Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-01-28
DEMOCRATS UPHOLD AND re-
PUBLIcANs OPPOSE 1T.
FOR CERTAIN PROHIBITION
Preferences Show a Curious Situation
Negro Crime Would Be Reduced,
It Is said, by Preventing Whisky
Importation to Dry 0tates-Liquor
Is Scarce in Tennessee.

Washington, Jan. Z4.-Ine punt
blank refusal of Representative Swa-
gar. Sherley, democrat, of Louisville,
TO accept the place on the house judi
ciary committee offered him by
Speaker Cannon has brought into the
open one of the most curious situa-
tons in the present congress.
There was a vacancy on the judi
ciary committee among the democrat
ic minority and it was necessary to
appoint a democrat to fill it. The
committee has under consideration
the Hepburn bill which provides that
Intoxicating liquor sent from one
state to another shall be subject to
the police laws of the state into
which it is shipped.
For some reason which it is hard
to ascertain most of the republican
leaders Of the house are opposed to
the measure, while the democrats are
overwhelmingly in favor Of its pas
sage. Mr.. Sherley Of Kentucky, how
ever, is one of the few democrats op-
u0sed to the bill, and unquesGOnably
it was because OF his opposition that
Speaker Cannon offered him the va
can't place ON the committee
John Sharp Williams the demo
cratic leader. who is strongly in ia
vor of the Hepburn bill, recommend
ed Representative Webb of North
Carolina to Mr.. Cannon for the vacant
seat The speaker refused to ap-
point Mr. Webb and named Mr.
SnerIey who, rather than OFFEND Mr.
Williams and his democratic
brethren. declined the place.
The most curious feature possibly
fr the situation is that this Hepburn
measure, which is strictly a bill to
protect prohibition and local option
territory from invasion by the liquor
interests. has rallied to its support
nearly all the democrats, whom a
man of sad political memory once
classified as belonging to the party
of rum" while the opponents of the
bill are the republicans, who sup
posedly belong to a party dedicated
TO temperance and morality.
The measure was introduced in the
house by Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa and
in the senate by Mr. Deliver of the
same state. which is prohibition ter
ritory. Both of these men are re-
publicans. and while they have urged
committee sanction of the measure
with all the eloquence they possess,
their republican comrades in the main
have turned to them deaf ear, while
the democrats have been only too
wiling to listen.
The house committee has voted
against the bill by majority of one
hut this does not put the measure be
yond5 the point of reconsideration.
The judiciary committee has had the
Hill under consideration longer than
year. The liquor interests of the
country have fought the measure
hard from it's inception, while the ad
vocates of temperance have support
ed it just as hard. There is not one
chance in ten, seemingly, that the
committee will send it to the house
with a favorable report. unless i'm
mense personal pressure in the form
of letters from the people of the
country be brought to bear to quicken
to action the temperance conscience
OF the republican members.
The whole south from the Virginia
capes to western Texas is in favor of
the passage of this bill The south
ern members say if it can be passed
the problem of negro crime IN the
south will be solved in a large de-
gree. Whole sections of the south
land are prohibition; yet under pres
ent law liquor in packages can be
shipped in and unless it is offered
for sale the police authorities OF the
community are powerless. Inc
southern senators and representatives
say that a large percentage or the
criminal acts perpetrated by negroes
can be traced to liquor sent to pro-
hibition districts from places outside
the state.
Representative Swagar Sherley.
whom Speaker Cannon appointed to
the vacancy in the judiciary commit
tee. probably because he is opposed to
the passage of the bill. comes from
Kentucky, state which in the popu-
lar mind is conceived to be the home
OF whiskey. From statements made
by Kentucky democrats at the hear
ings before the committee it has be-
come known that there are 11s cuua-
ties in Kentucky in which the sale OF
any kind of Intoxicating liquor is pro-
hibited.
Tennessee democrats who have an
peared before the committee nave
given the somewhat astonishing IN
formation that there are fewer than
a dozen towns in Tennessee in which
liquor can be bought legally. The
Tennessee law forbids the sale or III
toxicating drinks at any place within
four miles of a church or school ex-
cept in incorporated towns or cities