The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-04
PROHIBITION BILL MAY PASS.
REPRESENTATIVE M'DoNOUGH
SAYS ITS CHANCES ARE GOOD.

the mouse Ihah lie mas Ever Be-
fore Known It-He VIII Vote
Against the Bill, But BIames the
Liquor Dealers for the state of A.
fnErs-Their Total Disregard of the
Law Is Responsible for the Agita-
ton, He Says-LiquOr Men Profess
Not to be Alarmed at the Out
look.
The indications are that lower house Of
tho Georgia Legislature win pass the
state prohibition bin when it comes before
that body on its third reading next week.
Tie bill, known as the Willlngham bill is
TO come up on its third reading next Tues
day and the Prohib tlonlsts Of the state are
preparing to marshal their forces at the
capitol in Atlanta on that day. They have
high hopes of success, and it is even ac-
knowledged by opponents of the bill that
the indications are that it viii pass the
lower house The bill prohibits the manu-
lecture, selling, keeping for sale or giving
away of malt or intoxicating liquors Of
any kind in The state of Georgia, and is a
thorough prohibition measure in every
sense Of the Wcra.
Hon. j. j. McDonough, who has been In
the city since Thursday morning, said
yesterday that the indications are that the
bin wiz pass the House.
The Prohibitionists are in greater force
in The Legislature this year than ever be-
fore" said Mr.. McDonough, land the sem
timent in favor of the passage of the bill
Is very strong. Apparently the Prohb!-
fonists have the. majority of the lower
house with them. shall not be surprised
a the passage of the bill."
''AIy position is the same that have Oc-
cupied heretofore" when asked what
stand he had taken in the matter. 81 am
heartily In favor of local option, and for
that reason 1 am opposed 10 a general
state prohibition law. l do not believe
that the representatives of Bryan, Effng-
ham, Glynn, Mcintosh or any other county
or number of counties have the right to
say 10 Chatham county whether we shall
or shall not have prohibition. II any in
terror county wants prohibition, I do not
think the representatives Of Chatham
county have any right to say that they
shall not have it, and for the same rea-
son I do not believe that any number Of
representatives from the interior counties
should say that prohibition must prevail
In Chatham, without first obtaining the
consent of the people of the county. The
conditions of the cities and the interior
are entirely different. 1 am satisfied that
prohibition is a good thing for the interior
counties and that it is well for them to
have it. do not think 1t would work we'll
in Chatham county"
do you think the law could be en-
forced in this county?" Mr.. McDonough
was asked.
IT am satisfied that 1t could be en-
forced" he said. should there be an hon
est endeavor by the admins ration in pow
er to enforce it. There win be the rub
whether the people in Office will endeavor
TO enforce the law or not."
1.-THE temperance sentiment is growing in
this state" said Mr.. McDonough, land
am glad of 1t. The growth of this senti-
ment is due largely to the manner in which
the liquor dealers in the counties where
liquor is sold have disregarded the law.
To the absolute and total disregard Of the
laws regulating the liquor traffic may be
attributed the growth of the temperance
movement and the strength of the present
effort to adopt state prohibition law. The
dealers have not only shown no DISPOSE
ton to keep within the law, but have
manifested a determination to defeat the
law in every way. If the prohibition bill
should become a law the dealers will have
no one but themselves to blame
In speaking of the solicitorship fight,
Mr.. McDonough said: Mr. Osborne is
making a strong fight, and is drawing sup
port from all quarters of the state. There
were no less than six prominent citizens.
judges and others, from different sections
of the state, in Atlanta in his behalf one
day recently. We have good reason to
believe that we shall pass the bill estaD-
fishing a separate solicitor for the City
Court. If the bill fails to pass It will be
because such thing as legislative cour-
tesy no longer exists. For a bill to
fail which has the unanimous
support of the three representa-
tives of the county for which ii is
/ intended would be an occurrence without
| precedent"
As to Senator Grovenstein's position in
the matter, Mr.. McDonough said that he
believed him to be as solid as a rock
in his support of the bill
The liquor men of Savannah do not seem
to have taken any alarm at the imminent
| prospect of the passage of a state prohibi-
ton bin Sa far as all appearances go
they are sleeping on their arms. 1t may be
that appearances are deceptive but there
has evidently been no great stir among
the liquor men on account of the bill
They have made no preparation to send
delegations TO Atlanta. and have raised no
funds with which to fight the bill, so far
as known.
"Mr McDonough has given this same
alarm every year for the last several
/ years" said wen known dealer yester-
day, land we are tired of hearing it, 1t
| may be that he is like the boy who cried
/ wolf so often that when the wolf really
| did come no one would pay any attention
! to him, but we are not losing any sleep
/ nights on account of the bill. II is not at
all unlikely that The bill may pass the
| House. as no effort has been made to
| fight it there, but in this case the fight
| will be made in the Senate. Previous ex-
! perience has shown us that it is useless to
| argue with the country members in The
| House. They cut off argument at once
| by telling US that no matter how they feel
about the matter personally, that the pro-
! hibition sentiment in their home counties
| is SO strong that they could not afford to
vote against it: If necessary a fight will,
| of course be made in the Senate, but it Is
! possible that Mr.. McDonough is mistaken
! in his estimate of the strength of the pro-
! hibition element in the House"
A well known eroceryman who was
asked last night what he would do in case
! of the passage of the prohibition law re-
! Piled Il should sell anyway. I would
! have no license to pay then" II is likely
/ that a good many other dealers would take
the same view of the matter