Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-05

from violating the liquor laws of pro-
hihition states. The liquor interests
] seer. to be greatly alarmed by the
present prospect Of passage Should
the measure becorpe law it would be
sad blow TO the makers and sellers ef
various kinds of intoxicants
The circulars TO which we refer is
under the title Why Not Have
| Common Sense Tsar??' II first APP
pearad in so-called newspaper--ona
of those paid-for editorials for which
an appropriation Of 5S.o0O,030 WAS
made b. the booze trust to cover the
year fei2 Now ii is copied ard sent
cut as the voice OF newspaper eli
tor shouting for the interests Of the
MAKERS and sellers of booze
The article is. in way. encouraging
to the friends Of law and better condi
lions. III that it appears To expect
| the Kenyon Webb Law To pass. Nery.
astutely IS worked into the fabric Of
this acknowledgements, the language q
the National Model License League, =
an organization in the interests of and
promoted by the wholesale Liquor
dealers and their henchmen. Here is
the substance of the circular:
Truly this is q wonderful country IN
no other land in the world have the
business men SO far progressed that
they can read the minds of their Gus
TONER'S They have not here, YOU say
Ali, nut you are wrong No less an an
thoritS than the legislators of several
states have by their enactments told as
so, and now the Federal Congress itself
seems to be- on the point al adding eea-
firmation.
measure which is now before the House.
This bill seeks to compel shippers of
liquor in interstate commerce To know
whether the purchaser of whiskey, Tor
instance. intends to Use il as garSle ar
rheumatism lniment. Whether he in
tends to consume a hogshcad order all
by himself or whether he may occasion
ally ask in friend TO take nip or INC.
The bill is said to have the support OF
the Anti-Saloon League. We can Well
believe il. 1t rises quite UP to the stand |
ard of stupidity of most rabtd temper
ance' measures. II II Is passed We move
that it be inserted in the great books Of
the law in. columns parallel to the htIl
which deprived the Amy of its canteea
and brought great JOY thereby TO the |
hearts and minds of off-reservation dive |
keepers.
I'm an effort to throw the light of in |
tellgence upon the bill a circular lette~
has been sent out by the National Model |
License League. parts of which are
1.-The bills of the Kenyon and Webb |
type seek to convict the shipper of an |
article of commerce, in case the con- |
signee should intend to use such article |
in q way contrary TO the law of the |
state in which the consignee resides
The enactment of such bill would be |
parallel TO the enactment of law to |
punish the manufacturers of all of the |
various articles of commerce that might |
be misused by consignees.
y large manufacturing concern en-
gagged iii Interstate commerce cannot |
POSSIBLY have cognizance OF the inten- |
tons of its customers, and so long as |
the laws provide that the consumer shall |
have the right 10 purchase liquors |
would seem To be an unwarranted inva-
sion of the rights of the buyer, as we'll |
as of the rights of the seller to require |
the shipper practically 10 guarantee the |
intent of the consignee. In other words, |
the Kenyon bill would put upon the |
shipper the necessity of seeing to it that |
the eonsgnee shall consume personally
all of the liquor that he buys, and which. |
under the law. he has n right to buy.
p" If the Kenyon bill and other bills
like il would be unconstitutional. if en-
acted, 1t might require as long time as
three Years before 4 decision would be |
by the supreme Court In the
meantime such an act would work 4
great injustice on the men engaged in |
the manufacture and sale of alcoholic |
beverages, would put the liquor interests |
of the United states to great expense
and would not accomplish anything in
behalf of real temperance.