The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-12-21
PROHIBITION in
THE u. 5. SENATE.
SENATOR TlLLMAN. PUSHES'THE CUES.
TlON TO THE FRONT.
"A Bill Was introduced to Make Inter.
State Liquor Traffic Absolutely
Subject to State Laws.

Washington, Dec. Is. Senator
Tiiiman today introduced the fol-
loving resolution aud asked i'm
mediate consideration:
''Yhat the committee on inter
state commerce be instructed to
consider and report by bill or
otherwise, what legislation is
desirable or necessary to enable
the states in the exercise of their
police powers to control the COM
merce of liquors. and all alcoholic
beverages within their borders,
SO as to aid the cause of temper
ance and to prevent the encour-
agement by the United States gov
ernment of illicit dealing in the
same."
Explaining his purpose Mr..
Tillman said it was to prevent, if
possible, the circumyention of the
laws, in the interest of prohibi-
ton, which are being generally
enacted in the Southern states.
Congress- he said, attempt
ed, in enacting the Wilson law, to
protect the people in the enforce
ment of their state laws, but the
courts have shaded and shaded
down the protection until there
is practically nothing left of it,
and / want the committee to as
certain whether it is not practica,
bic to give relief. The decisions
of the courts have been on the
ground that the law interferes
with interstate commerce, and 1t
is on this account that | have
asked to have the investigation
made by the interstate commerce
commission"
Mr.. Tillman holds the express
companies responsible for the
evasion of the state laws. He
says that they are flooding the
local option part of South Caro-
lima and other local option South
ern states with whiskey, which is
sent in from other states, &c. D.
D.p
The supreme court of the
United States has held that such
traffic cannot be interfered with
because of its interstate charac-
ter
| WhenMr: Tfffnau attempted
to secure the adoption of the reso-
luton he aroused a long discus
sion, participated in by Senators
AIdricb, Culberson, Bailey, Knox
and Tillman and others when Mr..
Knox suggested that the whole
difficulty could be righted through
a bill.
Draw one," suggested Mr..
Tillman, whereupon Mr.. Knox
prepared an amendment to the
Wilson bill, providing that con-
troll of the state should begin as
soon as the package is within
the borders of state and before
or after delivery to the consignee. "
Mr.. Tilllman then withdrew
his resolution and offered this bill
which was referred to the COM
mittee on judiciary. The bill as
presented reads:
That all fermented, disti lied
or other Intoxicating liquors Oh
liquids transported into any state
or territory or remaining therein
for use, sale or storage therein,
upon arrival within the borders Of
the state, and before or after de-
livery to the ,consignee in such
state or territory, be subject to
the operation and effect of the
laws of such state or territory,
enacted in the exercise of its
police powers, to the same extent
and in the same manner as though
such liquors had been produced in
such state or territory, shall not
be exempt therefronl by reason of
being introduced therein in origin
al packages or otherwise. !"