The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-13

't", va, Jan. i-.--~bOVeFHoT
Harris today expressed keen gratifica-
tlon over the decision OF the United
states Supreme Court sustaining the
Kenyon act touching the inter.
state shipment OF liquors.
In the message which the Governor
sent to the last Legislature he called
attention to the broad provision allow
ing shipments to individuals and sug
gested to the Legislature that they re-
strict these shipments and cut down
the amount. Some Senator'S and
Representatives, in conference with
him, declared they were afraid to do
so because such action on the part OF
the Legislature might be declared I'M
constitutional, as infringing public lib
erty, The Governor at that time called
attention to the fact that the restric
lon was only on the carriage affect
| Ing Interstate commerce and not the
private rights of the individual
Governor Sustained.
The very point that Governor Har
ris suggested to the Legislature has
been sustained by the Supreme Court
of the United States. The legislation
in West Virginia has been declared
valid, although it excludes all ship
ments of every kind, The Georgia
ed out. consulted their fears and would
not act on the Governors suggestion,
although 1t then appeared that nearly
so per cent of the shipments were to
Colored consignees, thus presenting, as
Governor Harris points out, an agra
waited menace to the people.
Out of the situation as il IS now pre-
scented, under the ruling OF the United
States Supreme Court. comes an in
n ,lAa hi ~
Georgia. in the expression made in a
statement given out from the execu-
tive offices today, in which II is said ::
1T is hoped that. at the next SEES
sion Of the Legislature the provision
! allowing these individual shipments
will be either entirely repealed or the
amount materially reduced. The pro-
hibition cause seems to be strength
ening it's cause in all directions. 1t
is now a world-w WIDE one. and has be-
come a great ehsnomic question, af-
/ fecting the very life Of the State, so
| that the government is taking steps to
save the people"
Inasmuch as this expression is IN
spired by Governor Harris. and the
known fact that he has been keeping
close tab on the situation in this
State and relative developments in
national government and is manifest
ing now as deep an interest in the sue
cess Of prohibition as he ever has
probably deeper one--it may we'll be
inferred that when his message goes
to the next General Assembly there
will be found in it some right strong
recommended ton along the II G
touched upon in the paragraph above
quoted
Only Available Records.
The only available statistics on the
operation OF the prohibition law in
Georgia, insofar as the importation of
liquor is concerned. are the records in
the offices of the ordinaries which al
! mittedly. have been properly kept only
since the Fakes registration fee law
went into effect. Study Of these sta
tistcs. as far as they are availab Bile
as far as the final reports made to the
State treasury at the close of the year
go--reveal some surprises which can't
| but bring about efforts to effect
changes in the next Legislature. For
instance. 1t can he worked out from
those figures that If the package ship
ments recorded contain the legal al
lotment of two quarts of liquor within
one month. there were imported into
the city of Atlanta in the four months
in which accurate records were kept.
packages enough to estimate more
than million quarts of liquor in a
year-and 1t cannot be contended by
anybody that all the liquor which
comes into Atlanta gets here through
the express office by any means. On
the face of it. this will be taken to
show conclusively a decrease in the
consumption, but in a study OF the
State as whole. the showing is not a
satisfactory one. when other counties
of the State are taken in comparison,
and the fact is borne in mind that the
$4,000 paid the State treasury
through the Southern express office in
the city of Atlanta alone is more than
half the amount from every office in
the State including Atlanta-the
total for the entire State being s19.-
1888. as shown by detail table
heretofore prepared in this CORE
spondence.
Further Restrictive Measures.
1t Is now certainty. beyond dis
pute, that the question Of further re-
strictve prohibition measures will
come before the next Legislature de-
spite the efforts that have been made,
! and doubtless Will be continued, to
let well enough alone" Some months
ago Representative John Bale. Of
Floyd. made the statement in an in
terview efforts to bring prohibition INTO
the next session would not carry be-
cause of the desire of the larger part
of the membership to let the present
laws UC CUloltta dr. lneE are. More
recent developments, however. do not
coincide with that view. For instance,
1t Ii a declared intention Of Senator
elect Ed Wohlwender. of Muscogee. to
introduce in the Senate. early in the
session a bill, similar to that in West
Virginia. making it m!sdemeanor
for a person to be found with LIQUOR
on his person other than in the orig
inal sealed package, or elsewhere than
at his private residence. This bill.
Mr.. Wohlwender declared. he has al
ready drawn. Subsequent to thai dec
laration there has been quite great
deal of comment on this proposition
and other members of the next assem-
bly, have expressed their intention of
supporting the bill--men who are
known to be strong prohibitionists. A
second bill contemplated by Mr.. Wohl-
wender Is that TO fix the registration
fee at So on. each delivery, bat the