The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-25
BEER MAKERS FOIL ED
BY HOLSAPLE'S WORK
Seek By Honyed Promises of Obeyng the Law Priv
ege of Selling So Called Near Beer-South Dakota Super
intendent Shows That Brewers Never Did Regard Law

The liquor interests of South Da-
kota are asking the legislature for
permission to manufacture and sell
near beer contaiuine a limited amount
Of alcoho, under the new prohibition
law TO be adopted by the legislature
which Is now IN session. A hearing
was given representatives of the
hreweries last week by the joint
house and senate committees on
temperance. Representatives from
the Black Hills Brewing company at
Deaawuod. the Schwench Barth
Brewing company at Yankton and the
Si5gX Falls Brewing company, of
Sioux Falls and the South Dakota
Local option league were present
Representatives OF the Woman's
Christian Temperance union and the
Anti-Saloon league were also present.
The brewers argued that they have
$1,000, 900 invested in their plants In
the state and that their property will
be practically valueless under the OPP
Grafton OF the prohibition law unless
a special provision is made by the
legislature whereby they can manu-
facture some kind OF beverage and
sell the same after the state goes dry.
In their argument they said nothing
about the losses that had been sus-
tanned by individuals and communi-
ties during the past years as result
Of the use and sale Of their product
Neither did they say anything about
the ruined homes that are scattered
about over the state as q result of the
business that they have been engaged
In. 1t was. however freely admitted
by the brewers that they had violated
the laws In the past. their spokesman
saying with regard to this:
u f.tt - ~ tn
pendulum has swung so far that we
have to be good II we are allowed to
i've. We are now ready to be good.
II you viii let us make a beverage
containing q small amount of alcohol
we will not Toad" Il or In any way
violate the law We realize that the
people want prohibition and we are
I willing that their wish should be
obeYed.
The brewers also quoted at length
from brewers text books TO show
what are intoxicating liquors and how
much alcohol might be contained In
such liquors before they could be
called intoxicating The committee
listened patiently 70 the appeal but
did not seem to be very greatly moved
by Il
Something OF sensation was
sprung when r. n. Hoisaple, super
intendent of the Anti Saloon league
asked the privilege OF fling with the
temperance committee an exhibit In
answer to the brewers claim that
they wished to see the laws observed
and that they would observe them
themselves. Mr.. Holsapie then pro-
8ueed FIVE bottles OF so-called near
beer which he had taken IN a raid in
q blind pig In Rapid City. The at
tentlon OF the committee was called
70 the fact that these beverages are
sod In violation OF the present law.
since they contain a considerable
amount OF alcohol.
It's too Near.
part OF the exhibit WAS d bottle
OF Rose Leaf" production manufac-
tured by the schwcnck- Barth Brew
ing company Of Yankton, and sold to
blind pigs in dry territory throughout
the state This bottle was accom-
panied by an analysts made by Prof
n I Jones, of Dakota Wesleyan uni
verstty. who is one OF the leading
chemists OF the country. showing that
this sa mple OF Il SO Leaf contained SO
OF per cent Of alcohol by volume.