Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1905 — NO WITHDRAWALS WERE FILED. [ARTICLE]

NO WITHDRAWALS WERE FILED.

Saloonists Evidently Will Test Sufficicency of Remonstrance.

Thursday night was the latest that withdrawals to the power-of-attorney remonstrance in the first ward could be filed, and, contrary to expectations, none whatever were filed. On.the contrary, the name of Chas. Garling, the applicant whose case will come up before the commissioners Monday, is still on the remonstrance which he signed some time ago, and was filed with something near 100 other remonstrators last night. Under the last vote of Ward One, on which the law fixes the number necessary to remonstrate against the liquor business—a majority of such vote constituting a valid remonstrance —but 74 names are necessary to defeat license in this ward. It is now understood that the present application for license is merely to get the matter into court, and that Garling’s name is used by the present saloonists for that purposeU who expect to appeal—although on what, grounds is not stated —and test the law.

No doubt this appeal will be on the cutting down of the vote of said ward at the last election, as it is stated that several qualified voters did not go to the polls. As there is no law compelling a man to vote unless he chooses to do so, and the remonstrance law says: “The number to constitue a majority of the votes herein referred to shall be determined by the greatest aggregate vote cast in said township or ward for candidates for any offce at the last election preceding the filing of such remonstrance,” it will be necessary to have the law declared bad to defeat the remonstrance filed last night, and which means if held good and no changes are made in the law, that Rensselaer will be a “dry” town for nearly five years—providing there is no change in sentiment and the requisite number of remonstrators can be secured two years hence, and also four years hence, and just previous to the election in 1909. Three of the present licenses expire in September next, and Geo A. Strickfaden’s —which it is asserted is not legal by reason of having been granted when he already held a license that had two months yet to run— if held good, will expire in Oct., next.