The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-02-20
THIRTY-sECOND DAY.

statutory prohiDitiOni" This is the
slogan Of the yauquihscd hosts of yes
tcrday. The prOhibitiOnista have not
given up tho fight. The leaders de-
clare that they VIII make one more
struggle for mastery. The scattered
remnants Of the army that went down
IN defeat In the lower house ycster.
day are being rallied by the leaders,
md more legislation Ca the liquor
question Is in prospect.
Within the next few days a biz will
he introduced In the house providing
for statutory prohibition. 1t will be
ihtFuStci to the same leadership which
has been in command since the be-
ginning Of the session, and will en-
counter the same elements Of opposi.
ton
A total Of 100 votes were cast in
yesterdays ballotIng. GO being for and
~ against the amendment. 1t lacked
eight votes of the number The house
now contains 1872 members, one mem
Dor haFilg died recently. OF the TWEEN.
ty-thrc" members absent, nearly all
were paired.
Statutory prohibition is the first love
'' ''NN' - 'tt t+tN'tN WIN Ntlt ut
tratcd in yesterdays battle. Prior to
III" prohibition convention held in this
rlty last summer the solo theme was
II statutory measure, The cOnstitu. !
tlonaI amendment had not been pro-
posed or thought OF until the commit.
tee made its report suggesting the on
Actmrnt ct Il constitutional amend.
mcnt, accompanied by r statutory law
10 remain in force until the cousti-
tItiouaI amendment could be submit
ted to the people and be inserted il
the constitution In case Of successful
result.
A significant feature of yesterdays
voting was the fact that not all the
antagonists of the amendment were
from wet" counties. Some Of the
strongest speeches of the opposition
were made by members from dry"
counties, and In nearly every instance
those members expressed tho belief
that the present local option laws are
good enough. There was, in fact, a
of some sort between the 10.
cal opttonists and opponents of con.
3tttltionaI prohibition.
The fight for statutory prohibition,
n the opinion Of may members, will
short, sharp and decisive, The
principal battle will be waged before '
he house committee on liquor traffic, ,
considerable doubt exists as to '
whether this committee will make a :
adorable report on the measure.
Black Eye to Motion. 5
Before the adjournment last even. &
If, Mr., Smith, Of Holmes, changed his |
0te from aye to nay on the prohtbi- s
ion amendment and entered n motion {
o reconsider. This motion was called ;
Up this morning shortly after the G
,ouse convened, On the point of order a
a motion to reconsider could not &
10 entered when Il constitutional q
mendmcnt had failed, Speaker Thorn.
s took the matter under adyisement
decided that the point was well
aiken. This sounded the death knell +
( the amendment, SO lar as the lower g,
Is concerned. ~
The house refused to consider the G
allowing the boards of supervisors
} order special elections to decide on Y
question Of increasing the tax levy v
3 mills for road purposes. There ,
as little or no opposition to the mo. =,
to table. d
Nothing further of general interest L
'anapired in the house, and the sen. .
to wrangled over the text book bill /,
le greater part of the day, accom- g,
.ished nothing, went into executive =,
'sSion and later adjourned for the !"