The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-21

New York, June 21.--A canvass DY The Associated Press of legislative ac- | tivity this year in the state law mak- 1 ing bodies of the country, most of which have adjourned for the sum
 mer, shows that among the subjects which received notable attention was i that of the prohibition the regula- ton of the liquor traffic. 1 The legislatures of two states en- acted statutory prohibition to become 1 effective this year, and eight voted to submit the question of statewide pro- hibition to a referendum of the peo- pie. Of the latter, two established statutory prohibition to become effec- tive in the meantime. Four states where prohibition is already effective passed additional restrictive laws and two of the five states, where, under | constitutional amendment, prohibition i is to go into effect next year, enacted necessary statutes for its enforce ment. In six of the so-called ''wet'' states, statewide proposals met de- feat In others questions of local op- ton, transportation and licensing were acted upon. | The two states where direct prohi- Ebition laws were passed are Florida and Alabama. Those whose legisla,- l lures voted to submit the question to the people are Idaho, Iowa, Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah. Vermont and the territory of Alaska. In Iowa. the legislative resolution, a,c- cording to the state constitution, must be passed by the next succeed ing legislature, before the people can vote on it, but the state returned to statutory prohibition meanwhile, through the repeal of the so-called mulct law. Idaho was also made 'dry'' meanwhile through statutory enactment. In Utah, the bill was ve- toed by the Governor after the leg islature adjourned. In South Caro- lima, the vote will be taken at the cleo ton this year, in Montana, South Da- kota, Vermont and Alaska in 1916; Idaho in 191T., It will be thus seen that as a meas ure of the progress, of the cause of prohibition the fifteen states already in the ranks have this year been en- forced by four and the legislative Alaska, to join. In theN latter event nearly half the country will have plac- ed the ban on the liquor traffic. {
 The new Florida law goes into eff feet October 1 and prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages except in seal ed packages of less than one-half pint each, nor can liquor be drunk on the premises where sold. This applies to restaurants, hotels and clubs as well as saloons.
 The Alabama, law was passed over the veto of Governor Henderson. It becomes operative July l. In addi- ton, the legislature enacted an anti shipping law, which forbids the ship ping to an individual of more than one gallon of liquor or 60 bottles of beer a month. Its validity was ta- ken to the Supreme Court for test There was also passed, over the gov | ernor's- veto, an act forbidding the | publication of liquor advertisements in newspaper and periodicals, on bill boards or in saloons This was also 
 In Rowa, the repeal of the n1l14ct law, under which communities by a
 majority petition were allowed to
 have salons operated under rnulct tax had the effect of returning the state to the statutory prohibition
 which prevailed prior to the laws
 enacted twelve years ago. Content
 neither with this or the passage of the
 resolution for a constitutional pro hibitfon amendment, the legislature
 also enacted eleven prohibition en-
 forcenent bills.
 In adopting statutory prohibition,
 pending the constitutional amend
 amendment vote, Idaho enacted a, pro
 vision conceded to be more drastic than any ever attempted in the Unit
 ed States. It makes even ownership I of liquor a misdemeanor, and on sec
 ond offense, felony.
 The Montana legislature decided to
 refer the question to the people, at
 the 1916 election, in the form of a
 statute, after rejecting proposed
 constitutional amendment vote. The
 law would permit the use of wine for
 sacramental purposes and in lodge
 ceremonial work If approved, it will
 become effective Dec, 31, 1918. In connection with the measure, the leg
 islature enacted early closing and
 Sunday closing laws for the saloons.
 The general assembly of South Car
 olina took up 8 large part of it's ses-
 sion in discussing prohibition. Be
 sides drafting a statewide law for
 submission to referendum at the
 election of September 12, 1915, the ! assembly enacted a statute which makes effective in the state the pro- visions of the Webb Kenyon federal
 act against the shipment of liquor
 from wet to dry territory, South l statute also forbids the shipment o1 more than one gallon of alcoholic li- quors to any one person in the state during any one month.
 The South Dakota legislature de- ] cided to submit statewide constt- s election in 1916. If carried by g g majority of the votes cast, it wiz become effective July 1, 1917.
 The statewide prohibition measure . which the Governor of Utah vetoed g after the adjournment of the 1egis- 6 1ature of that state had been passed . by large nnajorities in both houses t The legislature, however, placed or l the statute books-a law modelled after y the Webb-Kenyon law and imposing
 heavy penalties for the shipment o1 y liquor from wet to ''dry'' territory < in the state.
 l Vermont's prohibition proposal was g in the form of a law which will be l submitted to the people at the mu- r nicipa1 elections in the spriig of 1916 y If passed, it's effect will be drastic as l it makes no provision for the sale o1 3 liquor for medical and mechanica.
 purposes.
 = The four prohibition states which /: decided to strengthen their present laws were Kansas, North Carolina