The sun., 1908-04-14
PROBLEM THAT VUXUS SENATE
now TO STOP SHIPMENTS or
LIQUOR INTO DRY STATES.
Six Hills Introduced, bat All Of Them Met
WIN Constitutional ObJectlOns--A Sub
sutute by senator Knox RbDOrted {,
but 10 Is wrought 20 BE INADEQUATE.

SIX ulllA lulFouucbut uuN M " AhNh W.T.
WIN Constitutional Oh bJectlOns--A Sub
sutute by senator Knox RbpOrted
but 10 Is'RbOught 20 BE INADEQUATE.
WASHINGTON, April iS More perple King
than volumes Of knotty law to the Senate
is the single problem oi stopping shipments
Of liquor from wet into dry States
Many proposals have been made in the
form Of bills and constitutional trips have
been found in all Of them. substitute
prepared by Senator Knox and introduced
in the Senate to-day is thought inadequate
by some Of his associates on the committee,
and II is eIps cted to meet varying views
in the Senate. Since the Judiciary Commit
tee could not get together on any specific
report ii was taCtly understood that every
one who wished should make a report ao-
oording 10 his own idea. With this net re-
suit Of many days Of close consideration on
the part CT the full committee and more by
the subcommittee of Ave. to whom the
tangle was passed In the hope that five
might make headway where thirteen could
not settlement by the Senate itself looks
like formidable undertaking.
There was Senator Bacon q bill and
Senator Clay's bill and Senator 1illmans
bill and Senator Overman's bill and Senator
Delivers bill and Senator HansbrOughs
bill all intended 10 turn the trick, and all
that came out OF the Judiciary Committee
was Senator knOXs bill. which only a bare
, majority Of the subcommittee would aD-
prove for the sake Of doing something and
getting done with the pesky thing. Sena-
tor Fulton of Oregon aud senator Rayner
Of Maryland stood for the knox bil along
with the Pennsylvania senator himself,
while Senator Bacon Of Georgia and Sena-
tor Nelson OF Minnesota, the first Demo
Crat and the other q Republican, would
have none Of IT, A majority VI the fun
committee decided 70 report the Knox
measure anyway and then lei dissenters
come along with their respectively honest
views In respective measures OF their own.
All the bills are much alike, with the eX-
ceptlon OF the Knox bill. That Is totally
different In form, but it seeks 70 accomplish
the restrictive objects Of the other bills.
The language Of the similar bills in the
first part is fair description OF the plan
Of each OF them. The legal detail may be
different, but the first section Of ono serves
TO show what they are all driving at. II
reads as follows:
Be II enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States Of
America In Congress assembled that all
fermented. distilled or other Intoxicating
liquors or liquids transported INTO any State
or Territory OF remaining therein for use.
consumption. sale or storage therein, shall
upon arrival within the borders OF IN . State
aud before or after delivery TO the cOnsgnee
In such State or Territory be subject to the
operation and efleCt Of the laws Of such State
or Territory enacted in the exercise Of lis
police powers to the same extent and in the
same manner as though such liquids or
liquors had been produced In such State or
Territory, and shall not be exempt therefrom
by reason Of being introduced therein In
original packages or otherwise.
Right there the constitutional lawyers
believe the various bills fall down.
Senator Knox starts his proposition by
enacting that any officer, agent or employee
Of any railroad company, express company
or other common carrier, who shall know
ingy deliver a case to or cause 10 be de-
livered ibtoIicants shipped from any State
or Territory or from any foreign country,
10 any person other than the person to whom
they have been consigned, or to any fiotti-
Gus person or any person under fictitious
name, or any carrier that collects the pur-
chase price or any part OF IL Of intoXicants,
or acts as agent or buyer or seller or aids
in completing a sale, shall be guilty Of mis-
demeanor penalty 5000 fine or two years |
imprisonment, or both.
Some irritation Is likely to be felt in spots |
on both sides Of the Senate chamber when |
the debate on the fine constitutional question |
comes on. No lack Of respect FOR the |
sanctity Of the Constitution may be found |
in the Senate, far be it from there, but the
pnpoints Of the Constitution that are
thought likely by legal experts to stick into |
the practical enforcement Of State prohi-
btion may cause a stir. 1t is the argument
uf the Senators from the dry and near dry
States that the freedom OF interstate traffic
in liquor makes prohibitory State laws Of
little effect. IL takes only a few months
10 establish a complete system OF irrigation
for dry States from the outside where the
damp B unoonhned.
All the Senators are agreeable to the pro-
posal Of protecting the prohibition States
In their restrictions. The only trouble is
in knowing how to do it constitutionally