The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-20

The NGbU Bill.
And we have been to Washington
and have delivered such a weight of
influential opinion upon the represeu-
tatives of the people in congress that
Just one week ago today the Webb
bill was finally passed by congress
and sent TO the president for action.
What Is the Webb bill? 1t reads as
follows:
To Divest Intoxicating Liquors of
Their Interstate Commerce
Character in Certain Cases.
"Be it enacted by the senate and
house Of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assem-
bled. that the shipment or trans
portation. in any manner or by any
means whatsoever. of any spirltuous,
vinous matted, fermented, or other
intoxicating liquor of any kind, from
one State, territory, or district Of the
United States, or place noncontiguous
to but subject TO the jurisdiction
thereof, into any other State, terri
tory. or district of the United States,
or place noucontiguous TO but sub
teet to the jurisdiction thereof, or
from any foreign country into any
State, territory, or district Of the
GIltlSd ESlaLtSs Vi EiA61t fghIoAtete A13S
TO but subject to the jurisdiction
thereof, which said spirituous, vinous,
matted. fermented, or other intoN-
eating liquor Is intended, or by any
person interested therein. to be re-
ceived. possessed, sold, or In any man.
ner used, either In the original pack
age or otherwise, In violation of any
law of such State, territory. or dis
trict of the United States. or place
noncontiguous TO but subject TO the
Jurisdiction thereof. Ia hereby pro-
hibited."
What Ia the value OF this bill? If
II liz signed by the president and
stands the test of the Supreme court.
II will mark new era in prohibit
tory legislation.
Some temperance workers, who
have not carefully studied the ques-
ton. think that the purpose Of this
bill 10 to prevent the shipment Of
intoxicants from wet" cities or States
into dry territory. This Is only par
TALLY true. The Webb bill, taken
alone. will not prohibit any liquor
shipments, and IL such liquor ship
ments are made from Wet terri
tory into dry territory. the United
States government will not interfere
to stop such shipments AS a mat
ter or fact. there is no purpose that
United States officials shall take any
part officially in putting this law into
effect. and therefore, no penalties are
mentioned In the bill as punishment
for the violation of the law.
The Webb bill becomes an efficient
law In the matter of prohibition only
when the State passes laws for it's
own protection. The value of the law
lies In the fact that 1t gives final pow
er to the State In handling the traf-
fic in intoxicants.
Up to-. the present time the. State
has been poweriess to enforce any
law of her own making, which sfor-
babe the shipment OF liquor intoa dry
territory.
! Virginia might have passed a law
| prohibiting the manufacture and sale
of intoxicants within her borders, but
any citizen could write TO a point
without the State and order intoxi-
cants to be shipped TO him, and he
might intend to run blind tiger" in
Virginia and sell that liquor contrary
to the law of Virginia. but the officers
OF Virginia could not touch the liquor
80 long as ii was In the original pack
age, ana not until 1t had been deliv-
cred to the purchaser. He would be
protected by the interstate commerce
law. But should the Webb law stand
the tests and become the fully &C
cepted law Of the country. any man
living in dry territory in Virginia
who orders liquor from outside the
State for the purpose Of sale in dry
territory would not be protected by
the interstate commerce law of the
| United States, and the State officers
could seize the liquor just the same as
though 1t had been shipped in by a
! dealer in Richmond. The blind
| tiger" would not be able to call upon
the United States courts for protec-
ton. as he has done in the past
But will II not prevent men in North
Carolina from ordering sngs from
Danville, Emporia. GAINESVILLE, Rich
mond? Can the mail order houses
continue to I'LL orders? Yes. unless
those orders are given in violation OF
the State law. Should North Carolina
! pass law forbidding the shipment
/ of any intoxicants into her borders
| or TO anyone except TO drug stores or
! specified individuals for use i'm the
manufactures or in the arts: then nc
shipment could be made into North
| CaEQlina to any person for individual
1 use. but only to the 1~ug stores and
I to the specified individuals The mar
who wanted to get his jug for per-
sonal use could not get it legally He
/ might order ii, and 1t might be ship.
/ ped by the mail order houses, but ii
I the State officials were alert, and in
/ spected carefully all shipments made
I into North Carolina they could con-
! fiscate the liquor. and If they could
/ prove the ownership of the man who
| had ordered they could penalize him
/ TN whatever way the State law might
provide
Personal Tse' Not Prohibited.
The only real fight made 10 amend
/ the bill was To insert IL clause ex.
empting all liquors intended for per.
sonai use' from the operation of The
bill. That is to say, all liquor in.
! tended for personal use" would be
under the protection of the interstate
commerce law of the United States
and 1t would be impossible for the
State to pass any law which would
| interfere with the right to order for
personal use" The defeat of this
amendment was the elimination oil
I the fight. The bill as 1t now stands
/ does not prohibit man from order.
ing liquor for personal USE" or fol-
I any other u] allowed by the law
OF the State into which II may BIZ
! shipped. But neither does the bill
/ interfere in any way with the righi
/ of the State to pass a law forbiddine
the ordering of intoxicants for per,
sonal use or for any other use The