West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-02-23

United States licenses taken ont in Maine
imam IN whisky selling West Virginia.
Mr.: Faulkner said the question resolved
itself into three propositions; Prohibition,
Local Option and License. He quoted Sena,
ton that local option in Ohio was a failure.
also the remarks of man named DuffieId
in relation to Michigan.
Now, in my county there is "A distillery that
worth of 1t is sold in West Virginia The
product is shipped to Baltimore and Phila-
deiphla. Yet this amendment would abolish
this industry. With what effecte Why,
another could be started up lust across Tie
line in Maryland. If suppressed in this
State it would throw 30 men out of emplov-
ment If was to go back to the DAYS of the
Pilgrim Fathers; to leave my land for n new
country would make such laws as are pro-
posed by this amendment But YOU must
take things as they are and not attempt such
radical measures ms is proposed by this reso-
luton. This State receives S25,575,5q from IL
censes, one-sixteenth of the expenses for
running the State How would You provide
for this deficit? The only way left open to
you VIII be to increase the tax on real and
personal property.
Judge Brown was very happy in his reply
to Mr.. Faulkner. He said the question before
the senate was not one OF individual prefer
ence, but ii was the right OF the people 10 pass
upon the merits of the measure. According
to the Senator from Berkeley the Barons
didn't know what they were asking for when
John; the ladies did not know what they
were signing when they put their names to
the petitions that are before this body asking
for the passage of this amendment | don't
consider that reflection very complimentary
to my constituents II the gentleman had
lived in the time of the signing Of the Dec
laration of Independence, he would have
said that the signers did not know what they
did.
In my Senatorial district there is not one
| dlstlllery. And thank God for il. ONLY
one village in the county has license. Where
! license is withheld the effect is magical 1t
used TO be that court could not be held in our
fla Dt.1
and fighting Now that no license is granted
| the order is the very best. The Senator from
Berkeley quoted Senator Thurman as author
| ity on local option. haVeheard thatThurman
was the best Judge of whisky in Ohio, and
also the best drinker. / ask you Senators
to give the petitions of the people respect
from the people to vote on this measure, and
assume that we know what is better for them
| than they themselves do.
MIR. Smith followed Judge Brown in reply TO
| Mr.. Faulkner. Mr.. Smith was very ELOQUENT
IN his remarks presenting his plea for tenn
perance: Continuing, Mr.. Smith replied TO
Mr.. Faulkner categorically. He said he OBJ
Jected to the indefinite postponement for the
reason that 1t cut Off all amendments | had
intended, said Mr.. Smith, to prepare an
amendment that would except beer and wine
and prohibit the manufacture and sale of
alcoholic liquors, and to prevent their inn
portation into the State. Ny proposition is
10 submit both measures to the people. |
would ask the Senator from Ohio county
I therefore to withdraw his motion to indefl-
nltely postpone.
! Mr.. Woods refusing to comply the debate
was continued at some length, when the
SeLate adjourned without coming to n vote
ON the question before the House.
The Senate having adjourned till
Thursday the report of the
second days discussion continues:
The prohlbitory liquor amendment coming
up under the head OF unfinished business of
yesterday, Mr.. McGregor obtained the floor
and spoke in favor of the measure He de-
MED the points made by Senator Faulkner
| yesterday in regard to the failure of prohibi1
ton IN Maine, and quoted extensively from
statistics to support the position he took.
he referred to the decrease of the liquor bill
of that State from 213,0O0,0O0 annually to $780,
Co., and quoted the report of the Sheriff Of
Cumberland county, the county in which the
city of Portland is situated, which officer as
serted that the poor house had been eInDtied
of paupers, and the death rate had decreased
from one out OF % to out of 300 all of which
resulted from the abolition of the manufac-
ture and sale of Intoxicating liquors Mr..
McGregor also fortified his position by read
ing the testimony of Senators Blaine and
Hamlin in regard to the benefits resulting
from prohibition. Citing our own State, Mr.
McGregor maintained that the crime pre-
Valling could be traced to the use of liquor,
ana read from the Auditors report as to the
percentage of criminals sent to the Peniten-
t1ary from the counties in which no license
was granted in comparison with the number
sent from the counties in which liquor was
sold-the comparison being largely in favor
OF the antl-l1cense counties. In conclusion
Mr.. McGregor asserted that the State was
responsible 10 certain degree for murders
committed in this State of which liquor was
proven to be the elementary cause
Mr. Dennis obtained the floor at the con-
cluslon OF Mr.. McGregor's Speech and spoke
for half an hour in favor of the indefinite
postponement of the resolution. The Sena-
tor sad what he most desired to do was to
present the real issue involved in this ques-
uon-the true question the Senate was call
ed on to decide. He didn't propose to discuss
the temperance question, as it didn't enter
into the matter at all. He admitted that all
that was said of the evils of intemperance
was literally true; that wretchedneSs and
crime We're prevalent and that whisky in
the main was the cause. Mr.. Dennis then ar
gued the utility OF the amendment even If it
became part of the fundamental law The |
resolution seeks to prohibit the manufac- |
ture and sale Of intoxicating drinks. The |
great question, said the Senator, with the |
temperance people was to find a remedy for |
drunkenness. But does this do 1t? No; he |
didn't think it did. The manufacture OF H. |
thing, as hardly any of the liquor drank was |
manufactured in the State. II the sale of in
toxicating liquor was prohibited then some
good might be accomplished. Mr.. Dennis
referred to Mr.. Smiths proposition made |
yesterday to forbid the importation of liquor
into the State in addition to prohibiting the
manufacture and sale, claiming 1t to be I'M
constitutional, as 1t was delegated to Con-
gress to regulate the commerce between the
States. Mr. Dennis claimed that his sympa-
thies were as great for temperance as any
man, but he did not think the passage of the
amendment proposed would work the bene-
fits and good claimed, and he would therefore
vote for the indefinite postponement OF the
measure.
inquire what question was before the Senate.
1t was not whether the Senate thought the
proper and right, but whether the
request Of the 10000 people who petitioned
FOR ha priVi ha