The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-03-12


Blatz. and socialism-say that fndi-
yidual liberty is destroyed and that
state sovereignty is impaired by the
passage of this bill. And they are so
extremely solicitous about the welfare
of the moral people in the prohibition
states that they fear the passage OF
this hill will prevent the Christian peo-
ple in those states from observing the
holy sacrament hereafter
o, Mr.. Speaker, the people know who
are the champions of the anti-prohibi-
ton movement in this country and its
defenders in this House. They know,
too. that today on the final vote, those
champions and defenders will, under
the guise of strengthening the bill,
vote for the passage of many amend
ments which on their face may APP
pear just and right, but behind which
dynamite has been placed with
lighted fuse to explode and destroy the
whole bill. The advocates of this bill
will not take orders from its oppo-
nents. but prefer to follow the beaten
path that its trainers have made.
There is no question of individual
liberty involved in the passage Of this
bill. 1t will not prevent liquors from
being brought into prohibition states
and being used for lawful purposes.
There is nothing in this bill that will
prevent the good Christian people of
the prohibition states from getting all
the wine they desire and using it for
sacramental purposes, and no one
knows this better than the gentlemen
who say it destroys individual liberty
and impairs sacramento privileges.
This is not a prohibition question.
If | were not in favor of prohibition,
there is one great principle of free
government involved that would cause
me to vote for the passage of this bill.
Nine states have declared by a ma
jority of the people living in them
that intoxicating liquors in those states
shall not be sold or used in violation
of the law in those states. Laws,
when made, should be inforced or re-
pealed; and every arm of the state
government should be used in the en-
forcement of the peoples laws, and
the Federal Government should never
give countenance and sanction to the
violation of the laws of any state Ger
tainly no man on this floor would say
that if the people of Main desire pro
hibition that they should not be per
mitted to have it. If Missouri wants
liquor distilled and sold there, then
they should be allowed to have it. If
that be true then certainly you will
agree with me that the people of Mis-
souri, ought not desire to violate the
laws Of Maine, but on the contrary
every law-abding citizen of that state
should prefer to encourage the people
of Maine in the execution Of theii
laws. The representatives o.
the people Of Missouri anC
every other state in the Union
that legalizes the sale and USE
of intoxicating liquors can certainl!
assist the people of the prohibition
states in the enforcement of thei
laws by voting for this bill, which will
guarantee to those states the contro
of this matter and the exclusive RICH
to execute its own laws.
This bill does not express a radica
idea. 1t is not extreme. But, MI
! Speaker the gentlemen of the Judic
airy Committee, and those who hav
+ framed this legislation and looked int
it thoroughly tell us that under tn
decisions of the courts constituting TO
s mer acts of Congress on the subjeC
!. and the limitation of the Federal Coz
stitution, that it is the best we ca
do and as far as we can go.
Strange is the argument used b
some against this bill. Why, they sa
that it will do no good" that lit wi
accomplish no purpose" If that
true, why, then, do they oppose il
In my opinion, it will do great deal (
good. 1t is not for the purpose of ge
ting the Federal Government to ASST
the states in the enforcement of the
laws, as some contend, but it will a
swer the purposes for which it wt
intended, and that is, to give the STATE
q the unhampered, unimpeded, and e
elusive power to enforce their own
q quor laws
When. our fathers framed this Go
eminent the most enthusiastic al
earnest proponents of strongly ce
& tralized Government would not hay
! contended that each state should n
I. -