Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-07-19
TO KEEP LIQUOR
OUT OF GEORGIA
GriggS Believes Congress
Will Act On 1t.
EXPECTS LAWS AT WASHINGTON
That viii Make Dry States Really
Dry.-BeIieyeS a Law to That Ef-
feet Will Be in Force Before
State Prohibition Goes
Into Effect.

Congressman Griggs, of the Second
District, believes that at the next ses-
sion of Congress a bill can be passed
prohibiting the shipping of liquors in-
to state that is dry.
Congressman Griggs expresses his
views on this line in letter to Hon.
Joseph S. Davis, of Albany, in which
he says:
THE Interstate Commerce clause of
the Constitution IN general terms pro-
hibits the enactment oflaws which in
terfere with free commerce between the
states. Therefore, the courts of the
United States have always held that
laws of the state prohibiting the free
passage from one state to another of
any article of commerce were null and
void. Thus the shipping of whlskey
into Georgia from Pennsylvania could
not be successfully prevented by the
Georgia legislature, and this has been
one of the most frequently urged and
strongest arguments against prohibition
within the states, In my opinion con-
gress will at the next meeting enact a
law which VIII completely set at rest
this argument and make spurious, vim
Gus and malt liquors subject to the laws
of the state Immediately on crossing
the state line.
There were several bills before the
last house of representatives intended
to make prohibition in the state effec-
tive: and | have no doubt that the next
congress will enact legislation that will
satisfactorily, finally and effectually
establish within every state the desire
of the people of that state on the ques-
ton of prohibition. I say that l am
sure that congress will leg1slate on the
lines above suggested, and have good
reasons for the belief. From the build
ing of the capitol until few years age
liquors were sold o. emily in the restau-
rants of the senate and the house of
representatives. Six years ago congress
cut out the sale in the capitol with
practical unanImity and since then alb
solute prohibition has prevailed on
Capitol Hill.
The same congress prohibited the
sale of intoxicating liquors of every
character in all army posts, after a
hard fight opposed by many of the
highest and best officers of the army.
An effort was made last winter to re-
peal this law, but so satisfactory had it
proven in it's results, congress refused
to restore the canteen and prohibition
prevails in the army. Thus you see
that the general trend of sentiment all
over the country has been towards
There was general dis
position at the last session of congress
to enact law making prohibition in
the states effective, and in my opinion
the differences of opinion as to the best
method of securing this benefcent re-
suit among those favoring the legisla-
ton prevented the enactment of such
law. In my opinion these differences
will have disappeared before the meet
ing of congress next December, and by
the time fixed for the taking effect of
the Georgia prohibition law, law will
be on the statute books of the United
States authorizing and enabling the
states to have prohibition which pro-
hibits. I voted for all the bills referred
to which became laws and have never
doubted their salutary effects. I shall
support in the present congress, as in
the last, that bill which / believe will
make the prohibitory laws of the state
most effective.