The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-31
Each County Made Unit for the Ho|dIngOf Option
 Elections
CITIES OF OVER 13,OOO
 GAN GALL AN ELECTION
Generally Believed That Local Option Strength of Present Legislature Can Unite on Provisions
 of New Bill
BY HUGH W. ROBERTS

BY HUGH W. ROBERTS
 Montgomery, January S0.-( Especially John " Smith of Montgomery chair man of the temperance committee of the lower house of the legislature, will tomorrow morning introduce new local option liquor bill.
 This bill Is the result of numerous conferences in which the representa- tives of smaller counties participated, and it is generally believed that it is of such breadth and such depth that the entire local option strength can be put behind to push it through. The temperance committee will no doubt adopt 1t as substitute for all meas ures before that body at the present time.
 Cities of over ls,OCO
 S The bill provides for local option in every county of the state on the basis of the county as unit. To call an election in any county the population of which Is 50000 or more, a petition must be filed by 20 per cent of the qual- fled voters of that county. To call an election in any county. the population of which is less than 5o,O00, a majority
 
 The bill provides that e-fifth of the qualified voters of the city of more. than 13,000 population can call an elec- tion for said city and the option would be prohibition and sale of liquor un- der license. In cities of less than 13,0O0 people there shall be three options, each of which Is to be voted upon in one election. either prohibition, dispen- sary aor license saloon. Tae amount of license required under. the new bill Is s24oo for retail and $500 for whole sale dealers, except that in towns Of less than 1000 population the retail license shall be $1500. The number of saloons is limited to one for each 1000 population, except in cities of more than 75.0OO population, where there shall be but one saloon for every 2000 people.
 The sale of liquor in cities of more than 13,000 people will be under the supervision of excise commissions, the members to be named by the governor. The liquor traffic In smaller cities will be in charge of municipal councils or other governing bodies. The powers of the commission are identical with those set out in the bill introduced by MT. Smith last week. The license taxes are to be divided as follows: Forty per cent to the state, 40 per cent to the city and 20 per cent to the county.
 The governors idea of pure food regulations are incorporated in the new bill but they are much modified from the form assumed by them in the original bill of MT. Smith.
 Poiut of Inference
 The advocates of the new bill claim that it Is the very essence of local op- tionism, and that there can hardly be but one point on which there will be diff ference of opinion among local option ists. That point Is the provision where by in counties of less than 50.000 people, more than half the qualified voters must sign petition before local option cleo ton can occur. It is pointed out in this regard that if the representatives of the smaller counties can get together and de- termine on some other proportion amendment will be made carrying out their wishes.
 It is said that the delegation of Mo- bile and Montgomery counties will vote solidly for the new bill. and that at least flve-seventh of the Jefferson delegation will follow suit. It Is claimed that the bill follows accurately and literally the message of the governor on the all-im- portant propositions of local option and strict regulation, and that 1t is in full accord with the platform of the party.
 It is said by the advocates of the new bill that it will adjust the differences among the local optionists. and there Is sentiment here that at last the road is clear for the real beginning of the cam paign against the prohibition laws.
 Differs From Smiths Bill
 Following it's introduction the new bill will go to the temperance committee of the house and 1t is believed that that committee will report 1t favorably. In case this belief is accurate, it is thought likely that it will be enacted into law. For, as has been stated, the local option fists are in a majority in both houses of the legislature, and this majority is pre- pairing to fight for the naturalization of the platform of the party.
 The new local option bill differs from the Smith blk in several important par ticulars, the chief of which is that pro- visions are made for the counties of the state in which are no large cities. An other departure Is that no city will be unit unless 1t is of a population of 1S,c00, whereas the Smith bill considered cities of 10000 population. The citizens of each city of 13,000 and more population can obtain a local option election when one-ffth of the qualified voters so petition the probate judge. The little counties can obtain local option eleCIlOnS WHSl un l'Ct CcHt Ol tfic NOteIS petition the probate Judges to that end. This is considered rather broad and sweeping provision, and 1t would not sur ! prise were 1t to arouse certain opposi- ton.
 But if the local optionists agree on the bill it is considered as practically cer- tain that it will go through. The local optionists are now united and are de- termined to fight. And Governor O'Neal will get into the fight himself. It is un- derstood that If it becomes necessary, he will spend special message to the legislature dealing further with his views on the lfquor question.
 Senator Screws' Views
 r In reference to the fact that the local optlonists of the senate are determined to block legislation originating in the lower house unless the lower house