Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-02-10
COUNTY OPTION IN
MINNESOTA SENATE
Vote Stood So to 81 After a Hot
Discussion Of the Question.
House Comes Next.
St. Paul, Feb. S, 1915.

County option passed the Senate by
a vote Of 36 to 81 after almost four
hours of heated debate on Thursday.
This was the official bill so-called, in
troduced by Senator F. H. Peterson of
Clay County. The bill was favorably
reported by the committee by a vote
of 5 to 4. The measure was a special
order for 2 o'clock, but the galleries
were completely filled with expectant
spectators fully four hours before
that time. BY two o'clock every inch
Of available space on the floor of the
Senate chamber was occupied by
friends Of the senators.
The debate on the bill was full Of
pep and at times quite personal. Sen
ators Putnam of Faribault and Peter
son of Clay offered several amend
ments to improve the phraseology of
the bill, which were all adopted.
Senator H. H. Bonniwell of Nc
Leod County then opened the debate
with an attack on the bill, speaking
of the great expense of the special
elections on prohibition in the coun-
ties. He claimed that prohibition
would lead to blindpigging and law
violations. The immediate and sys-
tematic applause which followed his
speech, plainly showed that the vets
were in very large majority in the
galleries. They kept up the demon
stration until Lieutenant Governor
Burnquist threatened to have the gal
leries cleared.
DR.. John w. Andrews of Mankato
spoke for the bill from scientific
and medical viewpoint. He pointed
out that science has proven alcohol
to be a poison and he cited numerous
experiments to show that even very
moderate use of alcohol lowers a
mans efficiency for work.
Senator Westlake of Minneapolis
spoke against the bill and quoted sta
tistics to show that the per capita
consumption Of liquor had increased
fearfully in this country in spite of
great deal of temperance legisla-
ton.
F. H. Peterson of Moorhead, the
author of the bill, asserted that even
Ramsey County would go dry soon.
He pointed out the fairness Of his bill
in requiring a petition Of one-fourth
of the voters Of a county before a
county option election would be call
ed, that 40 days are given for a thoro
campaign on prohibition before it is
voted on, that there must be one wet
and that saloons are given so days
in which to get ready to close after
the vote.
Senators Hilbert and J. D. Sullivan
spoke against the bill. Senator Sulli-
van was supposed to be the floor lead
er Of the anti-county optionists and
launched out into a very enthusiastic
and eloquent speech against the pro-
visions of the bill, commencing the
present local option laws which, he
said, had proven so satisfactory. He
stood for home rule and couldn't see
why the men who were so strong for
home rule on the public utilities ques-
ton, now wanted to take away this
right of f-government from the mu-
inequalities. "The press of this state
seems to think that county option will
be panacea for all ills in the state,'
he said. He was getting on famously
about the splendid working of local
option, which, however, was very lit
tie used in his part of the country
| where the people knew how to drink
in an orderly manner, where they
never had any trouble with law VIC.
lators and where the people were the
most honest Of any in the wide, wide
world, when suddenly Ole A. Sageng
the fighting senator from Ottertai
threw monkey wrench into the gear
ing which stopped the flow of ora
tory. Ole wanted to know if Mr.. Sui
livan didn't represent st. Cloud. Mr.
Sullivan proudly admitted that he did
Then Ole asked if it wasn't the city
Of St. Cloud that had acquired consid
erable notoriety some years ago fol
gross violations of the liquor laws Of
the state and he mentioned something
about the removal of the mayor fol
refusing to enforce the laws, till Sen
ator Sullivan got red in the face anC
angrily launched into a very bite
denunciation of cranks and kings O
cranks, while he admitted the charge
made by the Ottertail senator. Ole'
little question, however, finished tn
eloquence Of the man from St. Clou,
who very soon after that sat down
First, however, he offered an amend
ment which would make the who'll
county wet if the majority voted wet
altho he said he would not vote for tn
bill even tho his amendment shoul
carry.
The amendment lost 3S to 20.
A number of other amendment
were offered by the opponents Of tn
bill, some Of them quite innocent lool
ing at first blush, but Senator Pete,
son was quick to detect the joker
and they we're Systematically vote
down.
The only amendment put across b.
the opposition was one by G. H. Sull
van of Saltwater that unearned po
tions of the license money "shall" b
refunded to the saloonkeeper when
county votes dry. The original bil
followed the present local option pr(
vision and used the word 'may." Th
amendment was accepted by the OF
tionists upon the agreement that Nj
| Sullivan ,uifhdrau1 q 1,noro danooroa