Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-01-23
The KenyOn-Sheppard Bill.

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the sale of liquor. They are not able to
enforce these laws fully because the Fed
eral Government, in spite of the State
law, protects tbs shipment Of what are
called original packages OF liquor into
the state from other non-prohibition
states.
A bill to give Georgia and the other
prohibition states the law they want and
enable them to enforce their own regula-
tons is pending in Congress. 1t was in
troduced on August 3, 1911, and, Of
course, went to the Committee on Judic-
iary. Its long slumber there creates the
suspicion that the majority of the mem
bers of that committee are willing to let
it die with this Congress next 4th of
March without bringing it to vote in
the House.
There are millions of earnest people in
the United States who want to see this
bill passed and have wondered patiently
what has become OF it. The reasoni it has
not been passed is that it hasn't been
brought to vote. { IT it came to vote
it would pass by a large majority. So
much is generally admitted Only few
memb ers, such as those who represent
the Busch brewing interests IN Congress,
would vote against it. Very few mem
bers would dare resist the sentiment of
their home communities The reason
the bill hasn't come to a vote is that it
has been held in the committee. The
responsibility rests with the men whose
names are listed below. 1t is fair to say
that one of the men, Congressman Edwin
Y Webb, of North Carolina, has worked
earnestly for the passage of the bill.
These are the men Henry D. Clay
ton, Eufauls, Alabama; Edwin Y Webb,
Shelby, North Carolina; Charles G. Car
lin, Alexandra, Virginia; William w.
Rucker, Keysterville, Missouri; William
@. Houston, Woodbury., Tennessee;
John @. Floyd, Yellville, Arkansas; R.
Y Thomas, Jr., Central City, Kentucky;
James M. Graham, Springfield, Illinois;
H. Garland Dupre, New Orleans, LOUIS
lana; Martin W. Littleton, New York;
Walter l. Mccoy, South Orange, New
Jersey; John w. Davis, Clarksburg, West
Virginia; Daniel J. McGillicuddy, Lewis
ton, Maine; Jack Beall, Waxahachie,
Texas
These nen compose the Democratic
~, mn hove ri che CoDo too on f1,a T,,Jn
iary. (Only tie Democratic members
are given because, as committees are run,
the majority party members take all the
responsibility, and the minority party
members have little power.) The bill to
prevent the shipment OF liquor into pro-
hibition states was referred to this COM
mittee nearly eighteen months ago.
Their failure for SO long a period to re-
port it out and let it come to a vote raises
justifable question as to their motive.
The bill to prohibit the shipment of
liquor into prohibition states must have
been about Congress for fully fifty years
ever since the people of Maine adopted
prohibition and found they couldn't en-
force it so long as the Federal Govern
ment not only permits but protects the
violation of the state law. Not during
that same fifty years have Congress and
law-making bodies generally (and courts
as wel) been so responsive to the public
will as now. This bill will become a
law soon.
If the friends of this bill should see fit
to do so they should bring pressure to
bear on the committee named above,
such as would force the bill out immedi-
ately and enable it to pass during the
present session.
Champ Clark ought to be particularly
scrupuious to see that this anti-lquor bill
suffers no handicap. The Busch brewing
interests, which are powerful through the
Southwest, and, allied liquor interests
favored Clark's candidacy for the Dem
ocratic Presidential nomination in pow
erful way. The Speaker ought now to
avoid even the appearance OF being aware
of any obligation to them.
The Southern States which have pass
ed prohibition laws have motive that
the North cannot realize. These words
were written by Will Irwin after an in
vestigation of liquor traffic in the South
some year ago:
Gin every low negro dive of the South
they sell certain brands of gin, whose
very names, for the most part, I cannot
mention here. Obscene titles, obscene
labels advertise by suggestion, by double
meanings, that these compounds contain
a drug to stimulate the low passions
which have made the race problem such
dreadful thing in the South"
All those in West Virginia that are in
terested in this bill should write at once
to Hon. John w. Davis, M. c., from
West Virginia, Washington, D. O., and
make your wants known. You will get