The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-16
BLACKMON HAS NO
APOLOGY FOR VOTE
ON THE WEBB BILL
Measure Does Not Allow
Shipment of Liquor for
Personal Use
HOUSE REJECTED
HIS AMENDMENT
'hich Would Have Made an Excep-
ion of Shipments Marked Fer
Personal Use"-Railroads
Will Obey Law
nx c sTEwART

Dy c. E. STEWART
Washington, February l5.-tSpecial)-
representative Blaclmon does nor agree
til many members of Congress that the
obt bill, recently passed by Congress,
nd which viii become law unless We
ed by the President, does not prohibit
nc shipment of Intoxicating liquors for
ersonal use. Fun ther Mr.. Blackmon be-
ewes that it was the intention of the
lends of the bill to prevent the ship
ent of liquor into prohibition tel ritory
. 1e any purpose whatsoever. In discussing
le bill, Mr., Blaokmon said:
1t is rather astounding TO me TO hear
embers of Congress, and especially law
ers of that body. arguing rlat the Webb
III. recently passed by both branches
Congress. does not prohibit the ship
aent of Intoxicating liquors for personal
use.
IF the bill is constitutional it will have
this effect beyond any question. No
liquor dealer Is going 20 take the chance
OF becoming involved for the violation of
a federal statute, on account of the secret
intention of the person ordering the IN
| toxicaung liquor. II the liquor dealer Is
| willing to take this risk 1t Is very clear
that the railroads and express companies
will not do so. For instance, If man
living In Alabama orders intoxicating
liquor from a dealer, say in Cincinnati,
il his undisclosed intention is to sell that
| whisky after 1t reaches Alabama, then
both the shipper and the railroad COM
pany would be equally liable for his secret
intent, notwithstanding they had no pre-
vious knowledge of his intent
1T is very clear said Mr. Blackmon,
! that Ii was the intention of the friends
of the bill to prevent the shipment OF
liquor into prohibition territory, Tor any
purpose. Had their intention been other
wise they would not have objected to
adopting my amendment TO the bill which
would have cleared up this question, and
in my Judgment made 1t a bill to reg
ulate commerce instead of a bill to pro-
hhlt commerce.
Verbatim Copy
I'm order that those who feel an in
terest in this matter may know the facts
| give verbatim copy of the Webb bill
as passed by both branches of Congress
and also a copy of the amendment /
offered to the bill:
60 An Act: Divestng intoxicating liquors
OF their interstate character in certain
cases.
BE it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
That the shipment or transportation, in
any manner or by any means whatsoever
of any spirituous, vinous matted, fer
mented. "or other Intoxicating liquor of
any kind from one state. territory. or
district of the United States, or place
noncontinguous to but subject to the juris-
diction thereof. into any other state. ter
ritory, or district of the United States, or
territory, or district of the United states,
Of place noncontinguous to but subject
TO the jurisdiction thereof which said
spirituous, vinous. matted, fermented or
other intoxicating liquor is intended, by
any person interested therein, to be re-
ceived, possessed, sold, or in any manner
used, either in the original package or
otherwise i'm violation of any law of such
state, territory, or district of the United
States or place noncontiguous to but sub
ject to the jurisdiction thereof, Is hereby
prohibited.
Passed the Senate February 10. 1913
"'Attest: CHARLES G. BENNETT,
Secretary
"'Passed the House of Representatives
February II, 1919
Attest: SOUTH TRIMBLE,
CLERK
Blackmon's Amendment
Amendment offered by Mr.. Black
mon:
Amend. by striking out the period
and adding, provided, that nothing
contained in this bill shall be SO con-
strued as to prevent any citizen of the
United States from purchasing, order
Ing or having shipped, or to prevent
any common carrier or agent Thereon
from accepting. receiving. transporting
or delivering spirituous, yinous. matted,
fermented. or other intoxicating liquors
iof any kind In reasonable quantities
when the same is plainly naked on the
outside of the package, For personal
mon carrier or agent thereon shall
make such delivery to any person,
whether marked For personal use
or not If the person ordering the
same has been convicted of violating
the prohibition laws of any county.
state or municipality, If the fact OF
, such conviction appears OF record IN
the courts of record in the county or
: parish where such shipment Is to be
delivered by the common carrier or
a@ent thereof; or to any person VINO
: holds or possesses a federal license or
tax to retHil snirtuous, vinous. malt
cd fermented or other intoxicating
liouor of any kind; or If the courts
, of record Of any such county or par
ish show that the person ordering such
snirituous vinous. matted, fermented
,, o. other intoxicating linuor of any
kind has been convicted of pubhc
drunkenness'
.
larre number of people throughout the
errrtrv ioi~ed hands with the Anti-Sa-
lnrn league to vote out the saloons. with
, tire assurance and promise that there was
no intention on the part of the Anti
saloon lea rue to deprive a law-abidfng
citizen from ordering or Keeping liquors
for his personal use The citizens. act
ing IN good faith, accomplished this result,
and now the Anti-Saloon league proposes
to prevent this same class of citizens In
TERRITORY which thev helped to make dry
from exercising their constitutional right.
have no anologv to OFFER for my vote
aroinet this h'il in the shape ii was pre-
serte1 In the To"ee and senate.
"st was evider.lv drawn win clea"
'n'e-t 70 se~r've the law-aha'H- cit en-
~ CONSTITUTIONAL ~swht otherwise t ere
,fs,la ra~e rea-- no oh'e7tion to TIE adop-
,ion ~ nv IN s-re~t -'hich would Rave
mace .se N'l' ele~r :, this po',t IN plain,
t.,,r1's'a' shir ho~es' strai-htforwar1
rr~l'sh
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