La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1916-07-15
PROPOSED BEER AMENDMENT.
Governor Carlson Wants to Know
Whether Colorado Is to Become
y suburb Of Hell-vOte No.

the proposed Beer" amendment to
the constitution. the governor said
An initiated petition for the So
called beer" amendment of Article
XXI to the constitution of Colorado.
which has Just been filed with the
secretary of state, provides:
Beer is hereby declared to be a
Notwithstanding liquor within the
meaning of this article OF the consti-
tuition, and the manufacture and sale
OF beer is hereby made lawful, pro-
vided. however, that all beer shall be
sold in unbroken packages and deliv-
cred directly to the consumer at his
residence
This proposed amendment to the
state constitution. in my judgment.
involves a principle that Is the mos
serious of any that so far has been
presented to the citizens of Colorado.
Although | have strongly felt that
the forces Of intemperance have such
corrupting and destructive power
that their Punishment is the most i'm
portant work before the present gen.
GRAFTON, yet I believe that the pres
ent bill, initiated by the United Brew
ers' Association of America. creates
a new issue even more pressingly i'm
portant than the issue OF intemper-
ance.
A falsehood has against 1t the ban
OF the Bible; the penitentiary yawns
for the man who gives false testi-
mony upon the witness stand: a like
penalty is provided for the person
who gets your property or money by
false representation. So far. our
teachers have taught our youth that
truth is sacred So far. Colorado
parents have instructed their chill
dren that 1t is wrong to lie.
Let us see--is beer a non-intoxi-
eating liquor,
All the scientists who have anAlyz-
ed its contents think that beer is an
intoxicating and not a non-intoxicat-
ing liquor. All the doctors who have
noted some of its sickening effects
share the same opinion. Every po-
liceman who has seen how II makes
men stagger has an idea that beer Is
an intoxicating liquor. Our courts
In innumerabie cases have judicialiy
declared beer to be an intoxicating
dry" Law went into operation pro-
viding penalty against traffic in
intoxicating liquors. the brewerymen
Immediately stopped the manufacture
and sale OF beer. ceased their beer ad-
vertisements, whitewashed or pulled
down their beer signs. At that time.
at least, they must have had a slight
suspicion that beer was Intoxicating.
! imagine that II you should tell a
drunkard. barkeeper or saloon man
that beer was Notwithstanding he
would laugh In your face. Many here
no doubt, have q memory picture OF
a creature. presumably human. lying
on its back In the dirt. a few feet
from the sidewalk. stupefied. sense
less. stiff. wholly motioniess except
for the strenuous action OF his nos
trils. his face Ms white as that OF a
corpse. his whole being unprotected
from the rays OF the sun. flies crawl
ing in his open mouth. his chin.
mouth and shirt front sllmed with
yomit-an example Of the paraiyzing.
drugging effect OF beer.
However. II there happens 10 be
any person In Colorado. who. In spite
Of scientists. doctors and judges. In
spite Of the experience and obserya.
,ions OF all others. still has some
doubt as 10 the intoxicating qualities
OF beer. one hour OF liberal testing
and experimenting upon himself viii
erase the last shadow Of this doub,
for the rest Of his life time.
Think OF the United States Brow.
ers' Association OF America spending
countless thousands Of dollars TO have
beer constitu,ionaiiy declared n non
intoxicating liquor. when, II II were
40 In fact every cour, In the state
would he bound, under all existing
laws without any constitutional
change whatever. 10 judiriaiiy de-.