Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-31
''DRyS" Confident
OF THEIR VICTORY
They Have No Doubt Senate
Will Pass Constitutional
Amendment.
MOTTO: "NO COMPROMISE"
Anti-Saloon League Leaders De-
termined That Everything
Alcoholic Must Go.
MOTTO: "No COMPROMISE"

nesday by vote OF 81 to 26. The
"drys' are confident they have the
fight won.
While to-day there were speeches
on the amendment. the main activity
was in the lobby The most tremen-
dous pressure was brought to bear on
Senator'S who are not prohibitionists.
And the motto Of the prohibittonists
Tho conduct this particular fight is
mo compromise" There is not the
slightest indication that they show any
weakening on the subject OF beer and
wine. Everything alcoholic must go.
they declare.
Il would rather abandon the fight
than exempt beer and wine" said DIR.
+. c. Dinwiddie. secretary Of the Anti
Saloon League. to-day. which is back
ing Senator Sheppard, OF Texas, au-
thor Of the amendment.
STATES WILL HAVE ONLY
SIX YEARS TO RATIFY
An agreement has been reached
whereby the amendment will be before
the States only six years. If by that
time three -fourths Of the States have
not ratified. II falls from the calendar
automatically
that the "drys" will not be able to
add eleven States to the twenty-five
already prohibited by law.
The "wets" are not SO sure as the
"drys" that the Sheppard amendment
will be successful. A very prominent
wet" said to-day that he thought the
result would be very close, and he
based his prediction on the votes OF
two or three Senators who have not
yet declared their intentions.
Speeches, limited to an hour, were
heard to-day. There seemed little in
terest in this oratory. Few Senator'S
appeared In their seats. Most OF them
have already made UP their minds.
Voting begins on Wednesday after
noon at 2 o'clock.
Two-thirds OF the Senators present
must vote for the amendment II It is
successful. DR.. Dinwiddie said that
his side would have from two OF, three
to fifteen majority"
~ Senator Sheppard began the speeches
to-day, Of course. in favor of his
amendment SS
Tho sum of $500. .ooO. 900 Is spent
annually. for whisky; enough is con-
sumed by each man. woman and child
: to have twenty-five gallons each an
EnuaIly." he said.
THAT trading in poison like
alcohol should have reached the pro-
portions 1T has, and that it's promoters
have acquired the influence they pos
sess. 10 a matter of nothing less than
humiliation. Whisky is a menace to
the national health. morals and ef-
iciency and stain upon the nations
name. IT is now time the Federal gov
crnment stopped traffic in poison
that takes from people six times as
much as they spend for bread. ten
times as much as they spend for fur
niture and twice as much as they spend
for clothes"
Definite effort has been made, said
Senator Sheppard. to enlist organized
labor against prohibition. He cites as
one reason the existence OF unions
among bartenders and brewery and
distillery operatives.
Labor is asked" he said, ito i'm
reril It's very existence. to take food
from the mouths and clothes from the
backs Of Its men, women and children
in order to sustain a traffic meaning
hunger. disease. insanity and death"
leading wet" Senator Underwood,
OF Alabama, spoke against the amend
ment.
The adoption OF this amendment
will undoubtedly be favorable to the
sentiment of the people in some of the
states" he said. 'It is equally sure
to be contrary to the sentiment of the
people in number of other States.
In the latter case it will be necessary
to enforce obnoxious police regula-
tions upon an unwilling people.
MAY BE ADOPTED WITHOUT
CONSENT OF MAJORITY
This amendment might be adopted
without the consent of the States rem
resenting a majority of the population
of the United States. 1t will require
three-quarters of the forty-eiEht States
to secure It's ratification. There are
twelve States that could not prevent
the ratification of this amendment II
it were agreed to by the other thirty
SIX. They are Massachusetts,, New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Ohio.
Indiana, Michigan. Missouri, Illinois.
Kentucky. Tennessee and California.
that under the census of 1911 had
population of 5o.556,O65 out Of a total
as given by that census of s1,972,2S6.
These twelve States have a36 Congress-
men in the House of representatives
and the other thirty-six States have
only 1877.
''If this amendment is adopted, 1t
may be ratified without the consent
of the States I have just named. The
result Of it's adoption would be, in part,
to destroy the principle Of local self
government that our people have
cherished and protected since the be-
ginning Of the government
IF the Federal government is once,
called on to enter the field, apprehend
and publish the petty ofrenses OF the
citizens OF the States in respect to
the matters authorized by this resolu-
tion, 1t will not be long before efforts
will be made to extend further the
police powers OF the Federal govern
msnt. and result in destroying State
boundaries and the abolition Of State
governments"
The two other speakers OF the day
were Senator Ashurst, OF Arizona. and
Senator shafroth. Of. Colorado. BOTH
prohibittonists. y
,EH NJ X (.