The Washington herald., 1908-04-14
LIQUOR BILL ANNOYS
Senators Find it Hard to Pro-
tect "Unirrigated" States.
KNOX PROPOSES THE SOLUTION
Fulton and Rayaer Back 1t to Turn
the Trick of DOdging the Constitn-
tion, hHt Bacon and Nelson Are
Wary-AH Kinds OF Bills Fail to
Receive Committee Endorsement.

More perplexing than volumes Of knot
ted law to the Senate is the simple prob
lem of stopping shipments Of liquor
from wet into dry" States. Learned
Senator's in search of solution have
found the Constitution athwart each
others ambidextrous pass.
Opinions Of the Senate judiciary Com
mittee and of its subcommittee are not in
unison on any proposal effecting the end
desired. Many proposals have been made
In the form Of bills and constitutional
trips have been found in all Of them. A
substitute, prepared by Senator Ktox and
reported 10 the Senate yesterday, is
thought inadequate by some of his asso-
ciates on the committee. and it Is expect
ed TO meet varying views in the Senate
that viii not be shaded by political afin-
ations.
Since the judiciary Committee could not
get together on any specific report. IL was
tacitly understood that every one who
wished should make a report according
to his own idea. With this net result Of
many days Of close consideration on the
part Of the full committee, and more by
the subcommittee OF five 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 a formidable undertaking.
Had Many BIHs-Buti
There was Senator Bacon's bill. and
Senator Clamps bill. and Senator TIL
mans bill, and Senator Overman's bill
and Senator Delivers bill and Senator
Hansbroughs bill. all intended to turn
the trick and all that came out of the
judiciary Committee was Senator Knox s
substitute, which only a bare majority Of
the subcommittee would approve for the
sake Of doing something and getting done
with the pesky thing Senators Fulton.
OF Oregon. and Rayner. of MARYLAND
stood for the Knox substitute. along with
the Pennsylvania Senator himself. while
Senator Bacon, Of Georgia, and Senator
Nelson, Of Minnesota. the first a Demo-
erat, and the other d Republican. would
have none OF IT,
a majority Of the fun committee decid-
ed 10 report the Knox measure. anyway.
and then let the dissenters come along
with their respectively honest views IN
respective measures of their own.
Hew Knox Would Solve II.
Senator Knox starts his proposition by
enacting that any officer. agent, or en-
ploye of any railroad company. express
company, or other common carrier who
shall knowingly deliver or cause TO be
delivered, intoxicants shipped from any
State or Territory. or from any foreign
country, to any person other than the
person to whom they have been con
signed or 10 any fictitious person. or any
person under q fictitious name, or any
carrier that collects the purchase money
or any part Of IT., Of intoxicants. or acts
as agent or buyer or seller, or aids IN
completing a sale. shall ba guilty Of a
misdemesnor; penalty SEQ fine or two
years Imprisonment, or both.
Some irritation is likely TO be felt in
spots on both sides of the Senate cham
Der when the debate on the fine consti-
tutional question comes on. No lack Of
respect for the sanctity OF the Constitu-
tion may be found in the Senate. far
he it from there. but the pin-points Of
the Constitution that are thought likely
by legal experts 20 stick into the prac-
teal enforcement Of State prohibition
may cause stir
Against Irrigation There.
It is the argument Of the Senators from
the dry and near-dry States that the
freedom of interstate traffic IN liquor
makes prohibitory State law Of little ef-
feet. It takes only a few months &c 'es-
tabHsh a system Of complete irrigation
for dry States, from the outside, where
the damp is unconfined.
All the Senators are agreeable 70 the
proposal OF protecting the prohibition
States in their righteousness. The only
trouble Is In knowing how TO 90 il con-
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