The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-02-26

eouTl order was spcurad tom,
p"'arily restraining Gov. William n
stephens from signing the ratification
Vi the amendment. II was indicated
.''d' similar action might be taken in
e' tail other states It was said ar
,,ie once OF the California Crane
"io"ers association that such action
~ possible in ~ other states The
States according to the association
"ie' ARKANSAS, Colorado, Maine. Ne
,aua' New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon.
otah' Washington, Missouri and Ne
braska.
III these states, it was said, all leyis-
iatiVe actions can be, under the law
referred to the people, and that in
many OF them the people have go DAYS
IN which to take a referendum.
Anti-saIoon League.
Inc dry side Of this legal PROPOSE
tlon IS thus set forth by the Anti.Sa.
loon league:
Article v of the federal Constitu.
tioh provides that the legislature or
state convention is the only body
which can ratify an amendment to the
constitution. Congress is given the
power to say which one shall have the
authority. Congress had chosen the
state legislatures as the bodies to rati-
fy the federal prohibition amendment.
A state referendum therefore would
be illegal and void"
The Anti-Saloon League of America
mas probably had more to do with
bringing about prohibition then any
other one agency. 1t was founded in
1870 and is nOnpartisan and nonsec-
tartan. Its purpose is the extermina-
ton of the beverage liquor traffic. 1t
Is a coalition of the Anti-Saloon
League of the District of Columbia,
the Anti-Saloon League of Ohio and 45
other national, state and local tenn
perance bodies. 1t has branches in
al states. 1t is expected to have an
r'ctive part in providing legislation for
the enforcement of prohibition urLer
the eighteenth amendment.
1t is possible that the vets may also
attack the legality of the action of
congress. By some the view is held
that the amendment was not properly
submitted to the states by congress
that it was adopted by two-thirds of a
quorum present and voting, whereas
according TO the Constitution it should
have been adopted by twO-thirds of all
members elected. If the resolution
submitting the amendment were to be
declared unconstitutional it would lead
to much questioning, for virtually all
of the amendments to the Constitution
have been adopted by a twO-thirds
vote of the members present rather
elected to congress.
Amendments of the Past.
The first national prohibition
amendment was proposed by Senator
II. w. Blair of New Hampshire al
early as 1876. 1t provided for the
prohibition of the manufacture, sale
importation and expectation of spirit
Gus distilled liquor for beverage pur
poses. He introduced such a bill nine
times between 1876 and 1896; in 1885,
he changed it to include all alcoholic
liquors.
Senator John D. Works of Califor
MIA introduced into the senate in 1871
bill providing for the prohibition o.
spurious liquors, excluding wines ant
beers. 1t received no support from
the national prohibition advocates.
December 10, 1913, Congressman
Hobson of Alabama introduced tn,
famous "Hobson resolution" TIL
original resolution placed the enforce
ment of the law in the hands of tn,
national government, but it was s.
amended as to divide the responsible
ity between the state and federal gov
ernments, in order to secure the SUP
port of certain advocates of Estates
rights" The original resolution wa
amended eight times by Hobson him
self and was finally voted on Decem
Der %, 1914, receiving 1877 votes, %
being necessary to carry through tn
house. 1t never came to a vote il
the senate.
When Does Prohibition Prohibit?
Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas
author of the amendment, holds tina
national prohibition will 90 into effeC