The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-07-05
OCEANS OF BAD BOOZE
20,OOO,O0O GALLONS SHIPPED AN
NUALLY BY MAIL ORDER
HOUSES TO DRY STATES.
SOME STARTLING REVELATIONS

Astonishing Facts Are Brought to
Light Through an Investigation by
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. Jacksonville the Largest
Shipper. Liquor and Negroes.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-Approxf-
mately twenty million gallons of
liquors annually are shipped by ex-
press, principally from mail order
houses, direct to consumers in pro-
hibition states.
This startling fact was developed
today in an inquiry conducted by
the interstate commerce commission
into proposed changes in express
classifications which resulted in an
advance of rates on packages con-
tanning liquors.
The commission held that the ex-
press requirement that liquor con-
tainers should be packed in corrugat-
ed paper cartons was reasonable; but
that the charge for transportation
based upon arbitrary weights-18
pounds for gallon of whiskey pack
ed-was unreasonable and that the
discrimination against stone jugs
also was unreasonable.
Commissioner McChord, who con-
Quoted the inquiry and prepared the
opinion of the commission, points out
that the industry directly concerned
is that of the mail order liquor
houses
Dry Movement Gave vitality to Trade.
1T was the spread of the prohi-
bition movement" the opinion says.
that gave vitality to this character
Of traffic in liquor. With statewide
prohibition came the interstate traf-
fic in liquor. The decision of the
supreme court that this traffic was
interstate and, therefore, superior
to Interference by the state govern
ment gave to the industry a tremen-
dous impetus, and established the
express companies as carriers of
practically the whole of this traffic.
Jacksonville, Fla, probably the
largest shipping point for liquor in
the south, sends out between three
and four thousand packages of one
or two gallons daily, or a total of
about one and one-half million gal
Ions a year Chattanooga ships about
$4,000 gallons; Richmond 546,720
gallons; Petersburg 26S,128; Pensa-
cola 267,760; New Orleans 255,856;
Augusta, 215, $50 1; Norfolk, Va, Cal
70, ILL.,, Emporia, Va, Louisville, KY,
Portsmouth, Va, Roanoke, Va, and
Savannah, Ga, ship more than 1907
900 gallons each annually.
The movement is much more act
| i've in the south than in other sec
tions of the country partly because
of the extent of the prohibition terri
tory in that section, partly because of
| the large quantities Of very cheap
whiskey manufactured and shipped
there for the consumption of the ne
gro population" :
The opinion concludes with the
statement that although it is not the
function Of the commission to dwell
on the moral aspect of the question
it is considered that the traffic has.
an evil effect and is one of the i'm
portant factors in the race problem.
of the south.
Liquor and the Negro. y
The influence of large shipments
Of cheap liquor to the negro popuIa-
ton of the south is adverted to in an
interesting way.
Commissioner McChord in render
ing the opinion of the commission
discusses the tremendous increase
and continues:
While it is not the function of
TINS commission to be Influenced inl
Us conclusions by the moral aspect OF
the question it is impossible NOT to
recognize in this traffic one of the
important factors in the race nrob-
lem OF the south-the evil spirit hack
OF that problem in more WAYS than
one Generally speaking the evidence
presented at these hearings went To
snow distinct cleavage in the in
dustry; in the west a higher grade oP
llquor was shipped and better eli
entele appealed to; in the south both
Whlskey and consumers were on a
considerably lower grade.''