The border vidette., 1917-02-24
BONE DRY BILL
Measure Now Ready For President
 Wilson's Signature.

house, after two hours of up roarious debate, approved hy a four to one majority senate measure which would raise an ironclad barrier against importa- tion of liquor into prohibition states. It is expected to receive the approval of President Will son within week, adding i'm media tely to the bone dry" territory about one third of con tinental United States.
 The provision is regarded as the most far reaching that could be enacted by the federal govern ment, and as sweeping as would be possible under any method short of national prohibition amendment. It would cut off entirely liqnor importatious am bunting now to millions of dol lars annually into the large num- den manufacture or sale but have permitted importation for personal use.
 Advocates of prohibition were divided among themselves over the expediency of the step, some friends of the cause declaring so drastic a law would have a re- actionary effect. In the same way those who have opposed prohibition were not unanimous in operation when the vote was taken. The roll call brought cheers and cries of bone dry" from all parts of the house, how ever, and the result was greeted with noisy demonstration. The vote, as officially announced, was 321 to P, d re check of the roll changed it to 316 to 72. Party lines were completely broken down and numerous re- presentatives for prohibition states were recorded in the ne gative. So large a vote is sell dom recorded ou any measure.
 Dry advocates were jubilant tonight. Representative Webb of North Carolina, father of the resolution for a national prohi- bition amendment, declared the overwhelming affirmative vote had killed the states rights ar gument and that the national amendment, already reported favorably, certainly would pass the house at this session. The national legislative committee of the Anti Saloon league issued a statement saying today's ac- tion had cleared the decks" for the national amendment.
 Many of the wet advocates in congress, particularly those with brewers among their consti- tuents, also declared themselves much pleased with the outcome The brewers are understood to have been in favor of the pro- vision, both because it would curtail the SO called mail order business carried on by houses dealing in spirituous liquors and because it might prevent states now wet from going dry, and indefinitely postpone nation wide prohibition.
 Distillers and whiskey deal CTS, on the other hand, were vigorously opposed to this pro- poSal. There are at this time, Representative Shirley of Ken lucky testified during debate, more than 22S, ,OOO, ,OOO gallons of liquor in bond in the United States and 40 per cent of such liquor heretofore has been sold in partially dry territory. Under the amendment concurred ill to- day all of this must be sold in absolutely wet territory, prob ably, he argued, at a great loss. MT. Shirley made futile at tempt to amend the proposal by extending the time when it would go into force for one year.
 In several states the Reed amendment would anticipate ac tion by the state legislatures. Arkansas, Arizona. Idaho, Mon tana, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington all have "bone dry" laws already in operation or to become effective shortly. Utah has enacted a law effective Au- gust l.; the legislatures of Kan sas and South Dakota have sent "bone dry" bills to their gov ernorS for signature.
 Bone dry" measures are pend ing with some prospect of pass age in Colorado, Iowa, Missis sippi, South Carolina, North Car olina, Oklahoma and Michigan and a "bone dry" measure for