The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-16
INDIANA SENATE
QUICK To FOLLOW
HOUSES EXAMPLE
Final Vote For Prohibition
was 80 to 11-Remark-
able Demonstration
GALLERIES ARE PACKED
IN HOURS OF DEBATE
Prohibition Law Goes Into Eff
feet April 2, 1918-Wets
Made and Lost Desperate
Fight

Thrty-fv hundred Indiana saloons
I will he closed by April 2, 1918.
! With only minor amendments, the
senate passed the house bill forbid
ding the manufacture and sale Of all
intoNcants except for medicinal
ceremonial, scientific and industrial
purposes, by vote of thirty-ciEht to
eleven.
The next day, Saturday, February 3,
The house concurrcd in the amend
ments and the bill went to the gov
ernor for his signature
The fight was one of the most no
table ever staged in a legislature by
the temperance forces An the state
organizations favoring prohibition
were solidly back to the house bill,
which had been framed by the Anti
Saloon league months ago.
Days of Trial.
When the legislative session began,
II appeared that the vote in the
senate might be close. One of tho
champ iors OF prohibition died The
liquor lobby was on the ground with
swarms of workers. busy and vigilant
II was trying time, but the drys had
many friends and they were busy,
too, day and night
The dry bill received seventy votes
in the house-ten more than the drys
led been able TO count on with GER
tainty. When It went to the senate.
the vets IN desperation fairly stormed
the Capitol. trying on one occasion to
pack the building so that the drys
could not enter. In this they were
wholly unsuccessful.
The Folks Back Home.
Meantime both sides were keeping
the folks back home" fully posted
about what was going on The brew
ers issued lengthy statement pur-
porting to show that the dry law
would entail the destruction Of s2S,-
100000 worth Of property occupied
and operated by the LIQUOR trade Of
Indiana. and would deprive the state
Of nearly $4,000. 900 annual revenue
They said this loss would necesstate
an increase of 90 per cent in direct
taxes.
The drys were not only able to off
set this argument, but they got their
own statement before the people
Through the American Issue. through
letters, kilograms and phone mes
sages. they reached friends of prohi-
h'tion In every nook of the state, The
Indianapolis News, with character
istic raightforwardness. supported
the dry measure and told the entire
state day by day Just what was tran
spring around the Capitol
The senators heard from their con-
stituents Delegations of their neigh
bors called on them. Their desks
were flooded with petitions letters,
kilograms, There was no withstand
ing the food of expressed sentiment
in favor OF aholishing the saloons.
Every Senator ON Hand
When the final vote came. every
senator was in his place The league
counted on thirty dry votes. The bill
received eight more than that. and
only eleven senators. from Indiana
polls. Terre Haute. Fort Wavne. Gary
and other cities. voted against the bill
The amendments made by the SEN
ate postponed the closing date three
months from January /, 1918 and
gave permission for druggists to han
die pure grain alcohol for medicinal
purposes,
As in the house. the senate divi-
sion paid no attention to party lines
Twenty Republicans ami eighteen
Democrats voted for the measure
Seven Democrats and four Republi-
cans opposed 1t.