The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-05
MOODY CAUSED A LAUGH
Bitterly Attacked the Proposed
Alaska Liquor Law.
A RELAPSE TO BARBARISM
Utterly Impossible to Enforce the Pres
emit Law-The Paris Treaty Sent by
the President to the Senate
A Short Session.

Washington, Jan. 4.-The house spent
to-day considering the bill to define and
punish crimes in Alaska and provide a
code of criminal procedure for the ter
ritory. Sixty-seven pages We're com
pleted to-day and the bill was made a
continuing order until disposed Of, not,
however, to interfere with appropria-
ton bills or other special order. The
house adjourned out of respect to the
memory of the late Senator Morrill,.
There We're less than 100 members on
the floor when the house. met at noon
to-day, but the atten1anc in the gal
leries was large. Simpson (pop), Kan
sas, and Lewis (dem.), Washington, ap
peared in their places for the first time
this session and attracted considerable
attention. The blind chaplain, in his in
vocation, referred feelingly to the criti-
cal illness of Representative Ding1ey,
floor leader of the republicans, and
prayed for his speedy recovery. Under
a special rule adopted before recess, the
house took up the consideration of the
bill to define and punish crimes in the
district of Alaska and provide code
of criminal procedure for the district.
The bill was prepared by the commits
sion appointed to codify the criminal
and penal laws of the United States.
Moody (rep.), Massachusetts. said that
as the bill proposed code for the gov
eminent of a dependency of the United
States, it might be well to consider
whether we were able to deal intelli-
gently with dependencies generally. He
then launched a bitter attack upon that
section of the bill which repealed all
existing laws relating to the sale of
in tho lictrirt nj A1aGka and
made it only unlawful to sell liquor to
the Indians. This was a monstrous
proposition, he declared. Virtually, it
meant free rum in Alaska, the sale of
liquor without license without regula-
ton and without restriction of any
kind. It meant a relapse into barbar-
ism.
While Moody was in the midst of the
provision of the bill against which he
was directing his assaults, Warner
(rep), Illinois, in charge of the meas
ure, created a laugh at Moody's ex-
pense by informing him that the section
to which exception was taken was to
be amended.
Maddox (dem), Georgia. said if Mr..
Moody had waited to hear the amend
ments read, he would have been with
out speech. The bill, as printed, vas
in precisely the form in which it came
from the COMMISSION. Inc cOlHllllllee
amendments, he thought, would meet
all objections. An amendment was
adopted giving a jury. in case a YER
dict of guilty of murder in the first
degree was returned, discretionary
power to intiict capital punishment.
When the section was reached pro-
hibiting the sale or gift of Intoxicating
liquors to Indians, Mr.. Moody offered
an amendment continuing the existing
law. which prohibits the fmporta ton
of liquor except for medicinal, me-
chanical and like purposes
Mr.. Tongue (rep.). Oregon, said it was
utterly impossible to enforce the
present law. The inhabitants of this
district will not uphold officers of the
law when liquor is openly sold before
them.
Several minor amendments We're
adopted. SXty-seven of the 232 pages
of the bill were disposed of. The speak
er then laid before the house the me-
mortal resolutions adopted by the sen
ate out of respect to the memory of the
late Senator Morrill,. AS a further
mark of respect the house then at 4:25
o'clock adjourned.