The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-02-19
LIVELY HEARING BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE ON LIQUOR QUESTION
me Sneaker Thinks Nince Prolific of Murder Strong
National of Christian Temperance Union
1.+e ov, That Will Seize WhIsky a Destination

I The l-prOnlDlJIOnlSLS H"N O
inning Tuesday when representatives
of the National commandment
! Alliance appeared before the house
committee on judiciary to oppose IN
| general the sixteen bills introduced
at this session of congress for the
suppression of the liquor traffic and
in particular the Littlefeld bill pro-
posing federal aid in the enforce
ment of local option excise laws.
Among those who spoke against the
bills was Attorney Theodore Sutro OF
New York, president of the New
York branch of the alliance and
former commissioner of taxes.
A running exchange of thrusts
between Mr. Sutro and Representa-
tive Littlefield, who is a member OF
the committee, enlivened the hear
ing. Among those in attendance
were several members of the Wo-
mans Christian Temperance Union
and a half dozen clergymen from as
many cities.
Cannot Legislate Morality.
Mr.. SutrO assumed the familiar
ground that you cannot legislate
morality into the people," and he
flung into Mr.. Littlefield's figurative
teeth the assertion that Maine, Mr..
LittlefeId's state, exemplified in a
great measure the soundness of the
claim that prohibition does not pro-
hibit."
Then" said Mr.. Littlefield, edo
I understand your argument that
morality cannot be inculcated into
the people by legislation? Do you
stand on that? Answer me directly,
please"
MAKE DRUNKENNESS A CRIME
Il stand on that; yet" said Mr..
Sutro; 81 want my meaning I'M
derstood by this committee. What
| stand on is this: The only way to
make temperate men and women is
to teach them moderation as they
grow up from boyhood and girlhood;
and the only genuine, constitutional
way to keep them temperate when
they have grown up, if they are not
strong enough of themselves to be
moderate, is to make Overindulgence
drunkenness crime, a misde
meanor. And that is the province
of the state, not of the central gov
ernment. If the law can say to
man Thou shalt not take a sip of
wine or beer or whisky or brandy
it can by the same authority say to
him Thou shalt not take mouthful
of mince pie and a tumbler of ice
water. Gentlemen of this commit
tee, overindulgence in intoxicants is
not the only excess conducive to crime
in this country. l give it as my firm
belief that as many murders have
been committed by dygpeptics made
dyspeptic by too much mince pie and
ice water as by men infamed to VIC
lence by strong drink"
Got a Laugh on the Committee.
Mr.. Sutro, returning to the phi
losophy that prohibition does not pro-
hibit, delivered this inquiry: eff
prohibition is effective why not SO
, long ago were many members of this
honorable house of representatives in
the habit of going downstairs into the
house restaurant and calling for a
| cup of tea with a large wink in
the left eye and being served with
strong drink? l will ask the gentle
man from Maine, Mr.. Littlefeld, tC
answer"
When laughter had subsidized Mr.
Littlefield said: Ask the other
members of the committee; it was
before my time"