Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-14
HOUSE LINES Up
ON PROHIBITION
AMENDMENT BILL
In a Show of Hands the Vote Was
26 to DRY" With One Abb
sent and One Vacancy.
REFERENDUM ACT LOSES
staH Correspondence OF Every Evening


STATE HOUSE, DOVER, March Ia.
House." said Representative McNabb,
ut the afternoon session of the House
Yesterday. during a spirited debate IN
which he crossed swords with Representa-
tive Burris.
The incident occurred during the con-
sderation of Representative Welch's bill
TO submit TO the people, at the next cleo
ton. for a referendum vote, ms advisory
move for the next Legislature, which Will
be chosen at that time.
After lively fight, in which several
others figured, including Messrs WEIGH
and Connolly, who favored 1T, and Mr.
Bovce, who opposed i'll the bill was lost by
the following vote:
Yeas -Messrs. Connolly, Gross, Nc
Nabb, Pritchett, Rash, Webster and
Welch-7.
Navs-Messrs. Ahern, Boyce, Buck
ingham, Burris, Chapman, Culver, DAILY,
Downward, Ellison, Green. Gregg, Cru
well. D. G. Hall, Hutchinson, kersey,
Kilen, Lewis, Loose, Marvel, Messick,
Peet, Prcttyman, Swain. Tarburton, Tin
dali. Webster and the Speaker 26.
Absent Mr.. Jones. There is one
vacancy :,
IhIS IL regarded as tnc WEI anu utN
lineup in the House.
Mr. McNabb made motion to change
his vote, but was too late, the vote having
been announced. lie SAID he wanted 10
move for reconsideration today, but thus
is impossible now. The vote seals the
doom of a similar bill pending IN the
Senate. offered by Mr. Gormley.
Eleven Of the Is Senator's here are
counted upon TO support the prohibition
amendment
The House bill to ratify the Fedora
prohibition amendment was reported
favorablv in the House yesterday after
noon bv the temperance committee. TO
which IL had been referred The COM
mittec's action was unanimous, all OF the
members except Mr. Cross being present
The other members Of the committee are
Messrs. killen, Green, DAILY, Hutchinson
and Prtchett
In the House Yesterday afternoon when
the referendum bill had been read Mr..
Welch, who had proposed II, urged its
passage. though IL had been reported un-
iavorahv bv the committee on revised
statutes He said he was solely responsible
for the hill and had not consulted either
"drv" or wet people. Thus matter
having come up since the last election, he
felt that tho people should FIRST pass upon
It and the next Legislature would have TO
act in accordance with the wishes of the
people. lie held also that II affects the
police power Of the State and II shows a
trend to surrender States rights, which he
does not favor.
MIR Boyco said no matter how many
rcfcrendums there are they cannot affect
the amendment. The Legislature must
pass upon It.
Mr. McNabb supported the bill, but he
said "the cards are stacked and the
referendum bill can have no effect. lie
said at the last session he crossed swords
with Mr.. Burns on the license bill; they
differed in opinion and the court after
ward sustained him (McNsbb).
Mr. Burris said he is for the Constitu-
ton. The Federal constitution says the
government Is one of delegated power and
this action must be taken through this
delegated power to be constitutional.
Wen hold to the Constitution. he said,
Il think We will He said he had enough
confidence IN the governor TO rely on the
thing in this hour Of dire need.
MIR Connolly spoke IN favor Of the vote
of the people which ended the discussion,
the vote following
In the House yesterday afternoon Mr.
McNabb introduced bill TO regulate the
practice Of midwifery in Delaware, which
be had been requested by the women 5
Council Of Defence to offer.