Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-19
VOTE ON RATIFICATION.
AGAINST
Gormley
Joseph
Murphy
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Sr.rr HorrsE. Down. March 10.
Bv vote OF I3 to the Senate ycster-
dav afternoon. after day spent IN
iockeyinc. passed the joint resolution
rstifying the prohibition amendment to
the Federal Constitution, which was
nassed bv the House, in which 1T orlgnat-
rd. last Thursday. 1t now goes 70 the
Governor. who, il Is expected, Will sign
II and return il to the House today. by
vote of l. to 4 the Senate refused Ia tack
on Senator Gormlcy's proposed rciercn-
dunn amendment.
This rings down the curtain on the
wet and dry" fight IN the Delaware
legislature Mt this session, the dry
sorccs having announced their lntcnslon
az not pressing the Statewide bone dry
bill placed in the hands of Representative
Boyce. provided the Federal amendment
went through. When the bone dry
hill was placed in Mn. Boyces hands
Yesterday morning ii had leaked out that
enough Senators to carry through the
law had agreed To hold up the prohibition
resolution until after the Defence bill had
hecn disposed Of This plan, which would
have enabled those SO disposed TO use the
prohibition resolution as a club, lrritated
The dry" lobby and caused IT 10 pave
the way for reprisal. through the proposed
bone dry" bill Whether this had the
effect ef breaking down the opposition 70
the prohibition resolution Is not known,
but at all events the latter, which was not
scheduled for action Yesterday, came up
without warning at the opening 81 the
session and was quickly disposed Of
DEADLOCK PREVENTED MORNING SESSION.
The Senate did not meet until $40
o'clock IN the afternoon. all OF the day
,Ip TO that time having been consumed IN
narlcving and efforts to break the dead
lock over the defence bill
The resolution ratifving the Federal
rrohibItion amendment having been made
the special order for ii a. IN. yesterday
II was called for soon after the session
opened.
After Mr.. Wharton had explained that
the resolution and referendum amend
nent. the latter Offered by Mr. Gormley
we're understood and they should he acted
lInon. Senator Gorrnley spoke IN favor OF
ne referendum. Tie denied that the pur-
pose of his amendment was for delay. He
thought the subject was one that should
Not he disposed OF too hastily. lie pointed
out that il cannot go into effect untlI
after the legislative sessions of 1919 Il
Congress had wanted II passed immediate
II as a war measure Il would have 50
stated, but instead il allowed seven wears
IN which 10 act on the amendment That
ne thought, meant that Congress wanted
IN give the people time to consider the
matter Delaware has acted on two
Federal amendments, both oi which
went to two Legislatures. and one. pro
vidInC for the direct election of Senators
was not ratified ny Delaware.
The amendment now pending, he said
affects the daily lives Of $4,000 voters III
Delaware. and it was not an issue when
anv Of the members of the present legs
lature were chosen.
Mr.. Gormley's amendment, providing
that the prohibition resolution, if passed
should not become effective unless sup
ported by a majority Of the voters al the
next election. was defeated by the follow
ing vote.
Yeas-Messrs. Gormley, Hollett, Jos
eph and Murphy..f-
Navs-Alessrs. Brown, Frazier. Hart
Hickman, Hoffecker, Long, Mitchell
Newton. Pool, Wharton, Walker ano
President Protempore Barnard-12
ONLY THREE OPPOSE PROHIBITION
The vote in favor of the prohibition
resolution was even more pronounced
than against the Gormley amendment
ouIy three members voting against it,
The heaviest claim Of the dry lobby
had not exceeded II Tor the resolution
while only 9 were necessary. but there
were Is, as Is shown at the introduction
to this article.
Only two Senators spoke on the resolu-
taon, both from Wilmington Mr. Gormley
who spoke first opposing 1t. contendIng
that it tends TO autocracy, tyranny and
intolerance, and Mr. Hickman advocated
Its passage. while the issue was not raised
at the election when he was chosen :
Senator, since that time his district hac
voted dry
The vote or the prohibition resolution
was as follows.
Yeas Messrs- Brown, Frazier, IIoilett
Hart. Hickman, Hoffecker. Long. Mitchell
Newton, Pool Wharton, Walker anc
President Pro Tcmporc Wa1ker-I3.
Nays-AIessrs. Gorrnley, Joseph anc
Murphy.
Absent-Mr Webb
No further dry" legislation Is contem
plated except in a bill offered BY Senate
Hickman, making 1t a criminal offence u
give or sell liquor to soldiers, sailors o
government employees In uniform. tn,
''drys" say they have nothing furt5e
10 offer.