Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1909 — SECOND READING OF REPEAL BILL [ARTICLE]

SECOND READING OF REPEAL BILL

This Action Is on the Pro* gram For Today. IT’S NOW IN COMMITTEE Chief Objection to Tomlinson-Proctor Measure Is That It Limits Saloons to Incorporated Towns and City Wards as the Unit—There Are Between 100 and 200 Drinking Places In the State That Are Located Out side of City or Town Limits. V . Indianapolis, Feb. 9. —Another step has been taken in the attempted repeal of the county local option law. The Tomlinson-Proctor repeal bill, substituting the Incorporated town and city ward units was recommitted to the committee on public morals. According to Chairman Lacey and Representative Tomlinson, who introduced the bill, the measure will be brought up for second reading in the house today. It wa3 stated by one Democratic representative, who declared that he would vote tor the compromise bill, that he knew twelve Democrats who would vote against it. He said also that he knew that only three Republicans would vote for it under any conditions. With this lineup the measure would be defeated. The chief objection that has arisen to the Tomlinson-Proctor bill is that it limits saloons to incorporated towns and cities, and that it provides for option elections with incorporated towns and city wards as the unit. In the entire state, it is said, there are between 100 and 200 saloons that are located outside cities or incorporated towns. The twelve men who it is said will oppose the Tomlinson-Proctor bill come from territory that has such saloons. Representative R. B. Shirley lives at Woodburn, in Allen county. In Allen county there are a number of saloons that are not within incorporated towns or cities. “The Tomlinson-Proctor bill,” said Shirley, “would cut out all of our saloons.” He was referring to his rural territory. “Why don’t they get up a bill,” he asked, "limiting blacksmith shops to incorporated towns and cities?” Shirley favors the repeal of the county option law.