The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-11-30
LITTLE WORDS WITH BIG Nj
ING FOUND in GEORGIA'S MEN
ANTI-LIQUOR LAW.
THE HOME SUPPLY CURTAILED

Two Quarts of Booze, or Forty-eight
Pints of Beer, or -Four Quarts of
Wine All the Consumer of Joy
Water Can Have q Month.
1t is astonishing what big differ
ence there sometimes is between the
coordinate conjunction "and" and
distinctive cor" In the particular
case in question it makes a difference
to the average Georgia consumer of
10y" beverages amounting to possibly
two iags a month, or the equivalent
thereof.
Erroneous Impression.
Translating the foregoing it may
be stated that in connection with the
anti-shipping prohibition bill recently
passed by the legislature and signed
bv the governor there was general
belief prevalent through the state
that it permitted the receipt monthly
bv each individual of a maximum of
two quarts of whisky, four quarts of
wine and As pints of beer. Although
this would have ben a pretty respect
able amount of drinkables for the
average Georgian at least those of
ordinarily temperate habits. Even
those who have been accustomed to
keeping liquors in their homes and at
times entertaining friends thought
the measure allowed them ample lee
way.
This is the Interpretation which the
press of the state has been consistent
ly putting upon the law, and news
paper men who had failed TO make
apparent a careful study of it are
perhaps somewhat RESPONSIBLE for the
general impression that has gone out
regarding it.
Meaning Misinterpreted.
This pre-conceived and much cher
ished notion as to the amount Of OBJ
tainable dinkables even under rad
zeal prohibition received a rude shock
this week in the announcement by
Senator A. S. J. Stovall, who, if not
the author of the bill, is at least the
father Of it as that measure passed
the senate. This mistake which
the newspapers and the public
have made, according to Senator Sto-
vail, is in using the conjunction
and" instead of the conjunction
or" In other words, as Senator Sto-
vail points out, the law permits the
receipt by any individual of two
quarts of whisky per month, four
quarts of wine or As pints OF beer.
The individual may elect either one
of these he chooses, but he cannot
have any two or all of them. Ii they
should be found upon the premises he
could be called upon under the ON
nibus prohibition law to explain their
presence there. This presence would
be take under the law as prima tacle
evidence of possession OF liquors LOT
unlawful purposes, regardless OF the
habits and capacity of the Individual
in question.
Enforcement Difficult.
While this is the law and attempts
may be made here and there under
the spirit of community sentiment to
enforce it there is already widely
spread and expressed belief even
among prohibitionists themselves,
that the average Georgian will get
and keep upon his own premises all
he wants in the line of drinkables,
and so long as he does not attempt
to dispose of it illegally or DEFY au-
thorities to make case against him.
Men who are in the habit of consum-
ing drinkabIes and furnishing hosp1-
tality to their friends who call at
their homes are already talking OF
storing a barrel or two away in the
cellar against the day Of drouth-
A prominent state senator VINO
stood foremost in the ranks OF those
voting fir the radical prohibition bills
was heard to remark publicly upon
the street the other day that the an
ti-shipping bill would not interfere
with him. He was quoted as saying
he had a thirty gallon barrel of corn
whisky now in storage in his cellar
and knew how to get just as much
more as he might want of it.
But we have stopped the indls-
criminate traffic in it, he said, and
that is what we wanted to do