Southern Illinois Journal

              \\\
9Vt*»
^W>1
I'M^
»oS?
THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR.
FLORA, ILL-IIS^OIS, FRIDAY, MARCH
1907.
NUMBER
It.:
m
SFRIN6FIELD LETTER.
J. McCan Dsvis Writes Interesting
News From the State
Capital.
LOOAL OPTION BILL.
County  aai  Preciact Feiturea Elimla-
aled.    Probably Killed for Thii
Sesaioo.
Springfleld, 111.. Maroh 1».-The aot- tlon of the House last week, in tht» opinion of those who may be said to speak with anthority, practically Kettles the local option (inestion. to far as tlie general character of the law to be enacted Is concerned. Tlie Brown^Ul will go thruuKh mili^tantially in Its pre¬ sent foi-ni. It will be modiHed here and there, hut the changes will not affect the vitil provisicm of thej bill. That at least is the prevailing view of legislative leaderK—nnd it must lie ad¬ mitted that there is little in the present altnation to snpport a contrary view.
The Brown bill is a compromise. There is no qneftion «s to that. Its enactment became possible only when the local option advocates were bronght to the point of realizing that concessions were absolutely necessary; that the elogan of •'no compromise" wonld have to Iw achieved: and it Was on the theory of compromise that the Honse .luidciary committee agreed nimii ii liill. This meaanre was less radii-al than thejorig - inal measnre of the Anti Saloon League, bnt, as results proved, it was stillfttoo radical for acceptance by a majority of the Honse.
The practical necessity for compro¬ mise was clearly stateil by Representa¬ tive Harvey h. Slieldon, chairmmi of the Judiciary committee, an "original" 4oaal option outn and Intrwlucer of ite bill prepared by the League. Mr. Sheldon, in his npeecli in the Honse in support of the committee bill said:
"It takes seventy-seven votes to pass a bill. It is not Iwcause tlidse who are alvocating this bill hjve had a ihange of heart that they have conwnted to the eUminiiticm of the connty featnre. We liave consented to it in order to meet the objections of so large h nnmber of in?inbers—not becanse we do not believe it is right.,bnt liecanse we cannot get the votes to pass the WII with the connty featnre in it. For three sessions we h