The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-12
LIQUOR PEOPLE
HAD THE FLOOR
of the House Commit
tee on Judiciary EnIivened
by Sutro of New York.
TILT WITH LITTLEFlELD
MAINE AS AN EXAMPLE OF FAIL
URE OF PROHIBITION.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE anti-pro-
hibitiOnists had their innings today
when representatives OF the National
commandment Alliance appeared
before the house committee on judici-
airy to oppose in general the sixteen
bills introduced at this session for the
suppression of the liquor traffic and in
particular the Littlefield bill, propos-
ing federal aid in the enforcement of
local option excise laws. Those who
spoke against the bills were Attorney
p. A. Wildermuth of Philadelphia,
counsel of the Pennsylvania branch of
the alliance; Ernest c. Stahl of the
New Jersey States Journal, vice pres
ident of the alliance. and Attorney
Theodore SutTO of New York, presi-
dent of the New York branch, and for
mer commissioner of taxes.
A running exchange of thrusts be-
tween Mr.. Sutro and Representative
Littlefield. who is a member of the jul
dietary committee, enlivened the hear
ing.
Several members of the Women's
Christian Temperance union ard half
a dozen clergymen from as many cities
were present.
The Old Proposition.
Mr.. Sutro assumed the familiar
ground that you cannot Iegislate
into the people," and he flung
into Mr.. Littlefield's figurative teeth,
the assertion that Maine. MIR. Little
fields state. exemplified in a great
measure the soundness of the claim
that prohibition does not prohibit"
"Then," said Mr.. Littlefield, do l
your argument to be that
morality cannot be inculcated into the
people by legislation? Do you stand
on that? Answer me directly, please"
4 stand on that, yes" said Mr.. Su-
trO, but l want my meaning under
stood by this committee. /"
I'm other words, he wants to fix a
loophoe to crawl out Of" suggested
voice.
NO" said Mr.. Sutro, he doesn't.
But 1 don't propose to be misunder-
stood and taken advantage of. What |
stand on is this:
Moderation Should Be Taught.
? THE only way to make temperate |
men and women is to teach them mod |
Grafton as they grow up from boyhood |
and girlhood and the only genuine |
way to keep them tenn |
perate when they have grown up. if |
they are not strong enough themselves |
TO be moderate, is to make oYer-indul- |
drunkenness crime, a INSIDE |
And that is the province Of /
the state, not of the central govern |
ment If the law can say to a man. |
thou shalt not take a sip of wine or 1
beer or whisky or brandy, it can by |
the same authority say to him, thou /
shalt not take a mouthful of mince pie |
and tumbler of ice water Gentle /
men of the committee, Over-indulgence |
in intOXicants is not the only excess
conducive TO crime in this country. 1
give it as my firm belief that as many |
murders have been committed by dys-
peptics, made dyspeptics by too much /
mince pie and ice water, as by men
infiamed by violence and strong |
drink"
A Pointed Question.
When the laughter had subsidized Mr..
SutrO, relating to the philosophy that /
prohibition does not prohibit, delivered |
this inquiry:
IF prohibition is effective, why. not /
so long ago. were many members of /
this honorable house in the habit of |
going downstairs into the house res
taurant and calling for a cup of tea
with a large wink in the left eye, and /
being served with strong waters? Il
will ask the gentleman from Maine,
Mr.. Littlefield, to answer
Again when the laughter had subj
sided, Mr.. Littlefield said:
ASK the other members of the COM
n1iftpa that was bcfora tina