Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-07-18
SENATOR PITTMANS STAND
ON PROHIBITION AMENDMENT

prohibition measures in this body In
the presence of the senator from
Washington. and has on every and all
occasions IN the last few years voted
on the prohibition side. Therefore, IL
there was any doubt as to the mean.
inG OF tho senator frorl Nevada in
the remarks he made, and had the SEN
ator from Washington desired to be
just in his expression, he would have
resolved the doubt at least along the
line il was natural to resolve il. He
should have asked the senator from
Nevada what he meant by his state
ment If he were in any doubt.
The senator from Washington
knows that the senator from Nevada
stated here that he would vote for
absolute prohibition. and that state
ment stands in the record of my re.
marks. stated very plainly here
that the only reason why l was vot.
ing against attaching this prohibition
amendment to this bill was because /
believed 1t was intended to kill the
bill. That is what said, and stated
that refrained from voting upon the
Cummins amendment because II would
be inconsistent for me to vote against
the Cummins amendment when / IA
vored that kind of legislation from
the bill because / believe il will be
destructive of this bill. My whole posi-.
ton in this matter must have been
understood. 1t was understood by the
other senator's in this body, but il
seems that there are some here who
are uncharitable to others whenever
their position is supposed at all. l do
not care for that; do not care for the
criticism of the senator from Washing
ton. 1t neither injuries me in the
eyes OF my people, nor in my self
respect; but l regret that at this time,
when there are thousands of poor PEG.
pie throughout this country barely
able to get sustenance. that this mat
ter should be dragged in here for
months and months of debate, to sat.
isfy the vanity and the love OF pub.
1t is to be deplored.
MY position is known here. say
that the fight against this bill today is
furthered on one side by intent and
on the other by ignorance. There are
= those here who openly have declared
on this floor that they are opposed to
any form of control of big business
in this country through the means OF
government instrumentalities. There
are others here who have time and
time again declared to the country
their unalterabR opposition to prohi
bition, and they have demonstrated by
their actions that they will go to any
: length; that they will filibuster fol
any length OF time TO defeat bill
that contains such a provision.
: I'VE know now that which urged the
President of the United States was
the deplorable condition throughout
this country today; we know that that
which actuated the President of the
United States was patriotism OF the
highest character-a patriotism thai
can be realized by man of intelli
= gence, but can not be comprehended
by those lacking in that respect
would rather follow him blindly than
to follow some of the senators in Thu
body even after months and months
D of their harangues and debates; but
: I do not have to follow him blindly.
$ know that there are over one.third o
the members of this body, includin
: those who are bitter anti.prohibitiou
8 lists and those who are bitter antigoy
: eminent controllers, who would pre-
vent this bill ever coming TO a vote
{ am not one of those, and none of m.
actions in the past would Justify an!
such accusation"