The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-07-18
BY BIG MAJORITY
Georgia Senate Passes State
Prohibition Measure.
VOTE WAS "a TO SEVEN
Ssvera! Amendments Were Adopted
Before Final Action - Bill Was
Immediately Ordered Sent
to the House.

to the House.
The Georgia state senate By vote
Of "a to 7 passed the Hardman pro-
hibition bill Saturday morning and
whatever doubt of immediate state pro-
hibition that may have existed was
dispelled and the opponents of the bill
gave up the last vestige of the hope
of defeating it.
That the house is Overwhelmingly
in favor of the bill as passed by the
senate is admitted as freely by the
opponents of prohibition as by its ad-
vccates. Never since the assembling
of the legislature has there been a
question of the sentiment of the state,
and even if there were enough repre-
sentatives personally opposed to the
bill to muster up a respectable oppo-
sition the hundred and twenty-odd dry
counties of Georgia furnish a choice
between supporting the bill and po-
litical suicide which leaves little room
for debate
Governor Hoke Smith, though an
advocate Of local option, as brought
out in his inaugural address, still
stands pledged to sign state prohi'
bition bill should such measure be
sent to him by this legislature. This
pledge was made to the people OF
Georgia at numerous times during the
last campaign and was specifically re-
newed in the inaugural address.
There can be no thought of veto
from the governor and one house hav-
ing voted nearly five to one for prohi-
Dition and the other being declared
against the sale of liquor by major
ity almost as large, those who would
defeat the pending bill are left with
precious little ground on which to
fight.
The advocates Of prohibition, on the
other hand, were never more active
and enthusiastic. They have whipped
the state into a frenzy of prohibition
fervor. They see victory, long sought,
in sight and declare that no stone will
be left unturned to make their con.
quest immediate and complete.
When the vote was taken the gale
ries were crowded with interested
spectators, and it was with difficulty
that President Akin prevented cheer
ing and order was preserved only by
threats of the president; to clear tae
galleries in case of applause.
Those who composed the minority
vote were Senators Brock of the forty
fourth, Fielder of the tweIty-second,
Gordy of the twenty-fourth, Griffin Of
the twenty-frst, Johnson of the
twenty-third, Mattox of the fourth and
Stephens Of the first.
Senators Flynt OF the twenty-sixth
and Weaver of the for;y-first were ab-
sent and it was not necessary for
President Akin to cast his ballot.
Senator Fielder made an effort soon
after the opening of the senate to
postpone the consideration of the bill
until Tuesday, but his motion was lost
by a vote of 30 to II.
Several amendments to the bill were
adopted. The first makes it prohibi-
tory for whiskey or intoxicating H.
quors Of any description to be kept
for sale in dispensaries.
The second merely adds strength
to the requirement tha. before whis-
key can be secured for patients, that
the attending physician must be re-
putable and actually in charge of the
patient.
The third amendment provides that
grain alcohol may be sold to bacte-
biologists who are actually engaged
in that class Of work for scientific pur-
poses.
When the senator from the twenty.
second saw that it was inevitable that
the bill was to be considered, he NOV
ed Immediately after its third read
ing that the previous question be now
put, which motion was carried ard
the possibility of all debate was pre-
cluded.
Senator Hardman made an effort to
speak in order to explain some fea-
lures of the bill, but the senators de-
cided that the question needed no dis
cussion, so decided to have the vote
taken at once.
After the bill was declared passed
by the president. Senator knight
moved that it be Immediately sent to
the house. The motion was carried.