The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-02-17
FOR L0HDOh'S BILL
As II IS AMENDED
he Committee has Ordered
a Favorable Report.
The BILL Is IMPROVED
A Minority Report will b. Fl,d--7he Vote
Was not Reached Until kftra
Discussion Ct Nearly
Two Hours.

t'1-
and Grievances held a most important
meeting OF the session IN the Senate
Chamber at 4 O'Clock yesterday after
noon. There was quite a sprinkling OF
leading temperance men in tne Senate
and in the Hobbies and a number Of
ladies in the galleries Interested in the
great matter that was pending
At the previous meeting Of this com
mitteo, . subcommittee, composed O.
the Chairman, Senator Vann, OF Che
wan; Senator Warren, Of Jones, and
Senator Brown, of Columbus, had been
appointed q subcommittee to draft a
substitute for all the temperance bills
before the committee. They did not
succeed in agreeing. Mr.. Warren for him
self, and Mr.. Vann, presented a bill they
had drafted. Senator Brown presented
as a minority report fer the Warren
bill, the London bill, with certain amend
ments that improve but do not weaken
it After the amendments We're adopted
by motion Of Senator Brown, his sub
%stftute Che London BID, with amend
nlents, was ordered fayorGbly reported
to the Senate. The vote stood for the
Brown substitute; Brown, BeaSley,
Hicks, of Duplin; Goodwin. Marshall.
Against: Warren. Srruill. Hunter and
Crisp. Mr.. Warren gave notice that ne
would file a minority report, and Chair
man Vann stated that he would join
iii the minority report.
This vote was not reached until after
a discussion of nearly two hours. Sena-
tor Warren opened by reading the bill,
he and Mr.. Nann had drawn, and com
menting on it. He said that it on
taincd the chief provisions in the Watts
bill but did not make thcm apply to any
county unless a member of the LegiSIa-
ture from that county desired to in
corporate his county, until it had been
voted upon by the people of the county.
He argued that it was best not to put
the bill in operation in every county in
the State Only these counties should
be put in by act of the Legislature which
desire this to be done, and then it was
wisest to submit the matter to the voter.
Of the other counties. Some member
said he did not Know what their people
want. Prohibition ought not to
be forced upon those counties. Some
members know that the people want pro
hibition and it ought to be given II
them. But the principle Of submitting
1iAlS hN "Il 'IIlt AChttOI " IN pNoi1-
was one hat ought nto to be departed
from The same condition does not OK
list in every county and legislation that
would suit one county would not suit
every county He referred to his own
temperance record. Twice in his life
lie had had an opportunity 10 vote for
the prohibition question and he had
voted for prohibition and it is generals
known in his county that he is a PROFIT
hitlonist While he believed in prohibi-
ton he thought there was something
higher, the right of the people to con
troll their own affairs. Legislation thai
is not approved by the people will DC q
dead letter. We DO not want to dodge
the issue, we want to meet it, but VIZ
want to meet it in a way that will be-
in harmony with the doctrine Of home
culc.
Senator Beaslcy argued in support o
the substitute bill-the London Bill. He
said that, if the Warren-Nann bill should
pass, the Senate would be rot only dodg-
ing the issue, but the Senators would
be stultifying themselves. The people
Of the whole State are deeply interested
The question is whether a State policy
on the liquor question be adopted. Tht
Vann-Warren substitute does not touCi
the State policy. If it should be adopted
L does not do anything and Will lead tt
nothing. 1t will be much wiser for tn,
committee to make a report somewha
like this: we the committee to whom
was referred temperance bills, aftc.
careful consideration Of the matter, IL
hereby recommend that every mcmbe-
Of the BODY be allowed tn
same right sc has always hat
FO, hic ou,, oO,,,+-'' rThof ic what i
would mean, but we had better do it il
plain terms. Any man now has a RICH
TO draw a bill to exactly suit his county
and this is about VIVA is proposed in t.
Warrcn-Vann bill. This is no longer
question Of local control. The question
is put sCuarcly and fairly whether tt
State shall have a State liquor policy.
Senator Godwin said that he moved a
the previous meeting to postpone con
sideration because he wished 20 eXamin
carefully into the London bill. Tha
having done so. he wished to say tina
ne had read it carefully and he confess
ed that he had found no objection TO tn
oill whatever and was prepared to vot
FOL it without crossing a IT. or dottin
an Il" If any change at all, he Woul
advocate that it be changed so hat sec
ton ) would require the applicant t
sell liquor to get q petition signed b
onc-third Of the qualified voters lnstea
Of a majority. as in the original bill
He submitted that suggestion in tn
form of an amendment and it was adopt
cd.
Mr.. Lamb, of Cumberland, said thu
the London bin had appeared to him g
being a good bill except the 9TH section
He did not think that tho 5th section va
exactly fair, because any man anyWhel
can get a majority of the voters TO sig
a petition. 1t would be faircr to con
out square and say, I'VE Will have pro
hibition everywhere With that amend
ment he said he was for the London bill
He said tina If this bill should pass an
the people were to get a taste of pr
hibition in every county, nothing coul
induce them to go back to the old sy'
! item. Two years ago he said, las
! matter of spite, the Legislature pu
5 prohibition on Cumberland county" |
was about the only man who asked f
5 It. but at the last election over 1,9
linen voted for it. The people got