Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1911 — OPTION LAW DELAY IN ORDER TO AMEND. [ARTICLE]

OPTION LAW DELAY IN ORDER TO AMEND.

Anxiety to Pass Measure to “Regulate” Liquor Traffic Caused Queer Warding to Be Overlooked. The local option measure passed by the legislature had not received the governor’s signature up |o Wednesday night and the reason for the continued delay is announced to be the discovery of some things that might cause a dispute and possibly have an effect not sought by the bill. The chief objection as cited by the Indianapolis Star is the section that provides for petitioning for an election. In cities the required number of signatures is 20 per cent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last election; in townships outside of incorporated cities the total vote in the township for all candidates for secretary of state, less the total vote for all candidates for mayor. As the limits of some cities overlap the boundary lines*for township elections, the basis required in those cases is uncertain. The governor is now expected to sign the bill and then an amendatory act is to be passed. It looks like a good part of this session of the general assembly is to be devoted to booze legislation. If petitions are not acted upon by county commissioners at the February session, and they eould not be if the law had not been signed by the governor, the petitions would have to go over until the March term of commissioners. Then the commissioners in counties where the two years “dry” period had expired would be confronted with applications for licenses as well as with petitions for election, and the licenses would be granted on the spot andJthe elections ordered so that they could not be held until the saloons had been doing business about a month and then the licenses could not be revoked even if the elections were favorable to the dries. This is the most disgraceful feature of the law. Territory that was voted “dry” under the county option law should remain “dry” until voted “wet,” but this law which Governor Marshall stands hand in hand vilh the brewers to adopt sets the big “dry” majorities at naught and throws

all the territory to the expense of another election, with the burden on the temperance people, while the saloon and brewery interests lie back and laugh. If there is any way that the present legislature can remove the last right of the temperance people to keep out saloons it will be done and Tom Marshall will help to do it, hiding behind the claim that it is a party pledge, when democrats all over the state were led to believe that a law would be passed that was just as effective in the removal of saloons as the county option law. Now is your time to see Where you can use a lot of concrete tile. They are the cheapest; pay for themselves; cost you nothing. You can string them out; they never crumble, but get better with age. They are frtist proof. Rensselaer Cement Tile Factory, C. Kalberer, proprietor.