The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-04-16
Finwan Says Nonpartisans
SHE'D Because Of Fear
They Would Hurt Own !.
Plans.
TO ENFORCE BONE-DRY LAW
Forces are Being Lines Up
to Make That Legisla-
tion Effective.

'Of about 40 morality measures in,
troduced by us in the last Legislature
only IA got through" said Rev. C. w
Ffnwall, assistant enforcement com
missioner of North Dakota, who spoke
Sunday afternoon at the First Presby-
terrain church under the auspices Of
local unions of the w. G.. T. u.
I'VE were of the opinion, after the
election, that it would be an easy
matter to get morality legislation
through the Legislature for the reason
that there were so many farmers elect
ed to the assembly. But we were doom
ed to disappointment.
With the Nonpartisan league in
control in the house and the stand
patters in control in the senate it was
difficult to get anything through one
house that had originated in the 9th.
er. In the house, especially, there
seemed to be reluctance to take up any
of our morality measures because II
was feared that the regular Nonpar-
tisan schedule would be interfered
with" ...
Will Put Them on Record.
Mr.. Finwall was speaking of the
necessity of the prohibitionists being
very careful whom they selected to
represent the people at the legislature
and said that in the future the inten-
come out with a flat-footed statement
of his position on morality measures.
"5one Dry" Surprise.
The speaker briefly reviewed the
work of the last legislature as it re-
lated to morality measures and ex-
pressed himself as somewhat surprised
at the passage of the ibone dry" bill.
He said he was unable to account for
the passage of this bill-that it got
through the house when Mr.. Watkins
was not present and when 1t was ex-
pected that big fight would be made
against it.
But we must now be careful and
keep busy" said Mr.. Ffnwall. "as there
is movement on foot to refer House
Bill No. 39-the bone dry bill-to the
people. We do not want, this bill re-
ferred. Not because We would be afraid
that it would not pass when the peo-
pie came to vote upon it, for we are
confident that it would, but it would
mean a great expense to the prohibi-
ton organizations as the entire state
would have to be covered. 1t would
also mean a great expense to the peo-
pie Of the state"
Prior Shipments to be Halted.
Speaking of the bone dry bill going
into effect on July /. Mr.. Finwan said
that the enforcement commissioners
were busy getting the states attorneys
lined up to prevent any large ship
ments of liquor into the state during
the month of June.
I'VE have received promises from
the states attorneys of the western
counties of the state that they will
seize all large shipments of liquor into
the state during the month Of June.
Now we must get the same from the
states attorneys Of the eastern part of
the state. We have nothing to fear
the law more rigidly than we do. We
have nothing to fear from the south,
for South Dakota is going to be dNy.
But what we have to fear is shipments
across the eastern border"
The speaker stated that the Ameri-
can Tobacco Co. maintained lobby
at the last legislature for the purpose
of killing off the cigaret legislation and
for preventing the passage of more
drastic laws along this line.
He told Of some of the work done
by the enforcement commissioners and
said that they are going to pay Far
go a visit-that they have learned that
there are sixteen or eighteen places in
the city where c1garets are sold against
the law. I'VE are not going to tell you
when we are going to visit F'argo-you
might be on the LOOKOUT Tor u.s..
Mr.. Finwall said that there have
been 81 convictions secured by the en-
forcement commissioners since the
first Of the year.
The national liquor legislation was
reviewed briefly by the speaker who
told Of the passage of the Randall
to the postal bill and the
Jones amendment to. the Randall
which puts a national
bone dry bill into effect at the same
time that the North Dakota bone dry
bill goes into effect.
The speaker paid a high tribute to
Governor Lynn 81. Frazier and Mrs.
Elizabeth Preston Anderson for their
work, saying the memory of Mrs. An
derson would be fresh in the minds of
many generations after she is gone.
There were about $50 or 200 people
In the auditorium of the Presbyterian
church to hear Mr.. Finwalrs address.