The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-18
AT the Special Session of the
LEGISLATURE is Being Closely
Watched by All.

FAIRMcNT, May 18.-The special
legislature met in Charleston at noon
today The one thing, in partlc-
ular,. which every person IN WeSt
Virginia will watch with interest; Is
how the governor and the lawmakers
viii consider the amendments OF the
Yost law, that has inflicted hardsn1ps
throughout the state. especially IN
Fairmont. where the omcers nave
zone ont of their way 10 enforce tiny
tenchn:caliIies of the law While 1t
has been demonstrated that the peo-
ple were in favor Of prohibition IN
Nest Virginia, the general senu-
ments would indicate that the major;
ity are not IN favor OF making t.1s
innocent suffer For this reason the
state solons viii endeayor TO have
the law made palmer
: For the bootlegger and the man
who wilifully violates TIE law there
is little If any sympathy. says the
PitJsburg Dispatch, which sums up
the situation all over the State IN q
creditab1e way. But certain Justices
have imposed sentences, which have
ENCOURAGED the suspicion that whole
sale arrests and convictions may in
the end create such a sentiment
against the rightly OF the law as TO
be the first means of turning the
whole prohibition back to the people
for another decision at the polls.
This course would hot come all
at once but that there would be any
change of heart over the prohibition
wave in the state. in the near future,
advocates of prohibition wish TO
avoid.
"a clearer definition on what Is a
public place. how man may convey
even properly labeled liquors IN We
hicle belonging to another without
subiecting the latter to Gabil: ty for
prosecution. how a man may travel oA
stand in public street or alley with
liquors properly labeled without Ia
billy TO prosecution and other mat
tiers of similar nicely seem to be the:
points which need clariftcaSIon-
Arrests have been made IN many
Three men have been serving out
their sentences in Marion county for
leaving suit cases properly labeled In,
store while the owners went into
a moving picture theater. These men.
foreigners. probably believed that Al
store was not a public place, While |
a moving picture theater vas. Anoth-!
er young man has been given aSheavy
penalty for hauling as paid passen-!
ger. man who carried properly la
beled suit case. which contained Hi
ouor. and IN this case It was proved
that the carriage driver could not
read and therefore did not know he
had LIQUOR on board. Even II he did |
know it. the law, as it Is enacted. it
would seem. covered the owner. OF thei
suit case. and since he was oDey,ns /
the letter of the Law, and not pun.
ishab1e the conviction or the driver:
looked 90 mary ike an unjust hard
ship.
III possible, it viii be the intention !;
OF the delegates and senators at the !;
extra session this week to take these |
kinks out of the Yost law !
Many arrests have also been made
where the amount in the properly Ia
beled containers was more than three
or four quarts The law distinctly /
states that if more than a half gallon
be carried into the state or transport
ed from one part of the state to (;
another the contained must be prop !
erly labeled. showing the amount and /
kind. but there is no limit to the
amount.
uuors shall be for personal use only
The law does not presume to say what /
amount man may bring into the I
state for personal use, but the com
plant is made that the o. GERS OF the /
law have presumed TO surmise that |
when the amount fseconsiderable. this I
amount is not for personal use only
The burden OF proof, u.s. therefore,
shifted from the state to the man with I
the good1y store Of wet goods. His
store. perchance his supply for many I
Is thus liable TO bring MIN (
= ..rba s+ate desires the enforcement