Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-04
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
Gossip About Gov. Dingley's Bill.

The bill reported on Monday by Gov. Ding
ley of Maine, from the Committee on the
Alcoholic Liquor Traffic, provides for the ap-
pointment by the President, with the concur
renee of the Senate, of a commission of five
persons to be selected solely with reference
to fitness. to make thorough and impartial
investigation of the alcoholic liquor traffic in
its relations to revenue, expenditure, public
health. crime, pauperism, etc., and of the
effects of different kinds of restrictive legisla-
ton. The commissioners are to serve with
out pay. and $4,000 is appropriated to defray
their expenses and pay a clerk during the two
years in which the commission is to continue.
The committee were nearly unanimous in
reporting the bill. notwithstanding only four
OF the nine members of the committee are
pronounced prohibitionists, and three men,
beers are from the South and two from the
West. Neither were there any political lines
in the report, as Vance (democrat) of North
Carolina concurred with the other members
in the desirabilitv of a thorough investigation
of grave problem.
In the hearing before the committee, Mr..
Schade, the attorney of the United States
Brewers Association, who appeared in opposi-
ton. argued that the proposed investigation
was initiated By the National Temperance As
ISOLATION, a prohibitory organization. and,
therefore. that it is practically in the interest
of prohibition To this Mr.. Powell of New
York, who appeared for the petitioners, re-
sponded that. while it is true that the National
Association originated the movement, yet it
is favored by many men who are believers
in license and the object j. simply to ascertain
the facts respecting the traffic and the actual
IT ...,I, ~r tot,n md
whether those facts would support the prohi-
bitorv or license view could not be determin-
ed until they were brought out. 1t was, there
fore. a proposition to obtain light on the sub
iect, without regard to any particular view.
and no friend of truth should object to that.
In the course of his argument MIR. Schade
made certain statements respecting prohibl-
ton in Vermont and Maine, which Mr.. Joyce
of Vermont and Gov. Dingley Of Maine cor
rected, presenting statistics to show the in
correctness of Mr.. Schades conclusions
Gov Dingley suggested to Mr.. Schade that
the tact that he Mr.. Schade) and the Brew
ers' Association differed so widely from
great majority of the people OF Maine as to
the actual results Of the Maine law was IN IT.
self conclusive argument in favor of q
careful investigation and ascertainment Oft the
truth. If Mr. Schade really believes that his
statistics represent actual facts, added Gov
Dinyley. he ought to be foremost in asking
for an impartial official investigation in ordel
that he (Mr Schade) may have demonstra
rion of the correctness of his views.
The report presented in the House BY
Governor Dingley, and ordered printed
argues that Congress has an appropriate
Jurisdiction over such an investigation Al
this; that any investigation to be of value
must be national and cover the whole Union
that the private investigations heretofore
made have been necessarily partial and un
reliable; that it is the duty of Congress
to secure all possible light as to the proper
treatment of the gravest problem of the age
that Congress itself requires such light te
guide its revenue legislation and its direct oil
supervisory legislation over the tramc IN the
District Of Columbia and the Territories
and that the prayers of the largest number o
peti,ioners in every State and Territory o.
the Union which ever asked for any measure
cannot Justly or wisely be disregarded.
rbe hill has been referred to the committee
of the whole House on the State OF the
Union, and is not likely to be reached Io'
anne weeks. When it comes up 1t VIII %
s,outly opposed. and 1t is uncertain what fat'
II will meet. similar bill has twice passed
the Senate within half dozen years, ont ma
been uniformly defeated in the House