Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-16
THE SENATE MUST VOTE
The Prohibition Issue to Come
SquareIy Before the Upper
House Of Congress.
Every Senator Will Have an Oppor.
tunity to Record His
Views.
Washington letter.l

Views.
Washington letter.l
Senator Platts bill for straight out pro-
hibition in the District of Columbia is now
before the District Committee of the Sem
ate. I had talk with its Chairman, Sen
ator ingalls,. of Kansas, about the prospects
of the bill and his personal attitude
toward it.
Senator ingalls, said he had been grossly
mlsrepresented by correspondents who
charge that he is attempting to smother
the prohibition bill.
1--WE have not been able to reach this
bill yet" said he, "but we shall come to it
at an early day. 1t has been supported by
twenty-five petitions from different Sec
tons of the country and signed by many
persons. am going to place ii in the
tons to investigate the statistics of the
liquor traffic in the District and to report
the conclusions reached to the District
Committee. You are at liberty to say that
there will be no attempt made to suppress
information OF a report on the bill. The
subject will receive the most thorough en-
animation, and there will no doubt be an
opportunity for debate in the Senate, and
a vote will be taken upon the measure in
that body at an early date. I am person.
ally in favor of full investigation, direct
report, and square vote which will give
every Senator opportunity to place himself
on record. I do not know whether the re-
port of our committee will be favorable OF
adverse"
This means that for the first time in the
existence of Congress there is going to be
square vote, in at least one of the
houses, upon the principle and policy Of
simon-pure prohibitory legislation. The
Plat bill is not Local Option measure
for the mere submission of the issue to a
popular vote, but is scheme to enact pro-
hibition at once by legislative edict. The
probable vote of the Senate can not be
predicted, but the impression exists that it
will be for the passage of the bill. Certain
it is that the Republican party now has an
uneaualed opportunity to show the country
ton question. There are 39 Republicans
in the Senate to 81 Democrats, and Re-
publican caucus Endorsement of the Plat
bill would secure its passage. Even with
out the caucus Endorsement the Republic
cans can spare five or six of their votes
and still pass the bill, for several Demo-
cratic Senators will undoubtedly vote for it.
There are some considerations which
are against the probability that the Sen
ate's vote on the Plat bill will be q
thoroughly fair test of opinion in that
body concerning the merits of prohibition.
The bill was brought forward as an expe-
diency measure by a few individual Re-
publican Senators DESTROYS of doing some
thing to please the Republican prohibi-
bitionists. Some Senators, who are not
in sympathy with prohibition see that it
may be good party policy to progress the
bill to the House and SO shoulder the final
responsibility upon the Democrats. The
fact that the enforcement of the
measure, should it become law, will rest
with Democratic and not Republican
officials, also no doubt has some influence
TO bring hostile Republican Senators to its
support.
If the Plat bill fails in either house,
there are several measures in reserve for
bringing about renewal Of the fight.
Representatives Dingley of Maine and
Joseph D. Taylor of Ohio have introduce
cd bills in the House also providing or
outright prohibition in the District. Repre-
sentative Cutcheon of Michigan has offer
ed bill providing for legal option vote
in the District. There are thus four dis
tinct measures before Congress providing
for prohibition at the National Capital.
MIR. Cutcheon, speaking 10 me about his
local option bill. said that he thought the
desired results could be reached sooner by
the method of a popular vote. This method
would bring the question to the considera-
ton of the people, and the public discus
tional influence in behalf of prohibition.
Besides, with prohibition adopted by pop
ular vote, it would stand a better show OF
enforcement than if secured by direct act
of Congress.
Representative Dingley, of Maine, ex-
pressed different view to me. He said
that the fact that many Of the best people
residing here vote somewhere else is diff
Guilty in the way of bringing the matter to
vote of the people of the District. Mr..
Dingleys bill is identical with the Plat
bill, SO that whether the Plat bill fails or
passes in the Senate the House will have a
chance to consider the same measure. Mr..
Diueley thinks that his bill will not pass the
House.
Mr.. Dingley is decidedly of the opinion
that there is but o very poor chance OF get
ting any prohibition bill before the open
House for free discussion. No measure
can reach the House except by the MAORI
ty report of committee, unless 1t happens
to be at the head of the calendar, or the
majority of the committee having it in
charge consent, or the Speaker desires the
bill considered in spite Of the committee,
and will recognize member VINO Will make
motion for that purpose.
Senator Blair's forthcoming book on the
temperance question, advance sheets OF
which have been furnished to the press, has
been severely criticised in some quarters.
The Senator's position in favor of the in
ternational outlawry OF the liquor traffic
and of dealing with it on the high seas as
q form of piracy has been an especial OBJ
iect Of newspaper attack. While Senator
Hair declines to reply to his critics indi-
yidually, he is willing to talk freely about
the views which he holds. ,
81 am in favor" said he to me, "of max,
ing the liquor trade contraband trade ana
disposing of it as we disposed OF me 81 s! .".