Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-10-03

cided on this question who would not
vote in favor of the saloon. but
when the petition is taken to them
they can be induced to sign it.
"War Is He'll"
The petition subjects the comnun.
'ty to bitter strife, quarrels, bicker.
.ngs, ETC., which disrupts families,
allenates friendships, hurts business,
divides churches, and embroils the
whole community. The secret ballot
opens the question to free and fair
discussion, allows every voter to ex-
press his opinion without fear or in
flmldation and really gets an express
sion of the will of the people. Wher
the vote is counted, the question is
settled without the after effects
Which follow a saloon petition fight.
Court Decisions Not Law.
II the disturbance among the PEG.
pie OF the community We're the end
OF the petition warfare it would not
be so intclerable, but there always
follows litigation out of all proper
ton with the benefits obtained. In
the end the question is usually decid-
ed upon some technicality and with
out much view to the will of the
people. The secret ballot would
practically do away with litigation
upon the subject, and leave the voice
of the people expressed at the bal
lot box supreme. AS it is now, sa-
looms operate during the litigation
and if the question can be kept in
the courts the saloons will operate,
although they have no legal exist
ence By the time one case is settled
another petition is in circulation and
the same procedure must be gone
through with again.
Take Dare.
The open ballot or petition method
would not now be tolerated for the
settling Of any other question. Let
any one suggest the settling of any
other question by the petition and the
absurdity of it would make him the
laughing stock Of any community.
It then the secret ballot is the proper
method for settling other public
questions it seems absurd to retain
this antiquated, vicious and corrupt
method for settling one of the most
important questions for any COM
munity.
Help To Disfranchise the Best Citi-
zens.
One Of the worst features Of the
petition system is that it disfranchis-
es many of our best citizens. There
are large number Of voters who be-
cause Of their position or occupation
can ill afford to prevent such boy
colt by either side in such contro-
versy and the only way to prevent
such boycott is to place themselves
in such a position that they cannot
take sides. To do this they stay
away from the polls, for by SO doing
they become ineligible to sign pc
tition for or against the saloon. Thus
their influence, judgment and vote is
lost in the settlement of other public
questions.
Tried and Found Wanting.
The petition method has proven It
self an absolute failure. In the
eighteen years since it has been the
law Of Iowa there has been but two
or three instances in which the tenn
perance people have been able to So
cure majority of the voters to sign
petitions against the saloon, while in
all Of our neighboring states hun
dreds and thousands of saloons have
been wiped out by the voters by the
use Of the secret ballot.
Who Worked Out the Petition
Scheme!
The mulct law, including the petit
ton scheme. was enacted by the
liquor interests of Iowa. The tenn
perance people have always opposed
it. The petition feature was devised
with view to the well known fact
that a great many people will sign a
petition under pressure. This fact
alone is responsible for most Of the
saloons in Iowa today. We seriously
doubt If there is single county in
the state where IS per cent of the
voters would vote at q secret ballot
in favor of the saloons. Why then
should any temperance man in the
state now help perpetuate scheme
devised by the liquor interests and
which has for eighteen years kept us
in bondage to the saloon.
Good Laws Appeal To Others.
This petition scheme has been in
vogue now for eighteen years. Sure
ly such a beneficent law would in
that time have been heralded over
the country and introduced by the
temperance people in every state of
the union. But no, it has not. No
other state has ever dared to even
suggest it. With all the agitation
and study of the liquor question
throughout the country in the la st