Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-28
Editor'SL Box
THE REED AMENDMENT
IS NOT SUFFICIENT.

II seems TO have been assumed oy
some who have not carefully analysed
the situation that the enactment OF the
Reed amendment to the postal appro-
priation bill fully covers the ground
sought to be covered by the so-calIeo
Bussa barger bill now before the Maine
legislature. TIE Portland Daily Press
in an editorial published on February
Z3rd takes the position that the recent
federal legislation renders the Bussa-
barger bill unnecessary and superhu-
Gus. This does not seem to me to be
correct proposition, and | would like to
cali the attention of the readers OF the
Journal to Just what the Reed amend
ment does add TO existing law and
wherein it fails TO take the place of the
Bussa barger bill
The amendme Mt to the postal bin in
troduced by Senator Reed OF Missouri
originally read as follows:
Whoever shall order. purchase, or
cause intoxicating liquors. to be trans
ported in interstate commerce into any
state or territory the laws of which
state or territory prohibit the manufac-
ture or sale therein of intoxicating liz
uOA9 ~ ~ Cage Pa SoNoS' eAAo VIM
ever within any such state or territory
receive or knowingly, sell or purchase
or give away any such LIQUORS so trans
ported in interstate commerce shah be
punished, etc"
On motion oe Senator Borah this
amendment was divided so that the
Senate voted on it as two separate and
distinN propositions. The first part Of
the mendment-namely, Whoever
shall order, purchase, or cause intoxi-
eating LIQUORS to be transported in in
terstate commerce into any state or
territory the laws of which state or
territory prohibit the manufacture or
sale therein of intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes shall be punished,
etc. was accepted by the Senate by
vote Of 45 to H. The remaining part
OF the amendment was rejected by
vote Of 80 to 10; Senator FernaId of
Maine voting with the majority in both
instances.
The Bussaharger bill absolutely for
bids the importation of intoxicating
liquors into Maine. either from any
other state or from any foreign coun-
try, excepting for certain specified pur-
poses.
There are two points of vital differ
ence in the Reed amendment and the
Bussabarger bill. The Reed amend
ment fCrbids transportation into Maine
from any other state or territory of in
toxicating liquors lin interstate COM
merce" and leaves open importations
into Maine from foreign countries. The
Bussabarger oil forbids the importa-
tons whether as q matter of interstate
commerce or not and closes the door
to importations from foreign countries.
If the second part of the Reed
amendment had been adopted, it would
have covered the ground now occupied
by the Bussabarger bill. so far as the
remaining states Of the Union are con-
cerned But the Senate was in doubt
as to the right OF Congress to legislate
on the matter as fully as Senator Reed
desired. There is no question about
the right Of the State to so legislate.
Under these circumstances it will be
seen that the Reed amendment does not
do away with the necessity for the
rassage of the Bussbarger bill; nor. if
the latter bill is passed, will there be
any conflict between state and federal
authority. The proposed state legisla-
to" is supplementary to the national
Legislation and follows out the policy
defined by the federal government
carrying the legislation farther than
Congress under the limitations of the
Constitution could do.
The Press suggests that the Reed
amendment does away with the neces-
Sity Of granting to the governor power
to remove and appoint sheriffs and
county attorneys. / do not think that
this is quite true. But it is undoubt-
eddy true that the Reed amendment.
accompanied by the passage of the
Bussabargcr bill, would do away with
that necessity. In that event, a very
little additional authority granted to
the attorney general, so that through
that department of State government
importations could be checked, would
cover the whole program and save dis
turbing our fundamental law, or enact
ing additional legislation which might
DO more harm than good.
Yours very truly
w. r. PATTANGALL.
Augusta, Maine, Feb. &c, 1917.