The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-01-25
COMPROMISE ON
near DRY BASIS
PROPOSITION is CIRCULATED
AMONG THE MINNESOTA
LEGISLATORS
WOULD WIPE OUT SALOON
SCHEME is TO PERMIT SALE OF
BEER AND LIGHT WINES d.
RECT TO CONSUMERS.

st. Paul, Jan. 217.-Do not be sur
prised if the movement to place Min
nesota in the dry column, which in
the minds of many has an excellent
chance of reaching the voters of the
state, finishes on near dry basis. A
halfway scheme is under consideration
and the surprising feature of it all is
the apparent eagemess of quite a
number of legislators, regarded as
dry to climb aboard. The proposition
advanced is to amend the prohibition
measure as introduced in the two Min
nesota houses to the extent of con-
filming it to high proof liquors only.
This would hit the whiskey end of the
liquor business and permit the manu-
facture and sale of beer and light
wines in unlimited quantities. Such
sales would be by the manufacturer
to consumer direct. Further, it would
wipe out of business the public drink
ing place, which is the chief object of
the Anti-Saloon league, now behind
the movement for a dry state. The
idea of a compromise was whispered
several days ago, but it took on sub
stantial proportions when copies of
the proposed dry amendment were
printed and circulated among few.
These few included the dry leaders in
the house and senate and while htey
have maintained strict since as to
their view of the scheme it can be
said on good authority that number
of them are interested. That the new
bill will be offered as compromise
should the real dry act reach the floor
with a favorable committee report is
a certainty. Accepting the claims of
the league, and there is no reason to
dispute them, they have seventy-one
pledges in the house for dry state
which is more than enough to put the
prohibition amendment over. Quite a
few of those pledged, however, are
near drys, and it is here where the
shoe pinches.
Opinion is greatly divided as to the
reception dry amendment would re-
ceive at the hands of the voters two
years hence. Many think it would he
rejected, but take it from yours truly
the wet end of the game is not overly
anxious to bet their good money on
the outcome. Likewise the drys, with
full knowledge that there are
many in the state more than willing
to put the saloon out of business, but
are not anxious to separate them
selves from the coup that cheers" if it
can be obtained in some other way,
have agreed to eliminate the "trans-
portation" clause from the bill now IN
the hands of the two temperance COM
mittees. The bill as introduced pro-
hibits manufacture, sale and trans
portation of liquor within the state,
but at secret meeting of the drys,
which included such noted dry leaders
as Representative Norton of Minneap-
oils and Rev. Stafford of the Anti-Sa-
loon league, it was agreed to eliminate
the word Transportation" Such
elimination, it was pointed out, would
catch the near drys, of whom they are
somewhat in doubt.
A bill offered in the house proposes
an increased gross earnings tax for
the two big telephone companies op-
Grating in Minnesota and Judging from
the activity of the two big concerns,
the Tri-State Telephone company and
the Northwestern, it is not at all to
their liking. The measure, which is
fathered by Representative c. H. War
ner of Aitkin and Representative c.
M. Bendixen of Morgan, is classifi-
cation affair. 1t provides a per cent
tax for companies earning in excess
of 100000 year, one of per cent
for companies earning less, and tax
of 10 cents per instrument for the lit
tie fellows. The present tax is 8 per
cent for all telephone companies re-
gardles of their earnings. The two
companies at which the increased tax
is directed showed up their toll rates
from rs to 33 1-3 per cent two years
ago following the passage Of the Min
nesota telephone state control bill
and in consequence sympathy for
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