The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-20
VOTERS LOOKING
 UP THEIR PAPERS Status of the Local Option
 Petition PROVISIONS OF LAW. It May Be We'll Into Summer Be- fore an Election Can Be
 Called-Some Interest
 ing Figures

Yesterday was an exceptionally busy day at the probate office, where numer- ous voters were calling to see whether their names were properly enrolled. The list of qualified voters prepared by Judge Stiles showed 12,7o2 qualified voters in the county.
 There are probably more than this,' said Judge Stiles especially men who have paid their poll tax in other coun- ties of the state and have moved here and who have moved into the state since the law went into effect provid- ing a poll tax requirement. The only way I can know about such cases is for the holders of the receipts to call at the probate office and have them selves enrolled"
 The sudden rush of voters to see that they are qualified is of course caused by the probability of the early election on the liquor question for Jefferson county.
 It is understod that the petitions for an election which were started several
  certain legal opinions can be secured as to the proper steps to take. Both the Parks focal option law and the Smith regulation law contain penalty clauses and under the state constitution such laws become effective so days after approval The Parks bill was signed February 21 and would there 1 fore go into effect April 22. The Smith
 regulation bill was signed April and
 will go into effect June 5. | Another feature which might be causing delay is the fact that the Smith bill provides that if counties vote for licensed liquor selling after July 1, only 50 per cent of the annual license fees will be required to con- duct business for the rest of the year. According to the figures of Judge Stiles there are 12.702 qualified voters in the county. To call an election petition signed by 45 per cent of the total number of votes cast for gov
 nor in the last election 4a sented to the probate judg vember the total vote fo ..or was 7ss4 Forty-five per cent of this number is S54S.
 The Parks law provides that within 30 days after the filing of petition signed by this number of voters, the probate judge shall order an election to be held within 40 days after the date of such order. So that under the law 1t is possible to have a maximum
 of TO days from the filing of the peti- ton until the actual date of the elec- | tion.
 The law also provides that no other election on the same subject shall be held within four years.
 Each voter will have an opportunity to cast two separate and distinct votes. In the first place he votes wet" or dry" He then has the privilege of assuming that the county will go wet" and voting for either "dispensaries'' or licensed sale" Thus man who votes either
 wet" or dry" can also vote either for
 ''dispensary" or licensed saie' If the majority should be wet on the first proposition and the majority for
 "licensed sale on the second proposition
 for Jefferson county, the governor would then appoint an excise commission of
 three AS Jefferson county has over 100000
 population the law provides that the excise commission would have jurisdiction over the entire county. The salary of the chairman would be s36o0, and of the two associates $500, while s1s0o a year would be allowed for a clerk
 Birmingham would fall in the Class A cities, having a population of 75,0o0 or more In such cities one licensed saloon is allowed for each 5000 population, or A saloons for entire Greater Birmingham.
 The commission would have the privi- lege of licensing maximum of 14 bona fde social clubs in Birmingham. t
 The license taxes required in Class A cities are: Retail dealers. including hotels of over 30 rooms, $SO00; wholesale dealers, N5e0: breweries and distilleres, $500; breweries agents. sl5oo; social clubs, $500 The funds arising from these license fees would be distributed as follows: City, s5 per cent; county, 25 per cent; state, 10 per cent