Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-09

bill would reach the open House for free
debate, expressed himself in non-com-
initial way. Mark s. Brewer, of Michi-
gan, Republican member Of the commit
tee, said that he felt quite sure that this
bill would not be reported favorab]y. He
thought that if any bill looking toward pro-
hibition reaches the House for considera-
ton it will not be the Plat bill but meas
ure based on local option.
The prospects Of a yea and nay vote in
the House on the straight issue of Prohibi-
ton for the District are certainly not bright.
The prospects in the Senate remain as ia
vorable as reported them to be last week,
when Senator Ingalls, told me that there
will probably be "direct report and Il
square vote, which will give every Senator
opportunity toplace himself on record"
But there are signs that some prominent
Senators will not appreciate the promised
opportunity at the value which the Prohibi-
tionists attach to it. The Republican Pres
idential candidates in the Senate particu-
larly are disposed to tell Senator ingalls,
they are denied the privilege of going on
record. Senators Sherman, Evarts, Haw-
ley, Edmunds, and Allison are not UNDER
stood to be eagerly impatient for the day
when the opportunity promised by Senator
ingalls, shall be before them. And yet it
cannot be doubted that, if these five SEN
ators should lift up their voices and de-
mand square chance to vote upon the
Plat bill. the way would be opened to
them
The Senate committee, Nh. Ingalls, told
me, has not made much progress yet with
the Plat bill. 1t has sent to the District
Commissioners for statistics of the liquor
traffic for the last five years, in reference
to the number OF licenses granted, the
amount of revenue collected, and the state
of public opinion. The House Alcoholic
Liquor traffic Committee is to have an open
meeting in few days, at which the friends
of the temperance bills will have opportu-
nifty to put in their plea. The clerk of the
House committee is in correspondence
with John N. Stearns, of the National
Temperance Society,", in regard to the
length of time that the Temperance advo-
Gates are to have. A delegation from the
National w. C. T. u. will probably appear
before the House committee. 4
A strong fight will undoubtedly be made
in both houses by the opponents of the in
ternal revenue system when the plan for
reducing the surplus is matured. The ey-
idence that the Prohibitionists of the coun-
try are practically united in favor of the
repeal of the whisky tax encourages those
members who at first hesitated to take
radical stand for the policy, from fear of
antagonizing temperance sentiment. The
whisky ring of the nation still maintains
solid front against the repeal of the tax.
was informed to-day that lobby for the
liquor men would be on hand when this
question gets before the House. That will
probably be in February.
| A number of new temperance bills have
been introduced. Representative Brewer
| (Rep.), of Michigan, has introduced into
the House bill for the prohibition of i'll
toxicating liquors in all buildings and on
all public grounds belonging to the United
States Government, and bill for the Gre
alton of Commission to investigate the
liquor traffic, the evils arising from it, and
the workings Of prohibitory license ana
tax laws.
Representative Joseph d. Taylor Rep.),
of Ohio, besides his District of Columbia
Local Option bill, has introduced bill
forbidding the presence of saloons within
two squares of any public Or Government
building in Washington.
| Representative Taulbee Dem.>, of Ken
lucky, besides his excellent bill forbidding
the granting of Federal Especial permits"
to liquor dealers in Prohibition territory,
has introduced bill for Prohibition in the
District Of Columbia. This makes the fifth
bill now pending looking to Prohibition at
the seat Of the National Government.