The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-12-24
SEVERE BLOW TO ~BLIND PIGS
Government 10 Become Factor in
Prosecuting vioators OF Local
Option Laws

Washington, Dec. 8. - Anothe
phase in the great campaign agains
liquor will come to the fore the frs
of next month, when the revised
penal code of the United States il
to become effective. Many of tn,
changes made In the penal laws b,
the sixtieth congress were of minor
interest, but the section relating tt
the shipment of Intoxicating liquor.
into dry territory contained new
/ Legislation, the result of which viii
be to make the United States a fac
tor in prosecuting violators of the
act. In thickly settled communities
the local authorities, as a rule, ara
able to deal effectively with offend
ers, but in certain sections of the
south and west, where settlement is
sparse, the task is not so easy, and
the members of congress from these
sections insisted that the federal
government should come to the aid
of the local authorities.
Three sections OF the new codifi-
cation relate to the liquor traffi /.
The most important provision is that
on and after January every ship
ment Of Intoxicating liquor shall b a
| the name OF the consignee, the re,
| ture of the contents of the receptac. e
and the quantity contained therein.
| 1t is notorious fact, SO say persons
who have had experience in attempt
I ing to drive out blind pigs thai
practically all the liquor now shipped
into prohibited territory is labelled
as some other commodity, or not lap
eled at all, and frequently addressed
to persons other than the consignee.
The federal authorities already
have sent out notice to all manufact-
urers of intoxicants that their wares
must be labelled on the outside OF the
package on and after the first OF the
year, setting forth the nature OF the
contents and the exact amount in
each package. 1t is believed that If
the local authorities cooperate with
the federal government in the en-
forcement of the law 1t will be COM
partively easy matter to suppress the
blind tigers. 1t is pointed out that
from now on they cannot exist with
out violating the federal statute and
the assumption OF the department of
Justice is that would-be violators will
not care to take the chance of falling
Into the clutches of the federal courts.
1t has been alleged that from time
I to time that in some of the states
where the sale of intoxicating liquor
has been prohibited in one way or
another the railroads and express
companies assisted the violators OF
| the new law by acting as buying or
selling agents, or both. Congress
with the idea of putting a stop to this
practice, provided as follows. Amy
railroad company, express company
or other common carrier, or any per-
son who, in connection with the
Transportation of any spurious, vim
GUS. matted, fermented, or other in
toxicating liquor Of any kind, from
| one state, territory or district Of the
| United States, into any state, terri
tory or district of the United States
or from any foreign country into any
state, territory, or district of the
4 United States, shall collect the pur-
chase price or any part thereof, be.
fore, on or after delivery, or shall
. in any manner act as the agent Of
the buyer or seller of any such liquor
for the purpose of buying or selling
or completing the sale thereof, saving
only in the actual transportation anC
delivery of the same shall be fined
not more than $4,000"