Washington sentinel., 1898-02-19
The Order 20 Investigate the
Liquor Traffic

Liquor Traffic
by the Commissioner Of Labor has
come to an end. For the report OF
the Commissioner is finished and
will be sent in a few days to the
printer.
That ends twenty years fight
before Congress by the writer.
The last attempt in Congress by
the Prohibitionists was made in
February, 1891. They then had a
Republican House and the writer
was very much afraid that he
would be beaten But he sue
ceeded again through his Demo-
cratic friends in killing the bill.
We will copy from the WASHING
TON SENTINEL Of March 7, 1891:
Ever since 1873 the leading Prohibi-
tiOnlsts of the New York Temperance
Alliance and other prohibition organic
ations have tried to induce Congress to
pass bill appointing a commission 10
investigate the liquor traffic not merely
for the District OF Columbia and the
Territories, but also tor the States,
Their object has been to make the issue
national and gain new fiSld for agita-
tien i.. sL~ halls of Congress. Seven
times Messrs Powell, ime suIrO, "a 49,
National Temperance Advocate, and
Stearns, of the National Temperance
Alliance, have succeeded in getting their
bill (for they have frequently acknowl.
edged themselves as the authors OF the
same) passed by the Senate, but the
House has never yet adopted the Senate
bill. Once it passed bill OF IFS own,
but that again failed in the Senate.
During the past IS years the editor OF
the WAsHINGToN SENTINEL has almost
exclusively been the sole opponent met
by Messrs. Powell and Stearns before
the Committees of Congress. They
themselves, ana also the late General
Fiske, and Senator Blair, Miss Willard
and others, have had fairness and manli-
ness enough to ascriDe their nom
success to the vigilance and assIduity of
the writer.
When the last Congress assembled
and when Speaker Reed appointed
picked prohibition Committee on
Liquor Traffic, composed OF 10 Prohibi-
tionists Il Republicans and 3 Democrats)
and but one personal liberty Democrat,
Quinn, Of New York, the Prohibitionists
thought they would at last have their
pet measure passed. We feared ourself
that we would have to weld, especially
as the United States Brewers Associa.
ton, probably believing the passage OF
the bill already fixed fact, had actually
sent circulars to every Representative in
Congress, and even petitioned Congress
(by a petition introduced by Mr.. Quinn
at the request OF Congressman Fitch,
the brewers representative in Congress)
to have commission of nine appointed
to do the very thing the ProhiDitionists
desired. to wit, investigate the liquor
traffic.
On the I3th Of February, 1890, the
above named Messrs. Powell and
Stearns, accompanied by Mrs. Ellen
Foster, of Iowa, Mrs. Bittenbender, the
legal representative Of Miss Willard's
w. c. T U.,and other prohibition ladies
and gentle men, met before the House
Liquor Traffic Committee. AS usual,
the writer was the only one who
appeared in opposition. Messrs. Powell
and Stearns and Mrs. Foster and Mrs
Bittenbender made long arguments in
favor OF the Commission. They were
readily assisted with all sorts Of friendly
advice by the members OF the committee
in making as favorable a show ing as
possible. OF course all present felt
pleased and hopeful except the writer.
Nevertheless he did not give up the
fight in despaif. Having, after some
difficulty, obtained permission to be
heard, he began his speech with the
following, which we copy from the
Official printed report, page az:
"Mr. Chairman and gentleme | think
II Ii now about seventeen years that
have met the same gentlemen to whom
you have listened todaY-Mr. Powell
and Mr. Stearns think the first time
II was in 1873 when we met before
committee here about the same bill
which they hsye been advocating today
Il speak Of the commission bill. We
have been contending over IL all that
time-they IN favor OF and | against il In
the Senate especially many OF our distin-
guished men have expressed themselves
on the merits OF that bill. The result
has been, however, that though this bill
has passed the Senate six or seven times.
il has every time failed in the House OF
Representatives. Thegentlemen on the
other side seem now 20 be very coura-
geous. / do not know whether they
have any reasons. Maybe they have.
Gentleman look composed and bright
IL is not as il used to be as far as this bill
eoncerned. But | am one Of those
who never forsake the ship. II have
90 down, perhaps for want OF