Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-18
SENATE REJECTS
THE SM0OT BILL
Substitute Offered for Shep-
pard Prohibition Measure
Fails by a Vote of 81 to 8.
LATTER BEING CONSIDERED

by vote Oh ol TO . ttle Sehase sooNs
rejected the Smoot substitute for the
Sheppard prohibition bill.
The Smoot substitute was far more
drastic measure, prohibiting the manu-
facture, sale or importation of all alco-
holic beverages. The Sheppard bill per-
mits the importation of such bever-
ages for personal use.
The eight senators voting for the
Smoot substitute were Senators Ash
urst, Brady. Curtis. Gronna, Reed
Smoot, Thompson and Works.
The senators voting agains the sub
stitute were Senators Bankhead. Beck
ham. Borah. Brandegee, Bryan, Cham
berlain. Chiffon. Clark. Colt, Culber'
son. Cummins. Fernald. Fletcher. Gore
Harding, Hardwick, Hitchcock. Hollis
Hughes, Husting, James. Johnson OF
Maine. Johnson of South Dakota. Jones
Kenyon. Kern. Kirby, La Toilette. Lee
of Maryland. Lodge, McCumber, Mar
tin. MARITIME. Nelson. Norris. Oliver
man. Poindexter, Pomerene, salisbury
Sheppard, Shields. Smith or Arizona
Smith of Georgia. Smith of Michigan
Sterling, Stone. Sutherland, swanson
Thomas. Townsend, Underwood, Varda-
man. Wadsworth. Walsh and Watson.
Hopeful of Vote Today.
The Sheppard prohibition bill was
taken up Immediately after the morn
ing business was finished. on motion of
Senator Sheppard. 1t is the hope of the
senator from Texas that vote on the
bill may be had before adjournment
this evening.
Senator Gallinger of New Hampshire
had read to the Senate letter from DIR.
Aisberg, chief of the bureau of Chem
istry of the Department of Agricul-
ture to the effect that it would serious
ly hamper the work of the bureau II a
portation into the District of pure
alcohol for scientific purposes.
Senator Reed of Missouri offered an
amendment to the Sheppard Dill which
would prohibit the manufacture OF al
cohoI in the District for export par-
poses. Under the Sheppard bill It
would be possible to manufacture grain
alcohol in the District, and export 1t il
it We're not to be used for beVerag ge
purposes. Senator Reed would prohibi'
this. No action was taken on the
amendment. however. as Senator Reeo
stated he would perfect the amendment
and offer it later.
Senator Cnderwood's amendment pro-
viding referendum of the prohibition
question to the people of the District
was then taken up and Senator Under
wood strongly defended the right oi
the people in the District to say whethe
they should have a prohibition Law
! here.
I C;roiina of North Dakota providin
that no liquor shall be imported 10
gift was adopted.sss@s
Explains Referendum Amendment.
/ Senator Underwood. in explaining hi
! referendum amendment, said that J
conformed to the laws of states wher
! local option on the liquor question
maintained He pointed out that !;
petition for an election under ms ref
erendum amendment p<ovided that one
fourth of the tax[yers OF the DIS
I trict must sign the petition before III
election could be had.
| He said that he had confined the per
sons who may sign the petition 10 IN
taxpayers because a list or all the YAK
pa yers was available, whereas the DIS
trict Commissioners have no list OF TN
real resident citizens of the District
After the petition has been signed
/ however, by sufficient numoer % tn
! taxpavers the vote by the people ol
/ the prohibition bill would be taken 10!
the residents of the District
. Senator Underwood said that he ha'
adopted this method of having peti
tion circulated in order to avoid un
necessary expense
"If there are not one-fourth OF the
! taxpayers in the District III FAVOR .
having the Sheppard prohibition bll
voted upon, then there is no sentimen
| in the District for this bill" said Sena
+or Underwood.
Senator Underwood said that there wer'
| about 81, 900 taxpayers in the District ant
they probably represent about one-thirt
or one-half of the male population Owe
twenty-one years of age.
i He said he had been criticised by SOM
of the Anti-Saloon League members be
! cause he had not eliminated the coloret
people from voting. He said that to hav'
/ done so would have violated the fifteenth
amendment of the United States Consti
| tuition. and the law would have been void
and the friends of prohibition would have
charged him with having attempted fraud
upon the prohibitionists.
Senator Underwood gave census fig
ures to show that the total number OF
iuiterates who would probably be en-
| titled to vote under his proposed refer
endum would be less than 1000 out OF
A total vote of 10000. He would con-
fine the voting in the District to male
citizens over twenty-one years.
Senator Kern OF Indiana offered an
amendment extending the suffrage to
women.