The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-01-28
WARMEST DEBATE
OF THE SESSION
Committee Made Majority and Minor
ity Belknap for the Majority
and o'Sullivan for Minority-No
Work for Senate.
Especial 10 The Reformer.)
MONTPELIER. Jan.

-ANt~N l<l-iASlA. JUu. %
BY an overwhelming vote the House
of Representatives this afternoon killed
House Bill No %. which provided for
4 referendum on the question of the
ratification of the proposed amendment
of the United States constitution pro
hibiiing the manufacture, sale 6r trans
portation of intoxicating liquors for
beverage purposes known as .'The
Sheppard Amendment This vote was
taken after the house had ordered the
JOINT resolution fatifying The amend
ment 10 third reading and had listen
ed 10 the longest and most animating
debate OF the session
The fireworks started when Mr.. Bel
/ KNAPP of Rockingham, chairman OF the
house committee on federal relations,
arose to explain The report of the
majority of the eUmmitfec lie said
| that this matter had been taken np bv
the committee with all due regard TO
! legal procedure and with careful con
/ sideration, and that there had been no
attempt TO hurry through the measure,
/ but the time had now come when il was
/ felt the matter should be taken tp and
/ disposed ct with no further delay, and
/ the majority Of The committee had
therefore, taken their stand squarelv
opposed 10 the referendum.
/ There is no more chance of this bill
1 getting n referendum through both
houses of this legislature, said Mr.
Belknap, than there il Of The proven
biai SNOWFALL maintaining its identity
in passing through the realms of hi.
satanic majesty.
Why should we longer prolong tho
agony over a quart asked The gentle
man from Rockingham. I'VE shoult
get at tho question of the house ant
the question is ratification We shoul,
east aside all dilatory measures.
Mr.. Belknap also advanced the ide:
that referendum had already been il
) effect on this question indirectly. be
! cause it was made the prominent issu
of practically every election Of the rep
resentatives and senators present a
! this legislature.
, In reply, Mr.. O'Sullivan of Colches
ter. speaking for the minority of III
; committee on federal relations sal
/ that We do not know whether this mat
4 ter Of the proposed federal amcndmen
e was in the minds of the people of tn
state when they elected their repre-
: sentatiyes to the legislature and that,
Q this were the ease, it was not the onl
!. issue.
{ "Our governor was elected on thi
: issue, said Mr.. @ Sullivan. "and "
h all know where he stands -
i The speaker went on TO express h
s faith in the good judgment of the pc,
y pie of Vermont.
Dare We trust them2 Ill tru.
them lie affirmed.
Arguing that it would be better f,
thc legislators TO leave this to the popr
;. lar vote and not TO take the respons
- bilitv for trying to rush the amen,
ment through against the people $ vii
il ne said in closing:
II When the pendulum turns back.
i it will, | want to see old Vernon
:. proud that she did not lose her hea
n in trying to get onto the band wagon
= Mr.. O'Brien Of South Burlngt,
then called for the ayes and nays, b.
e before the speaker could start the pr
10 ceedings Mr.. Cudworth of Londonderi
~ interrupted and obtained the floor al
80 made the principal argument i'm beha
10 of the BILL He declared that the pr
70 20 posed Sheppard amendment was
- effect an amendment to our own cons
j tuition and if it were adopted II shou
" be done in the orderly and proper ma
ner described in the constitution. |
called attention to the wording of t
or constitution and to the members 5 oa
of Office and said:
mt Until | forget the terms of TIL
oath | cannot and | will not vote
OF take away from the people their rig
TO regulate their own internal affa
as without a direct mandate from t
pc. people.
al Mr.. Connell of Newport town a
I'd Mr.. Bond of Searsburg made speecl
OF against the referendum and Mr.. Ira
I
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