The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-04

CONGRESSMAN 'ToM' MARSHALL,
Who Proposed to Cheaper Alcohol for Use in
the Arts.
BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, Feb. 3.-The temperance
people of the United States will need to
be on their guard as the movement in
favor of taking the tax off alcohol,
when denaturized, gains Roadway.
In the northwest particularly, where
temperance sentiment Is so strong, and
three of whose states have prohibition
laws, it will be necessary for the people
to be little slow in believing all they
may hear about this proposed legisla-
ton.
The bill providing for the denaturiz-
ing of alcohol, and for it's sale in that
state free of all tax, was introduced by
Representative Marshall Of North Da-
kota, who Is himself temperance man,
and would not lend himself to any
movement that would run counter to
the temperance sentiment Of his con-
stituents. He prepared the bill with
especial care, and had in view every
question that might come up when the
bill was before congress. He wanted a
law that would permit the manufacture
Of alcohol from potatoes, corn, beets
and other farm products, and it was his
thought that this alcohol, after being
denaturized, could be used freely in the
arts and industries-for light, power,
heat, etc.-taking the place of gasoline
and wood alcohol, and selling at price
that would bring it within the reach of
everybody. -
The house ways and means commit
tee is to give hearings on the bill, be-
ginning Feb. 7, and it is believed the
committee will recommend the bill for
passage.
Temperance and Trust. >
Now, while everything is progressing
finely, and folk have been thinking
that the bill was to have easy shedding
comes the opposition Of certain temper.
ance people. Of course, the chief oppo
sition to the proposed legislation would
obviously come from the Standard Oil
company, whose revenues it would ma
terially reduce; but it was never sup
posed that the Standard people would
be bold enough to resort to misrepre
sentation in order to make Roadway.
IhO ISII pei chhSS oPpoSlG1OA LIDS COult
from Pittsburg, in the heart of the oil
fields and thoroly Standard Oil town
Certain temperance societies there have
put out literature against the Marshal
bill, asserting it would increase the ust
of alcohol as a beverage, and that con
sequently the proposed legislation pre-
sented an important moral question:.
Some Of this literature has been cir
culated over Minnesota and the Da
kotas, and a bit of it was recently pub
lished in the new afternoon daily a
Grand Forks. It was declared in tina
connection that thousands Of letters O.
protest against the legislation were be
Ing prepared in North Dakota an,
would soon be sent to Washington. TIL
article that was published in Gran,
Forks was signed by one Briggs, claim
ing to be an ex-president of the "Cen
trail Prohibition club,' whatever tina
is. Inquiry here develops that Brigg
lives in Pittsburg, and that copies 0
his protest haye been mailed broadcas
over the country, at the expense of hun
dreds of dollars.
Without saying that Briggs is an i'm
poster, or that his temperance society
a myth, it can truthfully be elaine
that he has been made the tool of Gel
tain interests central in Pittsbure
which do not want this bill to becom
law, and which are using this TEN
perance dodge as one method of pre-
Vention.
No Moral Issues Involved.
If there were any moral issue in
volved, Mr.. Marshall would not touc
the question, nor lend his name to it i
any way, and the statement that he ha
thought the question out carefully, wit
especial reference to the temperate
matter, ought to satisfy even the mos
ardent prohibitionist that there is n
attempt here to deceive them. ~ -.
Another scheme Of opposition, worke
out in Pittsbug, has recently been III
earthed here. A young man with lei
ters of introduction from prominen
prohibition people Of the country n
Gently appeared in Washington to lobb
against the bill. Some quiet investigs
ton disclosed that the letters were nc
genuine, and that the young man is i
reality connected with a private d.
tectlve bureau in Pittsburg and is nc
a temperance man at ALL 49, ... .4E
These circumstances not only illu,
trate the ingenuity of the people VIII
want to defeat this legislation, but the
will open the eyes Of those who al
friendly to it, so that they will full
realize what they may expect befor
the legislation can be perfected.
s'New Voice. for the Bill.
So far as leading prohibitionists al
concerned, those who have investigate
the question at all are enthusiasticall
IN favor of the Marshall bill The leaf
ing prohibition paper of the country
the New Voice, edited by John G.. Woo
ley, formerly a resident Of Minneapoli
and once candidate for the presidenc
on the prohibition ticket. In his pape
Of Dec. Is, last he has this to sa
about the Marshall bill:
Our war is not against either alec
hol or the proper use Of alcohol. W
have no quarrel with the man VIII
wishes alcohol to pickle snakes, to ligI
his house. to drive his automobile, t