The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-15


- ~ ltsoenal ~. Osua&or
l1lc1cock. u NshraskA. insisted that
! A1xlo aHnendment changed the bill from
Measure against the saloon into
nnmptuary measure which attempted
10 dictate how much liQucr the IN
hahitants OF the District shall use
Senator Sheppard took the position
that the amendment in question did
not prohibit the use of LIQUOR, but
amply imposed such restriction as
had been found necessary to prevent
violations Of the law.
Underwood Leads Attack.
Senator Underwood attacked the
amendment, declaring that IT was
trap. and declared that he would pre-
fer a provision prohibiting absolutely
all liquors IN the District OF Columbia
rather than this subterfuge
If you are hghting the saloons, say
40. Face the proposition you believe
in. You don't believe that any person
should take a drop. Then / say be
honest Put that in the bill and let
us vote on that but don't set trap
that win land some innocent people
In the penltentiary. Have courage,
say: stand up for what you belieVe
in
Senator sheppard replied that the
hilton bill had never had n shrewder
advocate than the gentleman from
Alabama. who was angry because the
proposed amendment removed one OF
the strongest points that could De
brought against the bill. He asked
Senator Underwood whether he
thought II would be constitutional /
to prohibit absolutely the importation
of any liquor Mr.. Underwood side
stepped that question by stating that
the Supreme Court had that question
under consideration at the present
time. He attempted to defend his
course. and declared that the charge
that he was "a defender of the liquor
interest was false. He said that the
same charge had been made against
him in Alabama IN the senatorial
campaign. but the people of Alabama
had repudiated that charge by elect
ing him to the Senate by a large ma
tot,ty, to which Senator Sheppard re-
piled that he was not elected because
or his position on the liquor question,
bnt because he had been leading
figure in other national issues.
The Referendum
Senator Sheppard then asked Sena-
te- Underwood whether he had not
declared his opposition TO the fnitia-
live and referendum. Senator I'm /
SO, but insisted that there was dis
tinctiou between the initiative and the
and the referendum alone
and he then argued at considerable
length for a referendum on this bill
so the voters of the District.
Senator Thomas. of Colorado. raised
the question whether Congress had the
right under the Constitution TO refer
any question TO vote OF the people
OF the District. that Senator Jones,
of Washington, had made a very con-
argument against such action
last spring.
Senator Works. of California. EN-
phasized the fact that he personally
was in favor OF absolute prohibition.
hut that no would vote for the Shep-
rard bin and that he thought the
people of the District had no right
TO vote on the measure. that Wash .
ingtoa was the capital of the whole i
nation and that the representatives OF .
the people of the whole country we're
the ones to determine what laws
should be passed for the District.
Senator's Gronna. Jones and Borah all
spoke in favor of the bill declaring
in emphatic terms that prohibition had
been OF great benefit TO their respec
five States. namely North Dakota,
Washington and Idaho. and Senators
Jones and Borah both defended the
amendment limiting the amount for
each individual. stating that the laws
of their States were similar and that
such provisions were necessary
Returns To the Attack.
Senator Underwood returned to the
attack and insisted that the bin should
permit the breweri2s OF the District
TO manufacture and to ship their prod
uct outside the District without any
restrictions as to use. He argued that
II was the duty of Congress to COM
;aeusate the breweries and the saloons
which were pat out Of business: that
il is unfair to confiScate mans prop
ertr when he had been invited to enter
thc ilquor business. The position of
the Senator from Ala hama Is directly
opposed 10 the position OF his own
State. which has outlawed the liquor
business, which has not provided any
compensation such as Mr. Underwood
contends for, and which limits liquor
shipments with similar restrictions to
those in the Sheppard bill.
l; is the opinion of very many per-
sons that Mr.. Underwood is paying off
his obligations 10 the liquor traffic
for help rendered by them in his sem
storiai campaign against Mr.. Hohson-
M. sheppard gave notice that he
would continue to press the bill until
action had been taken