Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-02-20
THE NATIONAL LIQUOR Law.

There has long been pending IN
! congress a bill which the public gen
| orally was led to believe would pro
hibit the shipment Of wines, liquors
! and other ~intoxicants into dry terri.
tory. The has been designa.
ted as the Webb-S heppard-Kenyor
bill; was introduced In the House By
Representative e. Yates Webb, O
North Carolina. n in the upper
branch of congress by Senator Shep
pard. 1t would prohibit shipment o
Intoxicating liquors from one state tt
another when intended to be received
or sold in violation of the law of the
state to which the shipment is made
Friends of prohibition throughout the
country have Loyalty supported the
bill and express qualification at the
final successful outcome of the pro-
longed struggle with the strongest
paid lobby the liquor element could
procure. The new law will not fully
remove the evil of Interstate ship
ments of intoxicants, but the stubborn
resistance to it's passage by the enc
mics of prohibition, is the strongest
kind of evidence that the bill contains
some merit.It is said to be the strong
est that the constitution will per-
nit, in it's present form, and the tenn
perance people may as well content
themselves with the most effective
measure of relieve it is possible for
congress to give them. In brief, the
provisions are:
BE it enacted, etc., That the ship
ment or transportation, i any man
ner or by any means whatsoever, OF
any spirituous, vinous, matted, fer
mented or other intoxicating liquor of
any kind, including beer, ale or wine.
from enc State, Territory or District
of the United States, OF place nom
contiguous to, but subject to the iu-
risdiction thereof, or from any foreign
country into any other State, Terri
ritory or District of the
thereof, or from any foreign country
Into any State, Territory or District
OF the United States, or place noncon-
tiguous to but subject to the jurisdic-
ton Thereof, which said spirituous,
vinous, matted, fermented or other in
.toxicating liquor is intended, by any
interested therein, directly or
or in any manner connect
ed with the transaction, to be receiv-
ed, possessed or kept, OF in any nan
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
ncncontiguous to but subject to the
Jurisdiction thereof, enacted in the ex-
ercise of the police powers of such
State, Territory or District of the
United States, or place noncontiguous
to but subject to the jurisdiction
thereof, is hereby prohibited; and any
and all contracts pertaining to such
transactions are hereby declared to be
null and void. and no suit or action
shall be maintained in any court of
he United States upon any such con-
.ract or contracts, or for theenforce-
nent or protection of any alleged
light growing out of such contract or
contracts, or for the protection IN any
manner whatsoever OF such prohibit
ID transactions"
1t will be seen at a glance that the
aw does not prohibit any person from
ordering any kind of beverage for
personal use, interfering only with
hose individuals who would violate
he prohibition laws of their respec-
i've states. The New York World
kinks well Of the Webb bill and says
70. We quote:
Estate that prohibited the sale OF
intoxicating liquors have had a rea-
grievance because under the
protection of Federal laws contra
,and goods could be shipped for sale
within their boundaries. What is aim
d at in the Webb bill, is not prohibi-
ion by Federal legislation, but recog-
ition of the police regulations OF dry
The delivery of liquor to in
.ividuals who want it for their per-
onal use is not prohibited, but the
ocal authorities r empowered to
shipments sent to- dry States,
where intended for sale.
"The efforts of the pro~hibitionists,
IS in Maine, have been largely frustra-
ed through the ability OF Illicit liquor
10 7seeuer unlimited supplies
through the ordinary channels. But
10 etemperRace town sheltered al
ystem OF blind pigs or drug store
Jack rooms without the encourage
nent of a considerable part Of the
ocal population. The law was viola
ed because it was offensive to a large
element.
$50 long, however, as a State votes
its saloons, it is only fair that
Congress should do what it can to-
yard helping to make State laws eff
So long as the shipment of
liquors anywhere and for any purpose
s free and legal, the dry States are at
the mercy Of the Federal authority.
Where the two systems Of law have
,verlapped, the States have been help
ess.
Whether the Webb bill is constitu-
IN oil ita nrOvisi0ns IA another |