99 St. Patrick's Ago

The Iowa Legislature avoided making a big mistake. From the front page of the March 17, 1911, Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette:

Special to The Gazette.

Des Moines, Iowa, March 17 -The house of representatives today sent the five-mile limit bill back to the judiciary committee. This measure prohibiting saloons within five miles of a state educational institution was passed yesterday but afterwards reconsidered when a joker was discovered which would have knocked saloons out of every town in (Iowa) from 2,000 to 25,000 population. The vote to return it to the judiciary committee was 51 to 45. The vote to reconsider was 65 to 10.

Then they all went out for a snort. Wonder if they had any green beer back in those days? Probably not on purpose.

Evidently a glitch in legislative wording was called a "joker" back then. I'd like to see that term revived. I hear the Statehouse is still full of jokers to this day.

But no joke, that was a close one. And it sounds like college drinking is not a new problem in Iowa.

Speaking of jokers within five miles of a saloon, I'm taking a spring break the rest of the week. Happy St. Pat's.  Back Monday.