Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-02-14
From the Portland Press.
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
GOSSIP ABOUT GOV. prNGLEy's BILL.

The bill reported on Monday by Gov.
Dingley of Maine, from the Committee on
the Alcoholic Liquor Traffic, provides for
the appointment by the President, with
the concurrence of the Senate, of a COM
mission OF five persons to be selected
solely with reference to fitness, to make
thorough and impartial investigation
Of the alcoholic liquor traffic in its rela-
tons to revenue, expenditures, public
health, crime, paupurism, &c, and Of
the effects Of different kinds ofrestrictive
legislation. The commissioners are to
serve without pay, and $4,000 is ap-
propria;ed to defray their expenses and
pay clerk during the two years in which
the commission is TO continue.
The committee were nearly unanimous
in reporting the bill, Notwithstanding
oaly four Of the nine members Of the
committee are pronounced prohibitionis;s,
and three members are from the South
aud two from the West. Neither was
there any political lines in the report, as
Vance Democrat of North Carolina con-
Cured with the other members in the
desirabiliiy Of thorough investigation
Of this grave problem.
In the hearing before the committee,
Mr. Schade, the attorney of the United
States Brewers Association, who APP
peared in opposition, argued that the
proposed investigation was initiated by
The National Temperance Association, a
prohibitory organization, and, therefore,
that !: Is practically in the interest Of
prohibition. To this Mr.. Powell Of New
York, who appeared for the petitioners,
responded that, while it Is true that the
National Association originated the
movement. vet It IS favored by many men
who ayc believers in liceuse, and the OBJ
jec, j. simply to ascertain the facts re-
specting thetrafFc and the actual results Of
different kinds Of legislation, and wheih-
CT those facts would support the prohib-
tory or license view could no; be deter
mined until they were brough. out. l;
was, therefore, proposition 10 obtain
light on the subject, without regard TO
any particular view, and no friend OF
truth should object 10 that
In the course OF his argument, Mr..
Schade made certain statements respect
ing prohibition in Vermont and Maine,
which Mr.. joyce Of Vermont and Gov.
D.nslcy Of Maine corrected, presenting
statistics % show the incorrectness OF
Mr.. Sch4de's conclusions. Gov. Dingley
suggested 10 Mr. Sehale that the fact
tina, he Mr.. Schade and the Brewers
Association differed 50 widely from
great majori;y Of the people OF Maine as
90 the actual results Of the Maine law
was in itself conclusive argument IN IA.
yor Of i careful investigation and ascer-
,ainmeu; Of the truth. Ii Mr.. Schade
really believes that his statistics repre-
sen, actual facts, added Gov. Dingley, he
oush, 20 be foremost in asking for an
impartial official investigation in order
tia, he Mr.. Sohade, may have dem
onstr-,i0n OF the correctness Of his
views
The report presented in the House by
Governor Dingley, and ordered to be
printed. argues that Congress has an APP
propria,e Jurisdiction over such an IN
yestigation as this that any investigation
20 be Of value mus: be national and
cover the whole MON: that the private
Investigations heretofore made have been
necessarily partial and unreliable: that
!. is the duty Of Congress TO secure al
possible light as to the proper treatment
Of the graves; problem IF the age that
Congress itself requires such light to
guide It's revenue legislation and lis d.
rect supervisory legislation over the traffic
in the District Of Colum )ia and the Ter
ritoyies ;and that the pra, ers Of the largest
number of petitioners in every State and
Territory OF the Union which ever asked
for any measure cannot justly or wisely
be disregarded.
The DILL has been refe red to the COM
mit,ee Of the whole Hois on the State
Of Ia. Union, and IS 10; likely TO be
reached for some weeks. When II comes
up i. viii be stoutly OF posed, and It is
uncertain what fate I Will meet. A
similar bill has twice p used the Senate
within half dozen years, but has been
uniformly defeated in tn House.