The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-02-24
From the N. Y. Observer.l
Alcoholic Liquor Commission

TOT beNeral years euOrLs nave Deen
made to secure the appointment, by Con-
gress, of a Commission to investigate the
whole subject of the manufd Ore, i'm
portation and sale of alcohol Ind fer
mented liquors and their effsctVup6n the
country. As we stated last week, Sena-
tor Sherman, of Ohio. recently introduc-
ed in the Senate bill providing for the
appointment of such a Commission, and
we earnestly hope the bill may speedily
pass both houses and become q law. 1t
provides as follows:
THAT there shall be appointed by the
President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, q Commission of
five persons, neither of whom shall be
the holder Of any Office OF profit or trust
in the General or State Government,
and all Of whom shall not be advocates
of prohibitory legislation or total absti-
nence in relation to alcoholic or fer
mented liquors. The said Commission
ers shall be selected solely with refer
ence to personal fitness and capacity for
an honest, impartial, and thorough in
yestigation, and shall hold Office until
their duties shall be accomplished, but
not to exceed one year.
ut shall be their duty 10 investigate
the alcoholic and fermented liquor traffic
and manufacture, having special refer
ence to revenue and taxation, distin-
gushing as far as possible in the conclu-
sions they arrive az between the effects
produced by the use of distilled or spir-
ituous liquors and the use Of malt liquors,
in their economic, criminal, moral, and
scientific aspects, in connection with pau
perism, crime social vice, the public
health and general welfare Of the people,
and also inquire and take testimony as
TO the practical results OF license and
restrictive legislation for the prevention
of intemperance in the several States,
and the effect produced by such legisla-
tion upon the consumption of distilled
or spirituous liquors, and fermented or
malt liquors; also, to aseeytain whether
tho evils of drunkenutMA Nave been in
creased or decreased, aMH whether pub
lie morals have been improved thereby.
1t shall also be the duty of said Commits
siofiers to gather information and take
testimony as to whether the evil of
drunkenness exists TO the same extent
or more so in other civilized countries,
and whether those foreign nations that
are considered the most temperate in the
use Of stimulants are so through prohib-
itory laws; and also to what degree pro-
hihitory legislation has affected the con-
sumption and manufacture of malt and
spirituous liquors in this country.
That the said Commissioners shall
serve without salary, and shall be author
lied to employ a secretary at a reasonable
compensation, not to exceed $2, 1000 per
annnm, which, with the necessary ex-
penses incidental 10 said investigation,
in all not exceeding $4,000 Of both the
Secretary and Commissioners, shall be
paid out of any money in the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated. upon vouch-
ers to be approved by the Fifth Auditor
of the Treasury. It shall be the further
duty of said Commissioners to report the
result of their Investigation, and the ex-
penses attending the same, to the Presi-
dent, TO be by him transmitted to Con-
gress."
The subject coming up at later date
for discussion, Mr.. Sherman said this bill
had been fully debated at the last ses-
sion of the Senate. The expense involv-
ed in the proposed investigation was not
over $4,000, and the result of it would
be q vast amount of useful information.
He believed that an inquiry of this kind
made by sensible men would be of great
use.s No State could make the investiga-
ton because none had the command of
statistics to prosecute the inquiry.
Mr.. Bayard, of Del, said that in his
opinion this is not the way, nor is this
the proper place to treat the subject Ii
the Investigation was to be made to pro-
cure information in regard to the taxa
tion OF liquors, II was unnecessary, as the
Secretary of the Treasury had already
the fullest information in regard to the
matter No question was OF more i'm
portance than that of regulating the use
aud abuse Of intoxicating drinks, but it
could not be dealt with safely by legisla'
ton based upon sentimentality. There
was 9, domain of morals and domain Of
law He argued that this matter was
within the province of the State Govern