Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-19
Convention Adopts Committee
Report, Holding That Ques
ton Is Matter for Legislative
Action Only,
DELEGATES DON'T WANT TO
C0MPLICATE STATEHOOD
Penitentiay Sentence for Leg
isIatofs Accepting Free Pass
eS; Convention viii Not ADJ
iourn Until Next Week,


liS Morning J"hrhsu 0prcif" 1e'H'" ''''N'
Santa re, n. NJ, Nov is.--Wlth the
adoption Of the report of the special
committee on liquor traffic. the con
stitutlonal convention this afternoon
decided that while the liquor traffic
Is a proper subject for legislative reg
ulati0n It has no place in a state
constitution. There are several dele
gates in the convention elected on
platforms which pledged them TO pro
hibition separately submitted OF 9TH
erwise, but even these gentlemen dls-
PLAYED no great enthusiasm in defend
ing their position when the matter
came-ae today. lly agreement one
hour was allowed for debate on the
prohibition matter and the major por-
ton OF il was consumed in the adj
vocacy Of local option amendments,
One plan, by Delegate Lindsey OF
Roosevelt, was laid on the table ny
n vote of AZ to 2b, bur not until it's
author and several other gentlemen
had made able arguments for ith
adoption. provided that the question
Of saloons or no saloons should pc
voted upon by the people az cach gen
eral election Mr. Lindsey, in asking
support TOR his amendment, said that
moral conditions have improved Won
county since the saloon was abolished
The county Jail he said was almost
empty, the criminal docket contains
hut few cases and the levy IN the
county for court purposes had beoh
reduced from six to three mills.
Dr. Garrison Of Dnna Ana. was
among those who preferred state wide
prohibition, but was willing TO accent
local option ms compromise in tho
event that It was impossible to OBJ
tain prohibition, though personally ne
thought local option was the better
plan. Mr.. Richardson was oi the
opinion that failure 20 allow the peo-
ple the right to vote on prohibition
would cost the constitution several
thousand votes when 1t came NJ for
ratification. Nincty-eight por cent Of
the people of Chavcs county, snid Mr..
Richardson, wanted - chance To Nota
on this question, though he did NOT
hold that any such portion of them
would vote to 40 away with the "a
loon
Delegate Stovcr was another OF
those who had pledged themselves
TOR prohibition, but failing 70 get Il.
was willing 10 vote tor local option.
He wanted every precinct to have tho
right TO say whether or not II should
permit saloons within its boundaries.
Mr. StoVer read q long extract from q
Kansas newspaper in. which proml-
nent railway official painted IN rosy
huey the improved conditions among
the railroad employees since the abu-
lition OF the saloon in Kansas. Dele-
gate Heflin Of san Juan also wanted
prohibition, ana wanted II embodied
in the constitution and not submitted
separately. tie was willing however
to accept local option if that was the
best that could be secured.
Delegate Brice Of Eddy was for pro-
hibition or anything else that wonld
prevent or limit the sale of intoXi- |
cants
As soon as the Lindsey local option
had been laid on the ta-
Die, Delegate Parker was ready with !
another. His plan is 10 give every |
county. town, city or precinct the |
right To say whether or not they shah |
have saloons, but providing that the |
question should not be submitted to |
the people oftencr than once IN five |
years, No one spoke IN favor Of tho |
Parker amendment and II was laid I
on the table by the close vote Of as /
10 A. Delegate Prichard then offered /
. lengthy proposition for prohibition, !
the state dispensary system. This was I
voted down without debate or divis- !
ion. After this the report OF the com /
mittee on liquor traffic tgas adopted |
by o. vote OF s. TO rs. Following ~ the
text OF the report:
I'VE. YOUR committee on ilouor
traffic and prohibition beg leave TO
report as follows; That after receive
ing and considering The various petit
lions for and against statewide pro-
hihition ana local option and after
careful deliberation on the matter.
your committee Is of the opinion that
the regulation OF the liquor traffic ls
Il proper subiect of legislative action
under the police powers OF the state
lnd that IL Is not n proper matter 10
be Incorporated in the constitution or
considered by this assembly
minority report siimed by Dele
gate Fitc was also presented. The
gentlemen from Socorro agreed bso-
utciy with the majority mombers that
he regulation of the liquor traffic
VAS not constitutional matter. bur
he thought that provision should bc
made for the submission Of tnis ana I
lthcr important questions 10 the poo
Die by means OF the initiative aud ref
'rendHm. Mr. Fitchs report wa
aid away without discussion The
loon lcague and other temper
ince organisations have bcen repre-
rented on tho floor OF the convention
'ver since the opening day and con-
siderable comment was heard on the
tame ending Of their
for recognition IN the con-
IL Is pointed Que however,