Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-12-31
WIN IN
Sc 1877 TO 1873
Votes Lacking to Adopt
u. S. Prohibition Proposal.
lard BATTLE BY MANN
Representative From Chicago in Bit
ter Exchanges During Debate
Galleries Are Crowded Dur
ing Long Session.

Washington, Dec. 24.-The Hobson
resolution to submit a constitutional
amendment for national prohibition
to the state legislatures was defeated
In the house on Tuesday night, 1877
members voting for and 189 against It
An affirmative vote of two-thirds was
required to adopt the resolution.
The house had struggled with the
question for more than ten hours of
remarkable debate.
1t was one of the most stirring con-
tests Of recent days in congress. Rep
resentative Hobson closed the general
debate, which was participated in by
all the house leaders, many Of whom
were repeatedly cheered by men and
women in the crowded galleries.
Before the final roll call Representa-
tive Hobson presented an amendment,
which was adopted giving to "the con-
gress and the states concurrently the
power to enforce the prohibition pro-
vision by needful legislation"
An amendment offered by Repre-
sentative Adamson to give the states
absolute control of legislation under
the proposed prohibition amendment
was voted down on a rising vote, 179
to 80.
AS a vote was ordered on the reso-
luton itself, Representative Hobson
made a final dramatic move.
Mr. Speaker" he said, Il wish to
ask whether any member of this house
who has a financial interest in the
question now pending, who owns stock
in disttlleries or breweries, who owns
a saloon or who has property leased
10 liquor interests, can under the rules
vote on this question:"
The speaker explained that the
precedents held that If a member was
affected as one of a class, the rule
would not prevent his voting, but that
such questions were usually left to the
member himself.
An amendment by Representative
March to submit the prohibition
amendment to state conventions called
for the purpose was defeated in a ris-
ing vote, 1877 to 1913. This was the first
vote of the night Mr.. Mann de-
manded a yea and nay vote and the
long roll call was begun.
The Mann amendment was defeated
on the roll call by vote of 210 to 176,
the advocates Of the Hobson resolu-
ton generally lining up against it.
Another amendment presented by
Representative Mann proposed abso-
r. %
transportation. Importation and sale
of Intoxicating liquors" for any pur-
pose.
IF we are to have prohibition" Mr..
Mann said, let us have prohibition
that will prohibit"
The amendment was defeated on a
rising vote, 209 to II, after a sharp ex-
change between Representative Mann
and Hobson.
Following this, Representative Hob
son offered several perfecting amend
ments to his resolution. The first
altered the phraseology of the first sec
tion of the proposed constitutional
amendment and included a prohibition
against any expectation" of intoxi-
eating liquors. It was adopted with
out division.
Representative Morrison's substitute
to prohibit interstate commerce in in
toxicating liquors was defeated, 213
to Al.
The prohibition issue, long a state
problem, came for the first time be-
fore congress.
Members and spectators when they
entered the chamber we're attracted
by the unusual display of a large num-
Der of posters arranged on easels in
front of the speakers desk. In large
type easily read across the hall, were
legends such as these: Alcohol has
more victims than tuberculosis"
Crime is caused by drink and
Liquor fills the asylums"
The rule to take up the resolution
carrying the amendment was adopted
without roll call.
The only war talk in the debate came
when Representative Campbell of Kan
sas referred to the fact that the car
of Russia had prohibited liquor of all
kinds throughout his empire. He also
read the speech of Emperor William
of Germany to the German naval ca
diets on the subject of self-restraint
in the mattre of drinking.