The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-12-31
GEORGIA PLANS
T0PUT Rum IN
LUXURY ] CLASS
E'Drys" Seek Legislation to5Put
High Tax on Packages"
Entering the State.

ATLANTA, Ga, Dec. 30-There
seems to be some mistake about the
present prohibition laws, which went
into effect May L last. settling the
liquor question IN Georgia. No such
intense campaign ms there was prior
to the enactment OF the new laws is
on, but there Is agitation regarding
phases OF the question.
Ia some cities ii Georgia liquor
may DO bought at any time. 1t is
true that 1t is not dlficult to get a
bottle of whiskey In Atlanta, for in
stance but owing to the fact that
longer chances than formerly. the
price has materially advanced. Dol
lar liquor sells for about $3.50 a
bottle, while some Of the better
grades run as high as So for q short
quart
An Atlanta man who was In Macon
recently and wanted bottle of whis-
key mentioned the fact to a friend.
He got 1T in few minutes. Reports
reach here from other cities ln
Georgia where whiskey may be OBJ
tanned without material difficulty, all
Of which Is apparently indicative OF
tho fact that there has been g loosen
ing of the reIns since May /.
It Is natural that these conditions
should have produced some further
agitation, and tho rapid increase in
liquor shipments has had somewhat
Aof the same effect Atlanta increas-
ed from some 1000 shipments in
May to more than 10000 in October,
and the holiday record will probably
pass $4,000.
May Seek to Change Law.
While the situation has not
brought forth suggestions of any adj
ditional legislation in so far as the
prohibition organization is concern
ed, there Is considerable quiet talk,
and efforts in that direction would
produce no surprise.
There has been much talk about
endeayoring to secure congressional
action closing the mails to liquor
literature and solicitations of liquor
orders, and also prohibiting the in
terstate transportation OF wet goods.
Georgia senators and congressman
have introduced Bills along these
lines in both houses.
But it Is an interesting fact that
the only suggestion OF additional
state LEGISLATION has come from the
other side. Former Representative
OF Muskogee, who
comes to the next state senate, long
legislation, now proposes to tighten
the reins as they never have been
frightened before. It is announced
that he will introduce and urge a bin
putting a specific tax of So on every
shipment OF liquor brought into the
state. Tho average package Of
liquor now brought into the state
costs the recipient somewhere around
$3.50 to SO for his two quarts, ex-
press and all.
TYohlyVender Bill Failed.
When the fight over the present
prohibition laws was on in the House
offered bill making it |
q misdemeanor for any person to |
have liquor IN his possession or to |
take a drink. He said he wanted to |
test the sincerity Of the Prohibitions
lists: that II they wanted real prohi-I
bitton. here was q chance for them to !
get it. The bill failed to pass.
y Nov. NVohlwender proposes 5anoth-I
or test. Georgia cannot close the
mails or shut off interstate commerce,
but it can put a high tax on it, he j
holds. The last legislature did put
a tax of ten cents on each pacage, of /
which three cents goes to the express
clerk and the balance to the ordinary |
who Keeps the record. The stated
gets all that IS left over certain !
figure.
If a ten-cent tax is legal, why not !
a IS tan? Wohlwender asks. He pro
poses to pay some Of 1t to the ex-
press clerk and to the ordinary. but
that the bulk OF 1t shall so to the
state treasury.