The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-24
HEARINGS WILL
END THIS WEEK
Senate Committee Will Favor
Bacon Bill on Liquor
Question.
POWER GIVEN TO STATES
EACH ONE CAN REGULATE FOR
ITSELF.

Washington, Feb. 23.-Hearings on
the various bills to regulate interstate
commerce in Intoxicating liquors, with
view to preventing shipments into
''dry" states or counties, will be closed
by the senate committee on the jul
dietary on Saturday next. The argu-
ments are being made before a sub
committee, consisting of Senators
Knox. chairman, Nelson, Fulton, Bacon
and Rayner. Probably no question be-
fore congress, not excepting the cur
rency problem. has received so much
attention during the present session.
1t is of vital interest to nearly every
state of the south, and to half of the
northern and western states
Bacon Bill Favored.
The indications are that the sub
committee will recommend passage of
the Bacon bill. Its author, being a
member of the committee, has incor-
pOrated into the measure numerous
amendments covering nearly every
phase of the subject that has been
raised during the extended hearings 1t
in the borders of any state shall be
within the lawful police powers of such
state, but that the state shall not in
terfere with the transportation of Ii
quors. 1t provides that the bill of lad
ing accompanying the shipment shall
declare the destination and that the
transportation shall not be arrested nor
diverted from the point of consign-
ment. In other words, the bill seeks
to prevent any transaction in shipment
which would tend to defeat the state
law in regard to traffic in intOxicants,
whatever that state law may be.
Not a Prohibition Measure.
Senator Bacon pointed out during the
hearings that it is in no sense a prohi-
bition bill and if enacted into law
would not of itself interfere with the
sale of liquors in any place. The sole
purpose of the measure is by congress
sionai action to so regulate interstate
commerce in intoxicating liquors as to
remove the barriers created by the OPP
Grafton of the interstate commerce law,
in order to permit the state to exer-
else full control of the traffic within
its borders. Suceinctly stated, il will
secure to each state the right and pow
er to enact and to enforce laws which
traffic in such state in such manner as
its people may elect.
Right of State to Decide.
The passage of the Bacon bill will
give to each state the right to deter
mine whether there shall or shall not
be within its borders any traffic in in
tOXicdting liquors. The same power
will extend to a county of state so
that it may be determined whether the
restriction shall be wholly or in part.
Under this bill the state could entirely
exclude liquors from its borders, or if
it desired, could permit liquor traffic.
Furthermore, any state would have the
power, if its people so elected, to per-
nit liquors to.be received by any .citi-
zen for his own use, and at the same
time sale to others could be prohibited.
1t is provided that congress in the ex-
ercise of it's powers to regulate COM
merce between the states shall so con-
troll interstate commerce in intOXicat-
ing liquors as to leave each state in
the free exerciFe of its police powers in
regard to traffic of liquors within its
borders.