Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-13

Holding that the initiative petition
'raying for the calling Of local option
'lectiOn on November 4, this year, fail
I'd to contain q requisite number Of sig.
natures of registered voters to render it
legal; that one-third of the people vot-
ng at the city election held on Decem-
ber / had no right to take part in that
election by reason Of being unqualified,
and that the Stayton local option elec-
lion on November 4 was an unfortunate
and bunglesome affair because even the
judges Of the election were unable to
determine the town boundaries, Judge
Galloway this morning rendered decis-
ions in tho three cases declaring the
elections illegal and void. The dry
forces had majority in the three cleo
tions.
Before passing upon the respective
injunction suits, Judge Galloway saidi
''In passing upon these city cases,
that are SO unduly agitating our people
the court cannot too strongly depreciatu
the prevailing mania for ever.recurrinp
elections only to distract the people and
paralyze the industries and business Of
the city.
"This initiative craze is not caused
as many claim, by the recent duplica.
tion Of our voting population, for prior
to woman suffrage we were called upon
repeatedly to vote upon contested coun'
ty boundary line and county seat con
trOversies, But recently the people Of
the whole state were called upon to vote
down an initiative measure to depletC
the state treasury Of $4,000 for Q
valueless and unused toll road, and hov
often have the people been called upor
to vote whether or not the residents Of
"Podunk Hollow or "Pea Vine
Ridge" should allow their hogs to rur
at large on the public road. From .
perusal Of tho metropolitan presS on,
would infer that our big sister dowr
the river is likewise afflicted by th'
initiative craze, and that the good peo
pie Of Portland are regularly callot
upon to vote upon initiative measures
more erratic than even the fertile brair
Of the great lawgiver at the Falls 0.
the Willamette conceived. Today al
initiative measure is up TO vote upon 1
million dollar bond issue, tomorrow
perhaps upon measure to regulate tn,
width and degree Of transparency 0,
n woman's skirt
Calls Them over-zealous.
''In this city an over.zealous an,
worthy citizenship not content to wal
until next November when the reeula
election occurs TO vote upon prohibition
under the local option law or to amen'
the city charter of Salem so as TO hol
the city election on the first Tuesda,
after the first Monday in Noyembe
when there would be no question Of th
legality Of the election, they call a ID
cal option election for November in a
Off year, which if held legal would re
quirc prohibition on the first Of Janu
ary following giving the liquor dealers
as the law provides, two months to ad
just their business. Not content, how
ever, with this very reasonable provii
ion Of the local option law, they ca
another election in less than one mont
TO vote upon the same proposition Q
prohibition in the city Of Salem, soelin
TO attain the same end as set out in th
former election; certainly with no oth'
motive than TO close the saloon door
instantly.
r'One loves TO behold perennial floy
ers, perennial sunshine and showers, bI
do feel that this affliction Of perei
nial election is a nuisance aud should /
abatod.
Upon tho question Of rcgirtratic