and several
Iowa towns have recently gone dry"
because of the stern war waged
against the petition Of consent by the
anti-liquor men. who In some cases,
notably Des Moines, threatened to
publish the names of the signers of the
paper.
A secret vote will, of course, give
everyone An opportunity to express
his opinion quietly, and 1t Is safe to
predict that should the bill become eff
fective. As law, numerous communi-
ties that now are dry would have sa-
looms inst as soon as It was possible
under the provisions of the measure
Doubtful II Bill Will Pass.
1t is regarded as rather doubtful that
the bill WILL pass, though the liquor
forces are preparing to make strong
for 1t. Although the pres
ent legislature is regarded as one that
in a general way sympathizes with the
wet" cause on the big issue of the
proposed constitutional amendment, 1t
Is not probable that majority can be
secured in either house to favor the
Sharkland measure with it's added
privilege and opportunity for the
liquor forces
A legislator is attempting on almost
herculean task when he tries to secure
the adoption Of measure aimed at
making easier the life of saloon
keeper in Iowa. It is, so easy for a
man who must depend upon the votes
Of his home county for reelection, to
establish record as straight" legis-
latnr by voting for an occasional bill
to hedge anew the business Of selling
liquor within some new line. 1t is so
hard for him to explain to his con-
stituents why he should cast his bal
lot for @ liberal" measure.
This operates except on the big
question Of constitutional amendment
providing for prohibition. When this
comes IN 2 legislator has the excuse,
II he votes against it, that constitu-
tional prohibition doesn't prohibit any
thing but the open sale Of liquor and
on the other hand opens the way for
bootleggers to traffic in the forbidden
stuff. He can generally make that ex-
,use go. and a great many legislators
lid that very thing this time when
hey were questioned during the cam
oaign as to their vote last year against
he Meredith resolution.
Daylight Bill sewed Up.
The bill providing for closing the
saloons at 8 o'clock in the evening
seems to have struck snag In the
senate. It went through the house
and emerged with the ap-
oroval Of that body almost before any
me knew it had been considered by
he committee But then the liquor
men got busy and though they had
been caught mapping once they now
seem to have the measure sewed up
lightly. The bill has many good points
n it's favor, though and IL 1t comes be-
ore the senate with favorable rec
there is possibility
almost to probability that
t will become law.
~. Davenport Man Suicide.