The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-03-07
PROHIBITION FOR
TERRITORY is
GOAL
lTrom wendnesday AdvertisoEl

NtTOm Menunesuay AuNeTliseI)
While the Anti.Saloon League is cir
culating petitions through the churches
Of the city calling upon congress to
pass the Gronna Bill providing for fed
eral prohibition in Hawaii, the liquor
interests are not visibly excited, and
as far as can be learned have taken
no steps to combat the work Of the An
ti.Saloon League.
On the other hand, judging from
opinions expressed by members, it is
possible that the legislature will adopt
resolution calling on congress not to
pass the Gronna Bill and urging it to
keep hands off and permit the Terri
tory to handle its own liquor question.
1t is said that the resolution will set
forth that the legislature is opposed to
| federal prohibition, on the ground that
| il would constitute interference in af-
fairs which the Territory should be per-
mitted to settle in its own way, and
that this interference would be in di-
rect opposition to the wishes of the citi-
gems of Hawaii who, in plebiscite,
voted against federal prohibition by n
| large majority.
To this resolution it is proposed to
attach copy of the present liquor
laws of Hawaii to show that in the mat
ter of strict regulation of the liquor
traffic they compare favorably with the
most advanced laws on this subject in
the United States, and that the liquor
! laws are far better enforced in Hawaii
than in any State in the Union.
Hits Poor Man Only.
While declining to discuss any plans
which the liquor interests may have for
combating the work of the Anti-Saloon
League, one prominent dealer expressed
the opinion yesterday that even should
the Webb law, which prohibits the ship
ment of liquor from wet into dry
States, for sale, be declared constitu-
tional, and that even should congress
pass the Gronna bill, it would not pre-
vent the consumption of liquor by resi-
dents of Hawaii.
"You will notice. he said, "that the
Gronna Bill forbids the manufacture or
sale of intoxicating liquors in the Ter
ritory of Hawaii, and that the Webb
measure forbids the shipment from wet
into dry territory of liquor to be of.
1
hibits a person from having it shipped
to him for his own consumption or tC
give to his friends. They are simply
measures which will permit the man
who is able to do so, to purchase his
liquors by the case and keep we'll
stocked cellar, while the ordinary mar
will in measure be prohibited from
doing so. Both are measures which will
. lan hut hn
= of wealth.
1t was also intimated by the repre-
, sentative of the liquor interests that TIN
: Webb Bill, aside from the question o
It's constitutionality, contains a mum
Der of iokers of which the liquor deal
ers were well aware before its passag
: and that many of the members of con
gress who voted to override the Presi
dent IS veto were also aware of thi
i. fact, and ioyfully seized the opportun
l ity of making play to their constit
= uents without offending the liquor pee
pie.
Liquor Traffic Crime.
When the attention of Agent Georg
! w. Patty, of the Anti-Saloon League
) was called to this point, he said:
s. 1--WE are somewhat mystifed regard
ing the Webb Bill for all the informa
D ton and literature we received a
= dealt only with the Kenyon.Shepphar
Bill, for which ] understand the Web
measure was substituted at the last me
5, ment. 1t is possible that there wa
II trickery, but | feel confident that til
y representatives. of the Anti-Saloo
League in Washington would have di,
= covered any loophole in the bill and e2
} posed them.
L "Our petitions calling for the pa'
e sage of the Gronna Bill were distril
uted through the churches last Sunda
r and are now being circulated. III
o derstand that the liquor men are nc
d doing anything and this is because the
% cannot comprehend that they are doom
ed, but they are due to have hars
awakening. The liquor traffic is
C crime, not business and the suprem
& court is not going to hold any law TO
/. bidding the commission of crime III
e constitutional