The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-02-23
GOVERNOR SIGNS
THE SEIZURE BILL
Had Prepared Veto Message, But Strong
Pressure is Brought to Bear by Leaders,
Makes Statement on the Measure

for the submission of al constitutional
prohibiting the sale and
of intoxicating liquors, if
they were compelled to make choice,
they would choose this measure.
1t is agreed by all ard claimed by
Governor Hawlcy, to be the most |
drastic measure ever enacted by Tie
Idaho legislature. Governor IIawlcy,
in an authorized statement TO 'Ae
Capital News, expressed
belief that the law would settle Tie
liquor agitation in the state because
if the local option can be made ef-
fective by tie law, there will be no
need TO attempt the enactment OF any
further Laws. HIS statement is as
follows:
Governors Statement
II have approved the bill in view
of the continued agitation of the tenn
perance question: which is bound to
reoccur every election until it is set
tied. Whether or not prohibition is a
failure, l have deemed it my duty to
sign this bill, which is the most dras-
tic measure ever enacted by an Ida
he legislature, for the reason that If,
with the assistance of the law, the
local option law cannot be main
tanned, it will be apparent to the 'peo-
pie of the state that said law lis "a
failure and the issue of prohibition
will necessarily be a thing of the
past, and cannot become a matter to
lie agitated in our elections again for
many years to come.
"If on the contrary, supplemented
by this law, the local option law can
be successfully maintained, then the
people of the prohibition districts will
be given a fair opportunity to judge
whether or not it's maintenance will
be to their future benefit.
elm any event the prohibition ques-
ton will be practically settled.
my personal opinion is now, as it
always has been, that the advocates
of temperance would better subserve
their objects by advocating strict
regulation of the liquor traffic and
the elimination of the main objection
able features of such traffic than by
standing for prohibition. Such a
course would be conductive of NOR
ality in my judgment and would save
vast amount of revenue now lost to
the counties and cities in the prohi-
bition districts
Don't Like 1t
1t is known that Governor Hawley
did not like to sign the dill. In fact
it is known through undoubted au-
thority that he had prepared for sub
mission to the legislature a message
vetoing the bill on the ground that it
was too drastic and that it would be
unconstitutional.
Last Thursday night Governor Haw
ley locked himself in his room, denied
himself to everyone and remained all
| night, never SO much as going home.
He Was looking over his law books,
determined if possible, to find de-
cisions which would sustain his con-
templated veto on the grounds of un-
corstitntionality. That he had hare
job is evident from his all night Ia
| bcrs, but that he succeeded in find
ing cases which he can quote and
cite in his. veto message which was
to have gone to the senate first is
evident from the fact that he had
determined to send in the message
based ON this objection, according to
this information.
The attorneys of the senate Emd OF
the house, as well As the best at
torneys of the state have declared
that the law is constitutional, and SO
have the BEST constitutional lawyers
of the country employed by temper
ance advocates who have approved
this measure, and it is declared that
whatever decision the governor has
been Hble t find, have, probably
failed to take into consideration the
former attitude of the supreme court
Of this state which Ees refused to
recognize the liquor business as
legitimate business eh all, but one
permitted to exist merely by suf
ferance of the people of the state.
That the law is a drastic one, is