Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-01-02
SHOULD REVISE CHARTER.

Inasmuch as it seems the ever
increasing policy of Ashland to bar
the saloons from our beautiful city,
it would seem the part of good judg-
ment to also bar the annual wran-
gle over the matter. There is no
question that can stir up so much
i'll feeling as a liquor fight, and a
fight of this character leaves a line
of cleavage among our citizens which
seems to make united action along
other lines almost, if not quite, i'm
possible. Why, then, would it not
be well to dispense with these con-
tests if possible? To this end some
means must be found to do away
with the annual battle over the sub
ject.
Judging from the result of the re-
cent election it ought to be little
trouble to secure an amendment to
the charter in this respect. Just
what form that amendment should
be is a matter that should be dis
cussed calmly and without prejudice
Some will advise simply making it
a longer time between the bringing
up of the question, but this would
not eliminate the battles, only make
them less often and render them, if
possible, harder fought. Others
would amend the charter so as to
render it impossible under the char
ter to license a saloon. This would
simply mean a change. in the man
ner of bringing the fight. 1t would
simply mean that an initiative petit
tion would probably be brought fire.
quently to ask a change in the char
ter to permit the saloons.
What is known as the Iowa plar
has been suggested as a good solu
tion of the question This would, al
applied to Ashland, mean a change
in the charter prohibiting tire saloor
except upon the petition of 65 PEI
cent of the voters who voted at the
last general or city election. Unde
the Iowa plan the petition has to b,
filed with the proper officials 9th,
council in a city and the county cour
in a county, and made a matter o
public record. 1t is verified by th
officials much in the same way a
an initiative petition in Oregon
verified, but no ones signature i
allowed to count unless he Cor she
voted at the preceding election.
Under the Iowa plan, if the 65 pc
cent are secured and the board see
fit, it may grant the license, an
then only under the most strict reg
ulations-no back door, no screens
no chairs, no cards or dice, an,
strict hours.
The reason that the Tidings favor
this plan of handling the matter i
that the securing of 65 per cent o
the voters before license can b
issued assures that a substantial ma
jority of the citizens favor a salool
before it can be had, and the furthe
fact that experience has proven tha
it does not arouse the animosities oil
either side to nearly such an eXten
as the presnet system, and division
which engender bitterness along on
line hurt the city in every other line
AS rule the matter of circulating
a petition for saloons does not pro
gress far before it becomes eviden
either that the city is overwhelming
ly for saloons or the circulator be
comes weary of the work and give
it up. Another feature in favor O
the plan is that the expense of tn
circulation of the petition must b
borne by those desiring the saloon
and not by the citizens at large, an
the further reason that every ma
will think web before placing h
name on a petition which is place
on record and open to the inspectio
of any who desire. This has a tel
dency to discourage careless signin
of the petition to accommodate I'll
person circulating it.
The Tidings is not particular whi
system is adopted to eliminate Il
annual fight over the liquor que
ton, so that it does so effectual
and also helps to- unite the citizei
so that they will pull together {
public questions in which this is NJ
involved.