The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-07

OF the session.
q. Abstract OF docket of Legislative
counsel before committees OF the
Massachusetts, Legislature. This doc
ument shows that Mr.. Louis d. Bran
deis was employed by the New Eng
| land Brewers Association. through its
agent, James NJ. Smith, to act as at
torney for said association before the
| Legislature of Massachusetts. The
| date OF the employment of Mr.. Bran
deis was March Z, 1891. and the term
OF employment was to continue until
the end OF the session.
"S. Photographic reproduction or
argument OF Louis d. Brandeis, ESQ,
before the Joint Committee on Liquor
Law OF the Massachusetts Legislature
on February ~. 1891. which photo
graphic reproduction is from copy or
said document In the files or the pub
| lie library of Boston.
! II respectfully call the attention or
the committee to the argument of Mr..
J Bran6eis az whole. but especially
to the summary made by Mr.. Bran
/ deis himself In beginning his argu-
ment Liquor dealing Is not wrong.
etc, to paragraph at bottom OF page
20 and following on page Il. begin
ming with remove from the statute
DOOh ODHO1lOuH ana ueEIhuiIS VS.
Remove the uncertainties with which
you have surrounded the business,
which Is sure To exist for ages to
come. Remove the discredit which
YOU have placed on this trade etc.
and to the final paragraph on page
49, beginning: Gentlemen, let me
urge you in conclusion to remove this
temptation to avarice and injustice.
Trust your licensing boards. make
- - 49,
obey Them etc.
II respectfully submit this data to
your committee for it's consideration.
feeling assured that you are well
aware Of the quickened state of pub
lie opinion on this great question and
of the fact that most important is
sues pertaining to the proper solution
of this question must come before the
United States Supreme Court for final
settlement.
81 think 1t proper to state that Mr..
Brandeis has never in tile interim.
since he appeared before the Massa-
chusetts legislative committee in ques-
ton and made known his views touch
Ing prohibition as contained in the
argument presented to your commit
tee controversial these views In any
way.
Respectfully submitted.
Chairman National Legislative Com
mlttee. Anti-saloon League of
America"
Excerpts From Briefs.
The following excerpts are from Mr..
Brandeis' brief as attorney for brew
ers and liquor dealers:
1T has been said here by the other
side: Make an iron clad rule az un
reasonable as it must be. but do not
| leave any discretion to the licensing
boards. because the liquor dealers are
( immensely potent in politics. I'm
doubtedly they have influence; but
| do you think that It ia an accident that
the liquor dealers are potent In poll
tics, that 1t Is the liquor dealers who
are in politics, rather than the bakers,
the butchers, the tailors, or the shoe
makers? They are in politics because
such agitation as this has put them
there; BECAUSE LAWS HAVE BEEN
ENACTED WITH WHICH THEY
CANNOT COMPLY. because they
cannot live unless they are vigilant
/ and secure some one in authority to
protect their interests. All that a
man has will be given for his life
| and the business existence of these
men Is dependent upon their e:=ercis-
/ ing q vigilance. which you and l,
! whose occupations do not attract pub
! lie attention are not obliged to exer-
else. Suppose that = shoemaker
should not know from year TO year
whether he could practice his art,
would not the men who had selected
that trade be active In public affairs
! In order to secure the right to live?
| You can make politicians OF shoe
makers or OF farmers; you can make
politicians OF any class of people, or
of those In any occupation IL you ha
rass them, IL you make ii impossible
for them to live unless they control,
unless they have secured power to
determine when, and how and where
they may live. YOU CAN REMOVE
I LIQUOR DEALERS FROM POLL
TICS BY a VERY SIMPLE DEVICE
MAKE THE LIQUOR LAWS REA-
sONABLE.
IF you will but recognize facts in
stead of closing your eyes to them
as these gentlemen OF the Law and
Order League have done; II you will
accept the fact that liquor ia desired
by a large majority OF the voters Of
/ the Commonwealth, and consequent
| ly that people will sell IT. IL you will
recognize that. aad will make laws
which do not unnecessarily harass
those engaged i'm the business; II you
will let them conduct IL respectfully
| as q majority of these people desire
[
| permit them to earn, not merely
money. but what is more important
the esteem of their fellowmen-the
whole race OF liquor-dealer politicians
| will soon pass away. The liquor deal
| ers will become as inconspicuous in
pubic life as the butchers and bakers.
They will devote their leisure and
their means 10 such enjoyments as
| others do, instead of seeking to con-
| troll officials and elections by fair
means or by foul You made the
| liquor dealers politicians as you made
them criminals when you passed laws
which were unreasonable and clash
against the habits of the great mass
| of the people when you made their
| business precarious, when you selected
Mat class Of the community for in
vidious distinction and persecution.
Repeal the obnoxious laws, and. when
| once you have removed the real cause
OF this evil-the unhealthy conditions