The Sentinel=record., 1914-01-22

tion stated that he would not touch on the question of the constituional- fly of the act.
 In the early part of the proceed ings the constitutionality of the act was challenged in motion filed by a negro attorney of this city. but Judge Mooney made no ruling on he point Just mark that motion filed, the court directed County Clerk Davis without further comment.
 In many instances efforts have been made to get the county judges to take up the constitutionality of the act, bu- hey generally had waved this issue aside. Judge Mooney is regarded as a thorough student of the law and attorneys for the petition ersers would very much like to have the validity of the law tested from a court such as this, where the pro- for the appeal that would surely fol- low to the supreme court. regardless of which side won the decision.
 The validity of the petitions which had been attested by Will Vale will again be argued this morning, under new authorities on the subject. In Little Rock Judge Asher held tha. where names of signers appear on petitions and are properly challeng- ed, the names might be eliminated ~f1 eG ,4f ton should be considered void be- cause there was an error or mistake in some particular name.
 This was one of the strong argu- ments presented in the case by at torneys for the petitioners, to show that throwing out whole petition on which thirty-six names might ap pear, because of an irregularity in some particular name, or some few names, was practically depriving the other signers on that petition of the right of petition, which the Going act provides they shall have, and which the constitution says they shall not be deprived of.
 Yesterday there were many more drunks on the street than on any day in Hot Springs since the prohibition went into effect In fact the trunks have become so numerous in the city and on the streets that attention 70 he fact has reached Circuit Judge Gotham, who yesterday authorized the statement that unless the boot logging and unlawful sale of liquor is more closely handled he would call a special session of the grand jury to inquire into the situation and indict all who may be found guilty of infractions of the law on this sub iect
 It was also reported generally yes terday there was a drouth 'in bot tie goods" pending, unless the deci- sion was handed down soon It seemed from the rumor that those who had laid in store bottles of whis- ky for distribution under the bootleg ging system, did not expect the mat ter to be hung up so long, and have about run out of bottles.
 There was much discussion yester- day of a rumor that in the event the city went dry finally the Arlington Hotel, situated on the government reservation, would not be subject to the prohibition. This, it was argued, was made certain, since the state had ceded all rights to the reserva- ton under the Can't act, passed in the state legislature about ten years ago.
 The rumor that the Arlington was going to proceed to sell liquors was not founded on fact, however. It was stated authoritatiyely yesterday that the hotel would not sell any liquors or take any steps until after the final decision had been reached in the county court, and that then the fu- ture policy would have to be determ- ined.