The Glenwood post., 1916-01-22

only be done through political parties
which command votes in congress and
in the state legislatures. Before we
can get Prohibition amendment to
the federal constitution we will have
to get one, or both, of the great polit-
ical parties to adopt it in national con-
succeed.
"why should we delay for fifty
yearsY Why fritter away time for
constitutional amendment which re-
quires two-thirds vote in congress?
And after that spend the balance of
our lives endeavoring to secure its rati-
fication by three-fourths of the state
| legislature? The very men, it seems,
advocating the amendment are consci-
ously or Inconsciously doing their best
to delay Prohibition. The brewers and
the distillers would like nothing better
if congress should pass Prohibition
amendment, than to play battledore anl
shuttlecock with it in the state legis.
latures, and they could hold it in abey-
ance for decades to come, while the
Prohibitionists We're trying to get it
ratified by the state legislatures. The
| constitutional amendment gives our
enemies the opportunity they desire TO
laugh at us in their sleeves, and in our
| hot Il, In
Ho, hot (Laughter). To genuine Pro
hibitionists, local option is humbug,
and the constitutional amendment Il
blind alley of delay. (Applause).
"Mr. Pitts has been good enough TO
say that I am a constitutional lawyer
and an experienced legislator. 1t IS
true that I have served six years in the
! legislature of this state, and have held
in that body every position of responsi-
bility. 1t is also true l served eighteen
| years in congress, and was chairman OF
one of its most important committees.
1t goes without saying l know some
thing about drawing bill-something
about legislation. (Applause).
Offence, my friends, I come to you
today to tell you frankly, after giving
the subject much consideration, what is
the easiest solution of the liquor prob
lem, and what is the simplest remedy
for the evils of intemperance-a reme-
dy that spells success, and solution
that means victory. That is what we
want; we want success; we want VIZ
tory! We want to abolish the manufac-
ture, and the sale, of alcoholic liquors
in the United States. Some of us wan.
to do it because we love humanity;
some of us want to do it because of
morality; some of us want to do it for
because it is Right. (Applause).
1.-THE question before US then, is:
How shall we abolish the manufacture,
and the sale, of alcoholic liquors. Let
ME tell you. The way to stop the man
ufacture, and the sale, and importation,
of alcoholic liquors, in the United
States, is by legislation. The traffic is
done by legislation. 1t must he undon@
by legislation. You can t stop it IL
any other way. You can't stop it by
talk; you can't stop 1t by riot; you
can't stop it through the newspapers.
you can't stop it through the churches.
You can stop it only by legislation.
| ~
protected by law. You know that you
must get rid of it by law. That's the
remedy. There is none other.
"ln this connection, l have prepared
bill, with much care, which will ac-
complish what we want by the simplest
method and in the shortest time. Let
me read you this bill. 1t is entitled
"An Act to Raise Revenue This
may seem to some strange title for 4
this character must be entitled either
"An Act to Raise Revenue or "An
Act to Decrease Revenue The bill
reads as follows:
AN ACT TO RAISE REVENUE
Be 1t Enacted By the Senate and the
House OF Representatives in Congress
| Assembled:
Section |. That there shall be levied
and collected on the manufacture and
sale Of all malt, vinous, spurious, and
alcoholic liquors, except for mechanical,
medicinal, and saeramental purposes, 4
revenue tax of one thousand dollars a