Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-01
Dry Election Fails to Bring Out
Salem Residents in such
Large Numbers.
REGISTRATION IS
BoTHERING SOME
Those Who Have Certificates
From County Clerk Are
Allowed to Vote.

Salem today is voting on four char
ter amendments, one providing for a
dry city. The election of today lacked
the ginger of that Of month ago and
1t was considered certain that the total
vote would be much lighter. In the
First and Sixth wards aldermen are
being chosen.
The outlook for the saloons was rath.
er complicated. 1t was announced that
the city council would adjourn this ev-
ening until tomorrow evening without
acting on licenses or other matters. This
would leave no licenses in effect tomor-
row.
Attorney Carson representing the
plaintiff in the case of the Salem Brew.
cry Association against the city Of sa.
lem in which the brewery's motion for
temporary injunction restraining the
city from holding the present eleetion
was overruled last Friday morning,
stated this morning that any further
legal action would not be determined
until after the result of the amendment
election today was made known.
Registration Stickler.
Although not given out officially, it
is understood today that the election
may be contested on the grounds votes
are being cast by people who have not
been legally registered and that the city
council passed an ordinance which is
illegal for the reason it adopted a reg.
istration system which has been declar.
ed unconstitutional in an opinion rem.
dered by the supreme court.
Many votes are being cast by those
holding registration certificates issued
by County Clerk Gehlhar under the Gill
registration act, and it is said that
these votes may be thrown out.
Attorney John Turner, secretary Of
the Welfare League, of Salem, declared
this morning that the procedure of the
council was not legal and that the mem
bers passing the ordinance delegating
authority to voters holding the registra-
tion certificates overruled decision of
the highest court in the state by 50 do
ing
Trindle Thinks 1t Legal.
Attorney Trindle, the secretary of the
dry league, stated that he believed the
registration ordinance legal and that il
would be sustained by the supreme
court in the event the matter was taken
before that tribunal. He contends that
the city reserves the right to regulate
the registration at any time purely 10.
cal matter is to be voted upon and that
while the supreme court declared the
Gill act unconstitutional, the city has
the authority to adopt the registration
list as filed with the county clerk and
used for the present election.
Judge Galloway will probably render
decision in the case Of the brewery as
sociation against the city some time
Tuesday or Wednesday, It is hinted
that supplementary complaint will be
filed tomorrow morning in tho event the
amendment affecting the saloons car.
ries today. If such an action Is taken
IL is more than likely motion for a
temporary order restraining the city re.
eorder from declaring the election will
be asked for and the case rushed to the
supreme court for a speedy decision.
Some Vote EARLY
There we're 300 votes polled in Ward
9 at II O'Clock; 800 in Ward 3 at 10
O'Clock, and 462 at 1880 in Ward 4.
The outside wards are reporting fair.
ly good vote also.
Tho unsettled question concerning
thu registration requirements for this
election is having considerable to do
with the comparatively light vote being
pOllcd in tho outside wards The judges
and clerks report that many voters are
coming TO the polls without their GER
tiheates Of registration at the court