The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1918-02-01

ing days of the campaign to obtain a
petition with sufficient names. The
final meeting was held at the Garrick
Thcater on Thursday noon, January
81. From this meeting the petition
was taken to the office OF the election
commissioners. One OF the features
of the final days OF the great drive to
secure dry signers was series OF
noon-tme luncheons under the aus
pices OF the Anti-Saloon League and
the Dry Chicago Federation. At
these meetings, prominent speakers
addressed the workers and reports of
progress were made by various or
CARNATIONS cooperating in the CAM
paign. The great and representative
attendance, the unbounded enthusi-
asm and firm determination displayed
by dry workers indicated that the
campaign TO secure votes against the
saloon will be one OF the greatest
ever waged in America. Great inter
est centcrs now upon the question
will the election commissioners
place the saloon proposition on the
ballot or will it throw out the petition
as invalid"
Can Not Throw Out Petition
Some have expressed the opinion
that the election commission is likely
to declare the petition not good.
Those -wln have bad charge, af ei-,
culating petitions, however, testify
that no better or cleaner petition was
ever filed in the city of Chicago. 1t
is believed that after all allowances
are made for mistakes, there will be
many more than the required num-
Der of absolutely valid signatures.
Since the former occasion in 1910
when the election commission held a
dry Chicago petition invalid and re-
fused to place the question on the bal
lot, the courts have handed down
numerous decisions to the effect that
if local option petition on its face
appears to be valid, the question
must be placed on the ballot The
courts have held that town clerks and
election commissions act in clerical
capacity only and may not pass on the
validity of petition. This can only
be done by the courts. In their cam
paign for dry city, Chicago workers
will plead for votes on the basis of
Prohibition being needed as war
measure. Chicago's importance as
railroad and industrial center as we'll
as its location near naval and military
encampments, makes it highly desir-
able that the barrooms should be
closed With more than 5000 sa-
looms in the city, the liquor interests
will wage fierce campaign to pre-
serve the privilege of selling their
wares.
Vets Using Old Arguments
During recent weeks, numerous
meetings of the United Societies for
Local elf-Government were held in
various parts of the city. Speakers at
these meetings expressed great fear
that the city would go dry. From
their remarks. it was manifest that the
wet forces will base their campaign
on the old personal liberty and taxa
tion arguments. With every consid-
Grafton of patriotism, efficiency, econ
omy and righteousness in favor of
prohibiting the sale of liquor, the wet
interests will be at tremendous dis
advantage in the campaign for votes.
With only the selfish interests of
greed and appetite on the side of the
vets, the drys should be able to Sc
cure majority, thus making Chicago
a dry city commencing May I, 1918.
Thousands who were wet or indif-
ferent a few months ago are now en-
Enthusiastically supporting the dry side
OF the argument. The closing of Chi
cago schools while the open saloons
were consuming thousands of tons of
coal, decided many to help close these
wasteful institutions at the first op-
portunity.
Downstate Towns to Vote
Local option elections will be held
in about three dozen down state cities
and towns which are now dry terri
tory. Among the larger cities i'll
which the vote will be taken are Full