Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-02-26

S~~---N~-~
Third district, made speech espous-
ing the Reed amendment prohibiting
interstate commerce in liquor between
wet and dry states. 1t was generally
praised The address of Mr.. Crisp in
full as published in the Congressional
Record is:
Mr. Speaker and gentlemen of the
House, / have not consumed much OF
the time of the House since l haIve
been a member l have a few things
that l desire to say to the House on
this occasion, and therefore | ask my
colleagues not to interrupt me until
shall have studied what desire to say,
and if have any time left / will be
glad to answer questions to the best OF
my ability. l have always been pro-
hibitionist. l voted for prohibition for
Is years-city and county, State and
Newfoundland it is uncomfortable to me
that any prohibitionist can be opposed
to the amendment before this House.
(Applause) I can readily see how
gentlemen who do not favor prohibit
ton can oppose it, and have no fault
to find with my colleagues who differ
with me; but | desire to address my
remarks principally to the prohibition
lists of this House, and if they
will stand together before this Con-
gress adjourns we will have the best
prohibition law on the statute books
that has been located since this Coy
eminent was founded. applause;
Now. what is the amendment before
the House? 1t is an amendment to
prohibit whisky advertisements being
transmitted through the mails in any
of those states where by law the ad-
vertisement of liquor is prohibited; and
it also prohibits the interstate ship
ment of liquors in any quantity into
any state where by the law of that
state it is prohibited, except for med
icinal. scientific and sacramento pur-
poses.
Strange as it may seem Mr.. Speak
er, number of prohibitionists are OPP
posed to that amendment, and they
place their opposition, so far as have
been able to gather from personal con-
versation with House members, on
three grounds. In one of them they
say that the amendment was proposed
by very distinguished gentleman. a
Member of another august body, who is
not in sympathy with prohibition.
know the adage, Beware of Greeks
bearing gifts; but, Mr.. Speaker, when
this amendment was offered by the dis
tinguished gentleman it was a very
different proposition from the amend
ment now before the House. The
amendment as offered, among other
things, made it crime to take drink
of whiskey in dry state. Possibly 1t
was offered for the purpose OF making
the legislation obnoxious; but it has
been perfected in another body at the
other end of this Capitol, and it comes
before us now a splendid prohibition
measure (applause), the best one ana
tie most practical one, the most eftec-
tive one for prohibition that has ever
been before this body since | have
been a Member of it. (Applause)
"Mr. Speaker, to oppose this amend
ment on that ground does not attrl-
butte much intelligence to this body
for the Members Of this body can
read English language, and we know
what the amendment says. 1t is a
good prohibition amendment, and VIII
make dry states bone-dry. Other gen
tlemen may do as they please, but
shall not desert my flag or vote against
a good principle, workable prohibition
measure because it was suggested by
an enemy of prohibition.
''Now. the second opposition to it IS
that it interferes with state rights.
How often. Mr.. Speaker, have gentle
men used the state rights proposition
to get behind thing they do not faV-
or, (Applause.) 1 do not believe this
interferes with state rights. We have
a dual form of government. When this
Government was organized certain
mowers were reserved to the Federal
Government, and one of them reserved
to the Federal Government was the
right to regulate interstate commerce.
81 know some of the states have a
law to the effect that you can import
certain quantities of whisky, and
those who are arguing now that the
Reed amendment is an infringement or
State rights say it takes away the right
of a citizen, in particular State where
the law authorizes him to leave
ouart to get it. Good Lord, l can not