The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-09
Three Weeks and No Booze
Comes to Kansas.
Shipments May Not Be Al
lowed After February 1.
WEBB KENYON LAW DOES IT
Kansas Legislature Will Make
1t Apply Here.
Representative Robert Stones
Bill Goes In Tomorrow.

Kansans who believe in prepared
ness thru private stock of d. Booze,
should do their liquor shopping early.
The state legislature will put a crimp
in all shipments into this state under
the decision of the supreme court in
the Webb Kenyon law. A bill which
the state administration plans to rush
thru both houses will positively pro-
hibit the shipment of Intoxicating IL
quor into this state. The measure may
be n law by February /.
Under the decision of the United
States supreme court in the federal
Webb-Kenyon case, dry states are per-
mitted to bar the shipment of liquor
from wet territory. Coming on the
eve of the opening of the Kansas leg
islative session, many lawmakers are
today discussing provisions of the fed
eral act and plan to hasten the adop-
| ton of a law which will stop all Ii
quor shipments into Kansas. The bill
/ to be ntroduced-probably in the
Wednesday morning session of both
housewife designate the point of
delivery as the place of sale.
Bills which would have prohibited
the shipment of liquor into Kansas
were introduced in the sessions of
1875. Both bills failed. Now, with
, the federal law upheld. the state leg
islators and members OF the state ad-
miniStration will seek immediate ac-
ton to block shipments The bill by
Robert Stone of Shawnee county, may
again be introduced and rushed to
passage in the first ten days or two
weeks of the session. Two years ago
the Stone bill was strangled thru the
alleged manipulations of liquor inter-
ests in the legislature.
Endorsed by Capper.
The new liquor bill is to have the
endorsement of the state administra-
ton. Governor Capper according to
/ n
the house and senate to pass the dras-
tic anti-liquor bill without delay The
bill will be the most important and
far-reaching liquor measure in Kansas
since the adoption of the prohibitory
liquor amendment to the state consti-
tuition.
1t is probable the Kansas Legislature
| will go the limit in restricting the use
! of intoxicants in this state. While
the test case from West Virginia under
the Webb-Kenyon act does not plan an
absolute ban on the ownership of IL
quor. it provides many hardships
and limitations in securing liquor that
the man with a thirst will encounter
many difficulties even in providing
private stock. The West Virginia law.
brought to test the full meaning of the
Webb-Kenyon act, prohibits both In
terstate and intrastate liquor ship
ments. Kansas is expected to meet
| every measure of opportunity under
the federal law and provide a measure
so drastic that legal shipments of IL
quor by common carriers will be inn
possible.
Stone Will Lead Fight.
Robert Stone of Topeka. author of
the anti-liquor shipment bill of two
years ago. will direct the fight for the
law this year. Without changing
sentence or phrase or comma, Stones
bill of two years ago will go to the
Legislative hopper with the opening OF
the session Wednesday morning.
''I will introduce my bill again at the
first opportunity and expect to have IL
ready for the first introduction of bills
Wednesday, said Stone. ''The bill
will be introduced just as it was writ
ten two years ago and will prohibit
absolutely and finally the shipment of
liquor into this state. by making the
point of delivery the place of sale"
Representatives of express compa-
MES, railroads and common carriers
generally declared today they would not
make hard fight on the bill. altho
it naturally affects their business in
terests.
so long as the law has been up
held, there Isn't much to do except
bow to the inevitable" said the rep
resentative of one common carrier
Besides. the business in Kansas is not
SO big and profitable as in the old
days"
Should the legislature declare an
emergency IN meeting the decision IN
the liquor case, the bill might be
forced thru both houses by the enc
of next week and become a law thru
publication in the official state paper
within two weeks from the opening of
the session. Persons interested in the
legislation. however. declared that
even with due haste. the law will prob
ably not become effective before Feb
ruary 1. 1t is also probable that a
stated time may be set by the 1egis-
lature when the law will become effec-
tive. This, it is reported. might be
done to enable common carriers to
clean UP their business
But Mr.. Booze. regardless of the
date, is saying goodbye to Kansas and
will probably leave without a DEM
onstration in either the house or sem
ate