The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-01
HOUSE VOTES
DRY CAPITAL
after NOV. |
Prohibition Forces Win Big
Victory Despite Fill
clustering.

e>eS0
= Washington, March Prohibition
won a double victory in Congress when
the House passed by vote of 273 to
1877 the Senate bill to make the ma
tional capital dry after next Nov. l,
and Senate and House conferees on
the Postal Appropriation Bill unex-
pectedly announced an agreement un-
der which the Reed 'tbone dry"
amendment 3 virtually assured of
enactment
Peal Agreement a Surprise.
Hope of agreeing on the Postal Sup
ply measure had been abandoned by
the conferees, who Tuesday submitted
a resolution to continue existing pos
tai appropriations for another year.
Last night, however, they got together
on a report which includes the Reed
liquor into prohibition states, which
they expect to present in both houses
today or tomorrow.
The leaders thought last night there
was no doubt of its acceptance in Sem
for granted too that President Wilson
" =
of Columbia Prohibition Bill.
The District Bill was brought to a
vote after a stubborn opposition had
delayed for several hours the final roll
call which the leaders knew would
mean passage. All day and until late
in the evening they stood by their
guns, exhausting every parliannen tary
expedient to ward off the action and
watching for an opportunity to put
the measure into a position that would
mean it's failure with the expiration OF
the session Sunday.
Filibuster In Vain.
Failing to displace the biz or to
force an adjournment, the flibusterers
centred their attention on an effort to
add amendments that would throw it
into conference and prevent enact
ment at this session. They made ftbe cir
last stand on an amendment that
would have given the people of the
District referendum on the pro
posal and would have put into the
measure a provision prohibiting i'm
iportation Of liquor for personal use
This was voted down, I'll to 1872
Various other amendments were re-
jected by similar majorities.
Debate on the measure had been
limited by the drastic rule under
which Wit had been brought up, so
that the usual dramatic features OF
sfilibustering strategy were replaced
by long roll calls forced by the oppo-
sition on repeated motions to adjourn,
points of no quorum, amendments
and motions to- give some other bill
the right Of way.
After several hours the prohibition
champions despaired Of passing, at all
the House bill reported from the
District of Columbia committee, with
numerous amendments, and adopted
a special rule substituting the Senate
bill
Henry Leader of the "Wets."s
Chairman Henry of the Rules Com
mittee led the fight for the "wets.'' A
member for 20 years and the veteran
of many floor battles, he went into
the fight yesterday representing only
a small minority of his committee. He
succeeded in keeping the bill from
coming up on the floor until afternoon
by flibustering on a minor judgship
measure.
He had a handful of other bills
ready to bring up when Representa-
tive Harrison, another member Of the
Rules Committee, took the floor from
him in behalf of the rule under which
the Dry Bill framed by the District
Committee was to be considered.
Mr.. Henry protested that undue
haste should not be exercised in per-
fecting such an important measure.
and Mr.. Harrison replied:
1--WE are willing to sit here with you
gentlemen until the Fourth Of March.
if necessary, in order to perfect this
bill.''
Bryan "In atIthe Killing
While the votings was in progress in
the House, Col. w. J. Bryan walked
into the press gallery, watched the
proceedings for while and then went
down to the Speakers lobby and talked
with number of friends among the
members.
Twas in on the killing he said
after the. final vote. ''Just say for me
that said delighted
The House conferrees finally yielded
in the dispute over the pneumatic
tdbes which for a time threatened ths
death Of thej post office bill appropriat-
ing $300,O0O,OO0, and carrying the
Reed t'bone dry amendment prohibit
ing the shipment of liquor into prohi-
bition states.
The conference agreed to the Senate
amendment, which make it mandatory
on the postmaster general to renew
for another year the pneumatic mail
tube contracts in New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia, Boston and st. Louis, and
provides for a commission to investi-
gate the tube systems with view to
their purchase by the government.
The Reed liquor amendment carries
with it the provision denying the mails
to newspapers and other publications
carrying liquor advertisements in
states which have laws against such
Although there have been threats OF
a, filibuster against the measure be-
cause Of the ''bone dry amendment,
the general opinion among senators
and representatives was that the con-
fetrence report would be agreed to.