The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-17


Thomas SamnIes and = T nadmun.
Headquarters Committee The Anti
saloon League &C Virginia Rich
tuoud. Virginia
NV Dear Sirs
received through feg. J. p MtAt-
lister. Secretary Of The Auti-Saloon
League. your communication of May -.
1911, in which yau PROFOUND To me GER
tain inquiries, requesting me to a1-
sWcr same
| take pleasure ia answering fully
aud frankly the questions whien you
have seen proper 10 submit to me
cannot recall amy election held nj
my voting precinct III which the liquor
question was involved. nor cau I recall
While ! was q member of the House
of Representatives or since ! have been
a member of the Senate of the United
States any measures being voted upon
such as embraced IN your inquiry.
/ viii state, iH regard to my public
record upon these questions, that as
Governor If Virginia ! approved and
signed the various measures passed by
the General Assembly Of Virginia, dur
ing mE term Of office. regulating and
eausrollng the liquor traHic within
the State. These measures are SO gen
orally known that / DO not deem il
necessary to enuuerate them here.
Your first numbered inquiry is as
follows
"9Eound you favor and work for 1or
oppose and Wgrk against the passag 60
Of the Milier-C Curtis blli. OF its equiva
lent. bill designed 10 giNo to the war
ious States absolute control Of the dis
trhution or Intoxicating liquors within
their own bounds ~
In reply 10 this inquiry viii say
that / favor and would do all / could
/ t-ey IN 7 he
passage of the Miller Curtis bin or a
bin equivalent to the same. This bill
permits the people of each State TO
regulate and control the sale and dis
tribution Of intoxicating liquors with
In their own borders. | am in accord
with the doctrine contained in This
measure and believe II is in harmony
with ia" long established Democratic
doctrine Of state sovereignty.
Your second numbered inquiry is as
follows
Would YOU favor and work for or
oppose and work against the passage
of the tiarthold bill, or it's equivalent,
a bill designed To restore the canteeu
to the army of the United States"
In reply to this win say that the
Barthold bin proposes 10 repeal that
portion Of an act i'll Congress which
prohibits the sale If or dealing in beer,
wine or any intoxicating liquors by
amy person In amy post exchange or
canteen or army transport or upon
any premises used for military pur-
poses by the United States
As Senator from Virginia / would
vote against and oppose the passage
Of this bill. J favor the continuance
OF the present law on this SUSPECT.
Yours Very truly.
CLAUDE "A. SWANSON.
Jones Reply
House OF Representatives,
Washington. May &c, 1911.
Mr.. T. s. Barbour and Others. Vir-
GINA ,Anti-Saloon League, 500
East Franklin Street. Richmond,
Va:
Gen,iemen.~-I have your letter Of
the I'D instant, in which YOU request
that | viii answer certain questions
attitude upon the Hquor question.
In reply | beg 10 state that at the
only local option election held in the
district ia the county in which Il re-
side I voted to exclude the saloon. IT
would require consid cradle time and
research on my part to examine the
Cong<essional Record, covering the
twenty years in which ! have been
member of Congress, in order to state
sP@cihcatiN my position upon every
measure which has been before the
House of Representatives during that
period relating 70 the manufacture,
sale and transportation of liquors.
feel safe in saving, however. that my
votes have been uniformly on the side
Of temperance
Answering your specific question as
to whether | would favor and work
for or oppose and work against the
passage Of THE Miller Curtis bill, or
it's equivalent. measure designed to
give to the various States absolute
control of the distribution Of intoki-
eating liquors within their bounds"
VIII say that | favor and VIII ear
nestly support such measure,
| viii also state that l do not favor
the so-called Barthald bill. and that