The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-01
IT'S Up TO SENATE
House FavOrs Bone Dry Pro-
.hibitOry Amendments.
Would Be a Crime Even to
Possess Liquor Here.
CHURCHES MAY HAVE IT
Medicinal Exceptions, Too, in
Proposed Measure.
No Mercy Held Out for Thirsty
in Kansas.


Kansas will be bone dry under the
bill which pass the house today on
third reading. The measure was rec
commended for passage, following an
entire day spent in committee of the
whole when house members fought
measure which allowed liquor for sac
ram entail, medicinal and scientific use
only. Under the measure a cellar
cite is a liability and the man with a
bottle of gin may pay a $500 fine and
go to Jail six months.
The fight over the bone dry bill was
| the feature attraction of the 1917
legislative session. Near zero weather
failed to keep the crowd from the
state house and the Hobbies and CALLER
les in representative hall were packed
while the members argued provision
of the bill prepared by the temperance
committee.
Under the bill common carriers are
denied the right to ship liquor into
the state. An individual is prohibited
from keeping liquor in his possession
for any purpose. Possession of liquor
is sufficient evidence to warrant
conviction in open court and the man
with bottle for his Stomach'S sake,
may pay fine and go to Jail. pen
atty of $500 is chargeable against any
railroad, express company or other
common carrier that brings liquor into
the state.
No Mercy on the Thirsty.
Efforts to provide a saving clause
for the thirsty failed sadly. The house
| mem bers talked loudly and eloquently
with one eye on the women'S lob
by. Robert Stone of Shawnee county
offered an amendment which would
have permitted one quart a month for
personal use. Stone openly charged
the house members with grandstand-
ing on the liquor question and urged
| them to come out in the open and vote
their honest convictions. But the
! amendment went down under a flood
of votes. A substitute for section L
| the vital section of the bill-permitted
individuals to keep a private stock
/ of liquor for personal use. The sub
stftute was offered by Harvey of
! Clark county. But it didn't have
chance. House members were talking
and voting for bone dry legislation
and they refused to leave anything in
the way.
Ben Endres of Leavenworth county
appealed to the members to vote as
they drank. Maybe they did. Maybe
they didn't If they did the Kansas.
house doesn't drink it.
Churches Can Get 1t.
| Walter A. Layton of Osborne county
offered the amendment which started
one of the big rows of the day. He
proposed to place the same restrictions
on the church that were placed on
individuals. Forthwith there was a
new war cloud on the horizon. Lay
ton declared that the church should
bow to the statutes of Kansas, rather
than that the state should bow to the
rituals of the church.
1t was red hot war and for two
hours the crowd in the Hobbies and
galleries forgot that the state was
actually hanging in the balance so far
as future supplies is concerned. The
| attention surrounded the warm words
which passed among house members
in their debate. Layton made an ex-
cellent fight and he enlisted some
| loyal and worthy support But the
church following was too strong. The
motion to place the church on the
same basis with the individual failed.
AS adopted on the floor, the COM
mittee bill received few amendments.
Provisions in the bill which is now
checked up to the senate permit the
sale of liquor to druggists by whole
sale houses, use Of liquor for church
saeraments, with alcohol for hospitals
and laboratories. But that is all Sup
plies to individuals. are completely
SY1It off