The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-07
NATIONAL LIQUOR COMMISSION.

Passage OF the Bill In the Senate Author
tzing the appointment Of Commissions
ers by the President to Investigate the
Prevalence OF Drunkenness and tho
Manufacture and Sale OF Alcoholic
BeveraGes-TextO OF the Bill.
WASHINGTON, March 8, 1874.
On motion Of MIR. Wright, OF Iowa, in the Senate,
the bill authorizing National Liquor Commission
was taken up Tor consideration, and without FUR
Their debate the vote upon it was taken.
The bill was passed with the following vote
yeas 26. nays 21:-
eron Chandler. Conklng Dorsey, Fenton. Flanagan,
Scott Sherman snencer, Sumner West and Wrsht@2
Dennis Of feSa
sSssy
and Stockton-2i
TEXT OF THE BILL.
The bill as passed reads as follows:-
Be 1t enacted, &c. thai there shall be an.
pointed by the President, by and with the advice
and consent OF the Senate, a commission OF five
any office of profit or trust in the general or state
government The said commissioners shall be
Selected solely with reference to personal
fitness and capacity LOT an honest, impartial and
thorough investigation, and shall held ONCE unit
their duties shall be accomplished, but not to ex-
coed one year. 1t Shall be their duty to lnvesti.
gate the alcoholic and fermented liquor trathc and
manufacture, having special reference to revenue
anu tdAdIlOu UlStuRulSuluR, Us IaT as pOSSlDle IN
the conclusions they arrive at, between the effects
produced by the use Of distilled or spirltuous as
distinguished from the use OF fermented or malt
liquors in their economic, criminal, moral and
scientific aspects IN connec ton with pauper-
ism, crime, vice, the public health and
the general welfare Of the people; also
to inquire and take. testimony as to
the practical results of license ana restrictive
legislation Tor the prevention OF intemperance in
the several states and the effect produced by such
legislation upon the consumption OF distilled or
splrtuOus liquors, and OF termented or malt
liquors. and also to ascertain whether the evil of
drunkenness has been increased or decreased
thereby, whether the use of opium as stimulant
and substitute for alcoholic drink has
become more general in consequence OF
such legislation, and whether public morals
have been improved thereby. 1t shall also be the
duty OF said commission to gather Information and
take testimony as to whether the evil OF drunken
ness exists TO same extent or more so in other
civilized countries, and whether those foreign
nations that are considered the most temperate
In the use OF stlmuants are so through prohibitory
laws; also TO what degree pr0hibltOry legislation
has affected the consumption and manufacture Of
malt and sptrltuOus liquors in this country.
SECTION 2-That the commissioners ali OF whom
shall not be advocates OF prohiDitory legislation
total abstinence in relation to alcoholic or fer
mented liquors. shall serve without salary, and
shall have authority to employ q secretary at q
reasonable compensation, not to exceed 81 900 per
annum, which, with the necessary expenses incl
for both the secretary and commissioners shall
be paid out OF any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated upon vouchers to be ap-
proved by the Secretary Of the Treasury and for
TINS purpose the sum Of $4,000 is hereby appro-
priated 1t shall be the further duty OF said COM
ton and the expenses attending the same to the
President, to be by HIM transmitted to Congress-,