Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12
CHAT TANOOGA RAPS
PROHIBITION BILL
CITY COUNCIL, WITHOUT ONE
DISSENTING VOTE PROTESTS
AGAINST PASSAGE OF STATE
WIDE LAW BY LEGISLATURES.

WIDE LAW BY LEGISLATURE.
CHATTANOOGA, Ten. Jan. 9.--The
city council in special joint session to-
night adopted a strong protest against
the legislature of the state interfering
with this city's right to local self gov
eminent in the passage of a statewide
prohibition law. There was not dis
senting vote.
The resolutions adopted concludes as
follows:
1--WE most earnestly protest against leg
isIation which can only be predicated
upon the knowledge of men who do NOT
know the conditions which exist in this
community, and against legislation which
takes from the people of this community
the right to decide this for themselves.
We protest against legislation which
viii destroy without compensation sever
al millions of property, that viii put
hundreds of men out of employment, that
Will seriously disturb and injure our bus
mess conditions and will produce 81 dam
gerous disturbance in local conditions.
and will substitute the 'speak-easy' and
the blind tiger for the regulated saloon.
I'VE believe that such destructive legis-
IatfOn viii not only not contribute to the
moral well-being of the community, but
will work contrary result produce great
financial loss and work great detriment
TO this city's welfare.
1--WE, therefore, most earnestly request
the representatives of this county, in the
Legislature, to present this to the joint
assembly at Nashville and to ask in our
name. that our right to local self govern
ment be preserved"
TENNESSEE Is PROBING
s IT'S RWHTSKY LOBBY
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Jan. 9.-The sem
sation OF the hour in legislative circles
yesterday was the resolution introduced
| by representatives in the house seeking
an investigation of the whisky lobby"
and alleged attempts to defeat temper
ance measures.
Then came two prohibition bills. one
signed by hfty-seven and the other by
| fifty-five members, which insures their
passage through the lower house and q
sufficient number of votes to pass either
measure over veto should the governor
decide to disappr0ve them. II only, re-
quires a majority Of the members alected
to pass a bill over the governors veto
fifty in the house and seventeen in the
senate.
The senate ana house both received spe-
cial messages from the governor asking
that no action be taken on the temper
transmit a special message on the sub
ject, not later than next Thursday. The
message was spread on the minutes OF
each branch. rst es 81
Many numerously signed petitions were
presented by senators from counties ask
ing the passage OF a statewide prohibi-
ton bill. The resolution for. Investigation
of the whisky lobby" was. offered by
Representative Tatum, OF Dyer county.
It provides for a committee. of five from
the house and three from the senate to
conduct the investigation and clothe Il
with all requisite powers. In the preaRn-
BILE appears the following: m ss
Whereas, it Is a matterTof common
knowledge that an organization repre-
senting the allied whisky and brewery
interests is maintaining a lobby In tho
city of Nashville for the purpose of at
| tempting to defeat temperance iegislas
tion,q at the, head of which organizationf
is one Charles NJ Lewis. Of shelhyville.
| KY; and, 81 -s97fs as
''Whereas. It is generally believed that
this organization is attempting to domi-
nate politics and control the actions OF
the Legislature in the matter OF temper
ance~by improper and corrupt means.v
LIQUOR MEN BEGIN THE
a' = a'Fa FIGHT IN ALABAMA
MONTGOMERY, Ala, Jam s.---Backed
by any amount of money and supported
by as good legal talent as the state af-
fords, the anti-prohibition forces today
began an attack on the constitutionality
of the state prohibition law in the I'm
ted States court seeking to have Judge
Thomas 6. Jones issue an Injunction
estopping all enforcement Of the act
pending q decision Of the validity Of its
passage, which is questioned IN many
particulars. ~
IL ss oonfanaaS that the federas court
has jurisdiction. the same points having
been raised in the railroad rate acts
which were enjoined, and that II should
give relief to the business interests,
every day, losing thousands OF dollars
| by the operations of the law.
Brewing Company Brings Case
The case is brought by the Cook Brew
| ing Co., Of Evansville. Ind. which al
Ieges that It has spent $4,000 In building
up a business in the state that is taken
away by the law; that 1t is deprived OF
! this good will, and that the law 10 in
valid and without authority to thus de-
| prive them.
1t is held that the bill did not set tout
the amendments In full as required by
the constitution OF the state, and that
the bill is in other respects bad. Many
cases were cited to show that the law is
weak, measured by the rulings Of the
supreme court of the state, and 1t Is ar
gued that even though the supreme court
OF the state has held the measure good,
it only passed upon the questions pre-
sented, none of which are here set out
Rights of State
The state is taking the position that the
state in the exercise of police duties, has
right to control the traffic, that it is a
state question without the jurisdiction OF
the federal court; that the law is valid
and in line with the rulings of The courts
OF the land and the amendments were
set out in such a way as to meet every
requirement Of the law. II is also pointed
out that the petitioner is not injured in
his right to SELL being protected by the
interstate commerce act, that he is in
effect, seeking to restore the right to Gus
toners and this may be done by proper
proceedings in the state courts If such
right there be. The argument viii last (