The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-29
Prohibition in State after To-
morrow Midnight Brings
Dry" States to Nine.
COMMISSIONER f. o. Blue
In Lectures Explains Clauses of
the New Law for the Peo
pies instruction.
~ AsseeiATte LIE


the total number OF states in the pro
hibition column up to nine.
With West Virginia added the list
will be: Georgia, Kansas, Maines
Mississippi, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee and
West Virginia. These nine states oe
total prohibition territory, plus the
local no-license area, make up 2,132,-'
I726 square miles in which 46s029,-s
$50 persons or nearly fifty per cent
of the country's population Hive ac-
cording to the latest figures OF the
prohibition leaders.
The $4,000 majority with which
the people of West Virginia accepted
the dry proposition was relatively
the largest ever given by any state.
1t was approximately two to one for
statewide suppression of the liquor
business. It was a surprise even to
the prohibition forces, who were ifi-
debted largely 10 the determined
stand which many Of the large em-
ployers took in favor of them. The
state has a population OF 1,221,119
by the census Of 1910.
The mandate Of the Legislature,
embodied in the Yost bill, for the
enforcement of the new law, begin
ming July /, departs In many respects
from the methods hitherto tried
along this line. The chief features
center about the creation of COM
missioner Of prohibition, whose par
ticular business 1t will be to see that
by Tuesday midnight some 1920
liquor selling places in the state have
disposed of their stocks and that
thereafter all persons shall be pun-
ished by law II they keep liquor for
sale.
The new office of commissioner OF
prohibition automatically falls to
State Tax Commissioners Fred o.
Blue Of this city, who has bOen spend
ing several months in preparation for
strict enforcement OF the new law.
Urges Ordinances.
To save the state the time and exa
penEe Of taking violations BEFORE
state courts. he has been urging mu.
nicipal ordinances governing the yio-
lations; thus permitting the cases to
be brought before the local courts.
In an effort to instruct the people
as to the provisions of the new law,
Commissioner Blue has also been lee
turing throughout the state.
I'm other states" says Mr.. Blue,
where prohibition has been adopted,
one OF the forces that has had to be
contended with has been the drug
store. The Yost law will regulate
this feature. Druggists may sell al
cohol only to persons not addicted to
its use upon prescription Of repu-
table physician, who has examined
the person and in detail set forth in
the prescription the reasons for the
use of alcohol. The governing bodies
Of druggists have approved of this
plan. For scientific or mechanical
purposes alcohol Will be sold only
after affidavit as to its intended uses,
and uniform records Of all such sales
viii be kept, to be inspected period
ically by those in charge of the en-
torcement Of the law. No druggist.
however, can sell in any form whisky,
brandy, ale or any beverages Of an
Intoxicating nature.
The Yost law also undertakes to
do away with the drinking clubs,
which have been the source Of SO
much trouble In other states,' he
said. 1t provides .aat any person
directly or indirectly associated in
keeping such a club house or other
place where liquor is kept for gift,
barter or sale, shall be punished ups
on conviction by fine of from SOD
to $500 and by imprisonment from
one to six months.
The enactment OF the Webb
Kenyon law by Congress will be OF
considerable assistance In enforcing
the prohibition law in this state,',
he continued.
Federal Act Helps.
One of the benefits OF the federal
act is that records Of interstate ship
ments Of liquors may be required.
and therefore, every railroad, express
company and any kind of Transports
ton company, including steamboats,
and vessels carrying freight or ex-
press, either from another state into
our, or from one part Of of our state
to another part must obey the laws
OF this state respecting liquors. Ey-
eryone of the transportation COM
panies will be required to keep spe-
ctal records at the point Of delivery
showing the receipt of liquors, the
kind and quantity, to whom con.
S@E1~eSNR WAASAA anu Gn6 GQHN
signee must sign in person for the
shipment. "The Webb-Kenyon act
vests the right to enforce these pro-
visions Of the law and regulation
hereunder against interstate car
riers. Most Of these carriers win be
permitted to receive consignments of
liquor to any point where there Is
not a regularly employed agent to
keep such records. and have them
open for inspection at all times.
The man who is engaged In the
steamboat busiess upon or waters, IN
terstate or intrastate, must keep
these records, and viii not be permit
ted to deliver any liquors or make
sale Of any liquors upon board this.
vessel while in our waters.
This brings up to the question oe
how far one may get liquors for an
other. In the tlrst place, II one acts
as the agent Of the seller, he Is guilty
OF selling. II one acts as agent 81
the purchaser he IS guilty Of selling.
u 49, 49,.