The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-09
IAWNEY IS FRIEND
OF FREE ALCOHOL
Reports that Minnesota Congress
man Is Opposed to Pending
Bill Declared Untrue.
BY w. W. Jermane.

l
Washington, April 9.-For many
months, industrious individuals in Min
nesota, most of them in the first con-
gressional district. have been encour-
aging the circulation of a report that
MI. Tawney, chairman Of the house ap-
preparations committee, is opposed to
free alcohol legislation. In The j o ur
al Of last Wednesday was an inter.
view with State Senator Collier. OF
to this report. AS a matter Of simple
justice to Mr.. Tawney, | want to state
the facts, and thus to deny the truth
of this report.
Mr.. Tawney, during the past four
years, or thru the life of the last two
congresses, while he was a member OF
the ways and means committee, was one
of the two most ardent champions OF
free alcohol legislation in congress.
necticut, also a member Of the ways
and means committee. These men did
what they could to bring the subject
to the attention Of congress, and Mr..
Hill, who remains on the ways and
means committee, is cooperating this
session Of congress with Representative
Marshall of North Dakota, and various
them, to have a bill pass the house this
spring..
The report that Nj. Tawney was
against this proposed legislation has had
district republicans, who have thought
they could, thru the circulation Of the
report, do some harm to MI. Tawney
politically.
In December, S. M. Owen, editor OF
Farm, Stock and Home, wrote Mr..
Tawney inquiring about the legislation.
Mr.. Tawney replied at length, pointing
of. the bill, and saying that he would
of course favor the legislation, provided
it could be enacted without opening the
door to fraud on the revenues. In pass
ing, / may say that this is the attitude
of every other member of congress.
Friend of Free Alcohol.
Mr.. Owen published Mr.. Tawney's
letter and in the. same issue printed
comments on it.. This publication is the
basis for the charge that Mr.. .Tawney
Tawney letter to Owen marshaled the OBJ
l~ections that were being urged against
the legislation, with which objections
Mr.. Tawney wa very familiar as the re-
suit of his previous work for the bill, and
the mistake in the state was made when
certain politicians were permitted to
take the Tawney letter and interpret its
statements Of the arguments against
free alcohol as representing Mr.. Taw-
ney's position. He had already many
times met these arguments in congress
and answered them, but he wanted Mr..
Owen to have the benft of them so it
might be seen at home just what diff
culties were in the way. -. .-.-
MI. Tawney's friends turnout the
state, and those persons who, while they
do not know him intimately, want to
be fair, will, I am; sure, accept the
statement which I make, that Mr.. Taw'
) ney has for years been an enthusiastic
friend of free alcohol, and with Mr.
Hill: was a. pioneer in the movement
He is also doing all he can for the bill
which the ways and means committee
has recently reported to the house. The
charge that he is on the other side OF
the question simply shows how little
pains the general public takes to keel
= track of what is going on in Washing