The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-09-01
NEW LOCAL OPTION
BILL IS PREPARED
Bill as Now Prepared Gives Cities,
Towns And incorporated Villages
Right to Settle Problem.

Oklahoma City, Aug. 25.-The local
option bill, providing for local selfgoy-
ernment on the liquor question, has
been drafted by the Oklahoma Local
Option association in the form in which
it will be submitted to the voters of
the state, and the work of securing
signatures to a petition for the sub
mission of the measure will be begun
at once.
AS originally decided upon, the bill
aimed merely at repeal of the pres
ent constitutional prohibitory laws, and
left the matter of fixing the local OPP
tion unit up to the legislature. There
was a general demand from all parts
of the state that the unit be fixed in
the bill upon which the people will
be asked to vote, however and vir-
tually a new bill was drafted.
The bill, as it will go before the vot-
ers of the state, provides that incor-
porated cities, towns and villages and
also parts of counties lying outside of
such incorporated cities, towns and
villages, may settle the question of
whether they shall be wet or dry for
themselves.
The question of what should con-
stitute the local option unit was con-
sidered for some time by the associa-
ton, and the opinion of citizens in all
parts of the state were secured before
any definite action was taken. few
favored the county as the unit, while
the majority favored incorporated
cities and towns as giving the greater
measure of local self-government The
bill as it now stands was finally decided
upon, as practically meeting the ideas
of all who favor local option, the resi-
dents of counties and of incorporated
cities and towns both being given an
opportunity under the bill to vote in
dependently upon the question.
Whether a special election will be
asked for submission of the bill re-
mains to be determined 1t is possible
that the governor may be asked to call
a special election for this purpose, but
if not, the bill will be voted upon at
the first regular election.
To secure submission of the bill, it
will be necessary to have petition
signed by 25 per cent of the qualified
voters of the state. This means that
about $4,000 signatures will be requir-
ed, but it is the intention of the asso-
citation to make matters sure by get
ting 10000 or possibly more. A copy
of the bill follows:
Be 1t Enacted BY the People of the
State of Oklahoma:
Subdivision A-That the constitu-
ton of the state of Oklahoma be and
the same is hereby amended by repeal
ing section seven of article one of said
constitution styled prohibition Ar
ticle submitting the same separately
to vote of the people" and whicn was
submitted to separate vote of the
people and adopted by the people oi
the state of Oklahoma at the general
election on September II, 1907, as q
part of the constitution of the state
and which relates to the manufacture
barter, giving away, transportation of
Sr otherwise furnishing of intoxicating
liquors within the state of Oklahoma
and that said section seven of article
one and said separate article of the
constitution be and the same are here
by repealed.
Subdivision B-The legislature at its
next session shall enact laws permit
ting and regulating the sale and man
ufacture of intoxicating liquors in this
state. The legislature at it's next ses
nit, at a general or special election the
qualified electors of all that part o
any county in this state that live with
ing the boundaries of such county ant
outside the corporate limits of all in
corporated cities, towns and villages
in such county to allow and permit o
forbid the manufacture, sale, barter
ing, giving away or otherwise furnish
ing of intoxicating liquors in all of tn,
territory within such county lying out
side of the corporate limits of all in
corporated cities, towns and village
in such county, by a majority vot
/ thereon of the qualified electors of sucl
county and the legislature at its mex
sessio nshall enact such laws as shal
permit the qualified electors of an.
incorporated city, town or villege il
b this state to allow and permit or fol
Ebid the manufacture, SALE barter o
giving away of intoxicating liquor
within the corporate limits of such cit
Stown or village by majority vot
Fthereon of the qualified electors o
tsuch city, town or village at a genera
Y or special election; and until sue
mktime as the legislature shall enact law
m conformity to the foregoing, the law