Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-20
ILLINOIS PREPARES
FORL|QUOR BATTLE
Question Of Control Method
Promises Color in Special
Legislative Session.
BY 6. ]. DUNCAN CLARK.
special Dispatch to The Star.

WpeCldl OlSpdbSu W 4Le 0taA.
CHICAGO, November 20 (NA.NA.).
Lively times are anticipated when the
second 1888 special session of the I'LL
nois State Legislature convenes this
week. The major bone of contention
will be passage OF laws regulating the
revived liquor traffic. Nobody expects
that such laws will be enacted in time
30 meet and control the deluge sched-
uled to flow through the dynamited dry
dam on December and many persons
see danger Of considerable trouble as
result of the probable unpreparedness.
Mayor Kelly of Chicago proposes to
handle the emergency by local ord1-
nance The necessary ordinance. how
ever, has not been drafted as yet, and
faith In the efficacy Of such method is
somewhat lacking
Broadly speaking, there are three
points Of view which represent public
attitude toward the problem of liquor
control. The unreconstructed prohibit
tioniSts take the position that regula-
ton is none of their business. They
are disposed to argue that the situation
which now exists was created contrary
to their advice and votes, and that those
who created 1t must handle it. They
decline to accept the responsibility OF
consenting to any plan for dealing with
liquor that recognizes its sale as legal.
Some of them, indeed. say they hope
the vets will go the limit. and thus fur
nish rope enough for another attempted
hanging of John Barleycorn.
Await Errors by VETS.
Education, which the drys neglected
sadly after they got the eighteenth
amendment into the Constitution, Is
now their white hope. If the new
regime furnishes many horrible ex-
amples of excessive use Of intoxicants
It will be all to the good, the dry ex-
tremists say. They will use them to adj
vantage in a new crusade for prohibit
ton.
But among those who helped repeal
the eighteenth amendment are thou
sands of good citizens who are hoping
for regulation that will discourage
abuses and promote temperance. They
constitute a second group, also pinning
its faith in large degree to education,
but not as means to reviving prohibi-
ton They rely upon cultivating a
saner attitude toward intoxicants, by
which self-control will operate effec-
lively, and social standards will be raised
sternly against undue indulgence. But
they further want regulation which will
support and encourage temperance.
Many of them would like to see Illinois
follow the example set by New York
State, where strong State commission
has laid down what advocates of tenn
perance regard as admirable rules for
control of the traffic IN liquor.
Third Group Most Liberal.
The third group is composed of per-
sons who for various reasons desire reg
ulation of the most liberal possible char
acter. They are opposed to State
commission. They argue for home rule.
If there are to be regulatory commits
sions, they insist they must be local,
named by the mayors of cities, and
clothed with power to make regulations
which are adopted to local need and
sentiment.
Some go further and urge that the
power Of control should be left solely in
the hands of the mayor and chief of
police. Under this honae-rule policy
State law would concern itself mainly
with comforting authority on local Off
cials to issue and revoke licenses and to
draft and administer the rules of SALE
It would fix also. of course, the State
tax on liquor.
The home-rule proposal is sugar.
coated for the drys with the suggestion
that communities desiring to exclude
the sale of intoxicants would have it
in their hands SO to do by refusing to
issue licenses Most of the support for
this program comes from the urban
centers. Rumor says powerful lobby
Is being organized to advocate it at
Springfield, the State capital, and adds
that the lobby will be furnished with
ample funds. The threat of scandal is
latent.
Board Seeks Compromise.
Gov Horner some weeks ago appointed
q commission to draft recommends
tons for regulatory legislation. 1t ap-
pears to have attempted compromise.
1t will recommend creation of a State
commission, with sole power to issue
licenses to persons approved by local
commissions. The latter, to be named
In all cities of more than 10000 popu-
lation, would be authorized however,
to make the regulations for sale under
their respective jurisdictions. They
would share the power of revoking
licenses with the State body. The COM
promise seems to grant the so-called
liberal element practically all it wants.
Copyright, 1898 by North American News
paper Alliance, Incl