Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-01-08


IN the Senate, Tuesday, will come
one of the most important votes OF TINS
session. News of its result will be
waited with interest in every part OF
The nation-in every corner of the
world. That day, by agreement. the
Senate will vote on the Shepard blli
placing the District of Columbia under
prohibition. Opponents of the measure
have not given up hope, entirely, OF
defeating it, yet they realize that there
is little probability of accomplishing
their object in the Senate. Their main
hope today lays in the House, and this
is far from being strong.
In nc sense can this fight be desls-
mated as a party measure. Its author
is a Democrat; it is supported ana op-
posed by members of both political
faiths This division will hold when
the vote is taken on Tuesday next.
When it became evident to the liquor
interests that the District of Columbia
was very certain to go dry: that pro-
hibition was gaining ground they real
lied that it spelled the end of alcohol
in this country. 1t was nervous stu
alton Something had to be done 1t
was then that the great shout of rel
erendum went up.
Probably nothing has been more ms
understood by the general pubic or
more misrepreSented than the fallure
of the Senate to accept Senator Under
woods amendment to the district pro-
hibition bill, submitting it 10 the resi-
dents of the district. Outside of Wash
ington one would. to have read certain
newspapers, have supposed that
great clamor had gone up from the
people of Washington. 1t would have
seemed that citizens were gathering on
street corners. in the numerous squares
and circles of the national capitol de-
manding that they be given chance
to vote yes or know. wet or dry. That
was the mental picture conjured up af-
ter reading these papers. What was
the fact? One scarcely heard it men
toned except by those directly inter-
ested in the liquor traffic. Popular re-
ouest for such a referendum did not,
does not exist.
So little interest did the people of the
district take in the matter that they
Gid not trouble themselves to visit the
capitol and attend the debates. Not
once during the days the referendum
or the bill has been debated has there
been crowd or any semblance to it
in the Senate gallery This would not
be true if the district as whole cared
a fig about the referendum.
And that this is true is shown by the
fact that on one of the days while this
debate was on, when it was known it
was to be up, less than half the Senate
gallery was occupied, but every seat
in the house gallery was taken. Why
was this? That day the House had up
the matter of increasing the pay Of
departmental and district workers. All
Washington was interested in that and
all of Washington that could get into
the House gallery was there. An in
crease or a reduction of the pay of
| these workers touches the pocket
books of the grocer, the baker and the
candlestickmaker. 1t is the difference
between better or poorer business.
Consequently Washington wanted to
see. hear and lend force to the demand
of these men and women for an in
I crease. Had Washington been so in
tensely interested over the referendum
on Senator Shepards bill it would
have filed the Senate gallery that
same day. 1t wasn't interested. 1t
didn't care A. rap about it
Undoubtedly it will be held up in
many quarters that the Underwood ref
erendum was defeated through fear the
/ district would vote against prohibition.
! That is not so. To explain why it is
not so makes it necessary to go back
more than quarter century.
It is necessary to go back to the
time when that great Maine statesman
!
| ate. conceived and drafted the law for
the reorganization and control Of the
| District of Columbia under its present
plan.
The writer had the pleasure a day or
so ago of talking with one who was
/ here in those times and who knew the
condition which existed. Then the dis
/ trict voted and had a delegate in Con-
sress. Conditions We're unbearable.
! Corruption ran high. The future of the
| capitol of the worlds greatest
nation was threatened. Congress
realized this and took steps
to remedy the evil. The present plan
was evolved by Senator Morrill, and af-
ter considerable debate enacted into
| law Since that time Washington has
grown both in population and in
| beauty. 1t is. unquestionably, one of
! the finest cities in the world. Noi.itv
in this country is SO clean. speakine