Local Option In Washtenaw

It now seems to be almost an assured fact that the citizens of Washtenaw will have an opportunity of voting upon prohibition at no very late day. As soon as a petition signed by 1832 electors of the county is presented to County Clerk Howlett, he must issue a call for an election to be held within forty days and the election cannot be held in the month of March. A large meeting of the temperance element was held in the court house last Saturday over which GeorgeS. Wheeler, of Salem, presided and at which Howard Holmes of this city acted as secretary. There were two opinions expressed by the speakers upon the advisability of an election being asked for at once. One set called attention to the facts that defeat meant three years before it could be tried again and that there is a majority of 900 to overcome. The other set of speakers thought the time for action was before the bitterness of partisan feeling had aroused antagonisms. It was especially noticeable that the third party prohibitionists were especially anxious for an immediate conflict. Speeches were made by a number of gentlemen from various parts of the county and the following resolution was substituted for one recommended by a committee which had been appointed to consider the matter and had not reported favorably to an immediate submission of prohibition:
Resolved, That it is the expression of this meeting that the best interest of temperance demand that immediate action be taken to canvass the county of Washtenaw under the local option law of the state and that a vote be taken on the subject at the earliest opportunity. A county committee was appointed, the members of which were directed to appoint township or ward committees of which they should be chairman. The committee is as follows:

Ann Arbor, First ward-E. B. Lcwis.
"          " 2d. ward- A. H. Royce. 
"          " 3d. ward- Geo. Scott.
"          " 4th. ward- J. Schumacher.
"          " 5th. ward- Spencer Lennon.
"          " 6th. ward- A. F. Martin.
Ann Arbor town,-John C. Mead.
Bridgewater- George Rawson.
Dexter- William Smith.
Freedom- John Reno.
Lima- C. M. Brown.
Lodi- Edward Glover.
iLndon[sic]- Charles Canfield.
Manchester- Dr. A. C. Taylor.
Northfield- Heskell Laraway
Pittsfield- David Wiltsie
Salem- George S. WheeIer.
Saline- Wm. Dell.
Scio- R. P. Copeland.
Sharon- M. L. Raymond.
Superior - Freeman Galpin.
Sylvaa- David U. Taylor
Webster- George W. Merrill.
York- Alex. W. Smith.
Ypsilanti town- Wm. Huston.
     "     city, 1st ward- Dr. O. Bonsteel.
     "      2nd ward- Prof. Austin George.
     "      3rd ward -Dr. D. A. Post
     "      4th ward- Eugene Holbrook.
     "      5th ward- S. W. Parsons.

An executive committee was also appointed to have charge of the campaign, consisting of B. J. Conrad, J. A. Scott, S. G. Miller, John Schumacher and J. C. Knowlton. It being thought that 2,000 signatures will be obtained by this afternoon, the meeting adjourned until this afternoon at one o'clock, when they will reconvene at the court house to listen to the report of the committees and to decide on future action.