The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-07
WRIGHT BILL VETOED
NOT IN INTEREST OF TEMPER
ANCE, SAYS GOVERNOR.
A DELUSloN AND A SNARE.
GOOD REASONS GIVEN FOR NOT
SIGNING.

The Governors Sudden Develop
ment ns n Temperance Advocate
ArOuses the Wrath of the Author
of the BiIl-AnOther Victory for
the Liquor Interest Declares Mr..
WriEht-GOvernOr Vetoes state
DispenSary Bill to Protect Dry
Counties and signs Local Dispen-
sary Bills as Fast as They Are
Brought 10 Him.
Atlanta, Ga, Dec. 6.--The Wright
dispensary bill was vetoed by Gov.
Gambler this morning. In message
which the Governor sent to the House
his reasons for declining TO approve
the measure were set forth at some
length. The message was applauded
by members of the House.
First of all, the Gov5nor says that
while the bill purposes to be in the in
terest of temperance, it would, if made
a law. have Just the opposite effect.
He is of the opinion that "It would
open the food gates in the dry coun-
ties and at the same time setback the
cause of temperance at least a gener-
alton"
He says that according to the con-
| struction placed on it by some able
lawyers the bill is delusion and a
snare, being misleading in it's language
ana details. 1t is calculated to re-
strict local option i'm an overwhelm-
| ing majority of the counties, he says,
and simply provides that the people
| OF the several counties of the state
| shall determine by a vote whether in
toxicating beverages shall be sold from
a dispensary or over the counters or
| a barroom.
| The Governor contends that the bill
| in no wise provides that the voters OF
the counties shall have the right TO
say whether they will have total prohi-
| bition or the sale of liquor from dis
| pensaries. He is of the opinion that.
II the construction put upon the bill
by some able lawyers is correct, the
measure IS unwise and unfair to the
| dry counties. On the other hand il the
Interpretation is not correct then tho
Governor thinks the language of the
| measure ambiguous, and would give
rise to pickering and interminable liti-
| cation.
Gov, Gambler believes that instead Of
putting an end to the agitation of the
llQvqr franc, II would inaugurate in al
most every county of the state fierce
contests over the question and that the
worthiess negroes, who have been
eliminated from politics by reason of
the non payment of taxes. would he
brought back to disturb future elec-
tions.
The Governor says only about three
arguments have been advanced in favor
OF the measure, and none of these
were of sufficient strength to outweigh
the objections to the bill.
| An eHort VIII be made to PASS the
Dill over the Governors veto II re-
GelVed 30 votes on its passage in the
House and its friends believe many
more votes for it can be secured
Mr.. Wright Gets Hot.
Hon. Seaborn Wright of FLOYD. an
thor of the bill, furnishes a. red hot
statement relating to the Governors
Ve.o message IN which he practically
| asserts at the outset that IL is a cun
hlng triumph Of the liquor interest
VINO led the Prohibitionists to oppose
the measure by pretending that fhev
wanted 1T become a law.
Inc Governor declared the bill would
epen tne Hood gates in the dry coun-
Ties ana overwhelm them. Mr.. Wright
asserts that the foodgates are already
open under the Supreme Courts DO
cislon In the Camilla case. and that
dlspensaries are being planted i'm drv.
counties now by legislative action.
| ne uenberately. in the name of pro-
hipition, says Mr.. Wright. ''vetoes a
Dill giving the right to the people Of
the ury counties of Georgia to resist bv
vote tne establishment of dispensaries.
ana signs as fast as presented TO him
local bills fastening dispensaries upon
| them without a vote"
Mr. wright asserts that by no flight
or legal imagination could such CON
struction be put upon the bill as to re-
move the question of prohibition from
the issue before the people, If they
want TO vote on 1t. If there was
doubt on this point, he declares he
would sign petition to veto the bill.
| The MIX i'm the COcoanut
The fear that the bill would inausu-
rate contests over the dispeusary ques-
ton, Mr.. Wright says, Is the milk In
| the cocoanut. He declares that the
| Governor thus expressed himself ss
satisfied with the present status of the
| liquor question, which leaves the mo-
nopoly in control of state legislation.
The defeat of the bill, Mr.. Wright says.
may mean peace, but it is peace for
the liquor interest. while the tears and
blood of wives and children viii 1ow
| forever"
In conclusion, he expresses the belief
| that prohibition can never take one
step forward until the Liquor Dealers
| Association is destroyed
| II believe this can only be done" he
says. by the establishment of dispeh-
saries in our great cities. With the
dispensary bill vetoed the dry counties
in the state will so dispensary. one by
one, by local enactment. and Govern
ors, who veto general dispehsary bills.
which threaten the peace Of the big
wet counties, will sign the local bills
which destroy the peace of the little
dry ones"
ROLLED DOWN THE BLUFF.