Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-10-13


: We have had tariff commissions, sill
: yer commissions. Indian commissions
: Mormon commissions, fish commits
b sions, cotton-worm commissions. grass
E hopper commissions, and a score of
other commissions. for which hundreds
of thousands of dollars have been ap
prop-iatsI, including the information
al monetary silver commission, for
which the last Democratic House vot.
ed Sl0o,OO0 of the peoples money but
when it comes to a commission to in
vestigate the effects of the alcoholic
liquor traffic, that appears to be alto
gether another matter.
Every Congress since the forty
third except one, the Senate has pass
ed the following bill:
Be it enacted, etc. That there shall
bo appointed by the President. by and
with the advice and consent of the
Senate, commission of five persons.
who shall be selected solely with refer
ence to their personal fitness and ca
pacity for an honest, impartial. and
thorough investigation of the alcoholic
liquor traffic. and who shall hold Office
until their duties shall be accomplish
ed, but not to exceed two years from
the time Of their appointment. 1t
shall be the duty of said commission to
| investigate the alcoholic, fermented.
and vinous liquor traffic in all its pha-
Ses, its relations to revenue and taxa
ton, its effect upon labor, agriculture.
4 -,
its general economic. criminal, moral,
and scientific aspects in connection
with pauperism. crime, social vice, the
public health, effects on the different
nationaliiies and races in the United
| States, and on the general welfare of
the people; and also to inquire into
| therestraint and taxation relied upon
for the prevention of intemparence in
the several States and Territories of
the United and the District of Coium-
bia
Sec. 2. That all said commissioners
shall not belong to the same political
party they shall each be paid salary
of $1,000 per annum, and in additi on
thereto the sum of s. per diem for eX-
penses. That said commission shall
appoint stenographeT, who shall also
|
ary of 81 800 per annu-n and the same
per diem as each o. the commissioners
for expenses. That the salaries of the
commissioners and stenographers and
the perdiem of each, together with the
necessary expenses incidental TO said
Investigation, not exceeding the sum
of $4,000 per annum, shall be paid out
of any money in the Treasury not 9th
erwiSe appropriated, upon vouchers
approved by the Secretary of the
Treasury, the payments of salaries and
per diem to each member of the com.
mission and the Stenographer to be
> made monthly; and for the purpose OF
; meeting said salaries, per diem, and
, expenses the sum of $4,000, or so much
thereof as may be necessary, is hereby
appropriated Said commission is
, authorized to send for persons and pa
I pers and administer oaths.
Sec. 3. That the commissioners ap-
pointed under this act shall meet as
soon as convenient after their appoint
ment, and before entering upon the
t duties of their. office shall be sworn to
, discharge their duties faithfully and
impartially, after which they shall or
ganize by selecting from their number
president.
| 4.
, said commissioners to report the result
of their investigation and the expenses
attending the same with the vouchers
/ therefor to the President, to be trans
mitted by him to Congress.
t Speaker Carlisle, the unfailing
friend of the kentucky distillers and
, National Liquor Dealers Association,
: always stocked the Alcoholic Liquor
, Traffic Committee, and when it reach
, ed the House and was referred to that
, committee it was always pigeon
, holed" or reported back unfavorably
D Ii Jared slightly better in the Reed
q Congress, but not much. The day
before the 51st Congress adjourned
. Chairman j. ID. Taylor, of the Hous.
!, Alcoholic Liquor Traffic Committee
succeeded in bringing the bill up un
der a motion to suspend the rules
I The discussion occupied forty minutes
!, and was participated in, on one side
by Col. Taylor, Morse of Massachu
setts, Allen of Michigan, Boutelle o
! ! Maine, Dolliyer of Iowa, and on tn
other side, by Spinola, of New Yorl
: "a Tammany many, Fitch of New Yorl
) Ia liquor dealers attorney, an
! Blount of Georgia. Congressme
!. ! Fitch seemed to be terrified lest in
; Sestigation of this kind would elici
: some facts that would justify tn
Prohibition movement. He said:
- ssRut commission of gentleme
paid S2,000sa year TO investigate th
J" subject womb be the creation of
y, commission for the purpose of gettiu
Prohibition documents and eirealatiu