The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-30

of NO other state have suggeted IT as
solution Of the liquor question. /
Strange is It not? Why? Because it I
is a scheme to perpetuate the saloon
and not to put it out. AS some one
has said, 1T Knocks the saloon. but It
don't knock them out."
There is Another Side.
Every question has two sides. and
we would not be fair to the people OF
the state if we did not suggest what
is said against the bill. Here are the
arguments:
FIrst-The Burden Of Taxation.
1t is suggested that secret ballot
would entail burden upon the peo-
pie for special elections, while the ex-
pense of petitions is borne by the sa-
loon men who get them up. The bur-
den Of a special election would hard
! ly. be heavier than the burden OF It'll
CATION which now falls upon the tax
payers following these petitions. But
why should any one object to the pub
lie paying the expense OF settling pub
! lie questions? Is this not legitimate
expense to the public? But the ex-
pense compared with the expense OF.
circulating and opposing petitions
would be insignificant, and this ex-
4 pense is now borne by the great ma
Ijority Of the citizens. There are only
4 q very few who are not on one side or
the other and these few would gladly
pay their share OF the expense to be
free from the ravages of war But
why not have the law so framed that
those petitioning for the special cleo
I ton should pay the costs OF the cleo
ton as is now done in special cleo
4 tons? Or why not have the question
submitted at the regular election, on
q a special ballot, and require that in
q order to operate saloons there must
be a specified percentage of all the
: votes cast? These are merely sugges-
tions, this is a matter of detail to be
worked out by the legislature.
second-It Will Arouse Turmoil and
Discussion.
1t is next suggested that the secret
ballot would open the saloon question
in many communities where the ques
ton is not settled. So would any ref
s. erendum and Initiative law. Is thai
an argument against the referendum
and Initiative? Is the arousing Of the
y slumbering conscience of the people
upon great moral question to D'
avoided? We do not believe that
: better thing could happen to some Q
I the sleeping communities than to hav'
this question agitated in their midst
And besides any question which cal
secure any considerable number o
I voters to petition for it, say 25 pc
s cent, is surely a live question All
= should be settled by the people. TIL
temperance people have nothing t
p fear from agitation and education
= what we fear most is lethargy an
! lack of interest in the question.
! Third-Men VIII Vote Who VIII Nc
Sign.
le 1t is next urged that many me
es will vote secretly for the saloon VIII
re will not dare to sign openly for
ry This is fallacy that cannot be pro
ST. ed. There are doubtless few sue
De men. But experience shows that nea
ly all of such men do sign in the eI
re- if their names are needed. On II
m other hand wherever these petition
ey have been circulated it is shown b
ey yond doubt that there are hundre
Use of men who would not vote for the
De loon, who are coerced into signing Z
Tor petition. We do not hesitate to s.
IN that the number Is ten to one in fay
IN of the secret ballot. Temperance p;
es-l ple need have no fear of the peoE
Tic when they are left alone with thu
conscience and God, but left to t
mercy of the shystef and petit
and we may well fear. We have IA
It in the great common people.
gh
aw Fourth-Peopie Change Their Min
or The next objection to the sec
Der ballot is that once a man has vol
lie CdHHCL CudH6S MS iAihi ciAu W
ell draw, while with the petition he m
put withdraw his name after he has ST
Dor ed. This is too absurd to require
o. answer. All such men sign unit
me pressure and against their bet
lot. judgment in the first place, and
10 one of such would ever vote sec
the ballot for the saloon. In addition
these there are hundreds who OF
having signed the petition will
non withdraw who would never have ,
ed in favor of the saloon,
,eti-
luor Fifth-The Liquor interests Favor
nee Well the liquor interests favor
The muIct law and the petition method
a it be fact that they favor
1T a change it must be that they have
finn o;daI {hot Aha ronn1o of Iowa will