The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-31
Rush For Water
Y a on Keeps Up
Forty-four States Have Lined
Up for Ratification of Fed
eral Amendment.
MONT rs LATEST
More Than Seventy Per Cent
Of Population of Country
Through Legislatures,
Endorsed Measure.

Washington. Jan. Gothic scram bic
for "A seat ON the water wagon by
state legislatures con1uues. The lat
est state to rauty the federal prohib-
ton amendment is Vermont. where
favorable action was first taken in the
house, and later the senate suspended
It's rules and concuIred in the vote.
New York state, by action of It's
senate Wednesday night. ratified the
amendment by ii ~ to ~ vote. and be-
came me tor fourth STATE 10 put the
national ban on alcohol The assem-
bly, adopted the ratification last week
by a vote of 81 to IS.
Only four states are yet 10 act. They
are Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Com
necticut and New Jersey. The pros
poets are excellent that at least three
of the four viii join their sister, states
in endorsing the greatest moral re-
form of the age. New Jersey Is be-
lieved to be the only state that may
prove recaicttTant r'-r4-as se.,.s .--.e ,.e
20 PER CENT APPROVES
The ratifying states TO date have
total population t19ie census) OF more
than 10000, coo. The total ayes"
vote, with figures from Utah, which
state ratified unanimously. missing is
1850, against total noes vote OF
s7o. These figures show that more
than IN per cent of the population of
the United States, through their leg
tslatures have endorsed national pro-
hibition. and more than so per cent
OF the legislators have themselves done
SO.
Both New Mexico and Nevada have
but recently adopted b state wide pro-
hibition policy, New Mexico Is under
vosfsttfutiosas rross ss5Ttfn,s, wTsirT ss:s 4
adopted by vote of the people on
November s. 1877, and became effect
I've October i. 1918. Neva6a voted
herself dry al the regular November
election last year under an initiated
statute. The Law became effective
about the middle of December.
LIQUOR CAUSE HOPELESS,
On January %. after debate last
ing nearly five hours, which was pre-
ceded by republican caucus in which
IL was made a party measure a resoiu-
ton 10 ratify the federal prohibition
amendment was adopted by the as
sembly of the New York legislature
by a vote OF 81 to Sc.
ne favorable vote by the assemb bly,
or New York. it IL pointed out by the
prohihitionists, must indeed show the
liquor interests the hopelessness OF
their effort TO arouse sympathy for
their cause on tho ground that the
method OF writing the dry amendment
into the constitution is unfair
Tney have argued that II is only
me sigehrush' states that want pro-
hihition and that II is not fair or ius.
for these states to impose their will
upon the great Empire state. with it's
cosmopolitan population. The uues-
ton is asked: VIVA, answer will they
nave Tor the action of the most repre-
q "a hro .F
iadve body in joining with these sage
brush" states in declaring for a ma
tional dry law.
ENDORSEMENT CORDIAL.
No amendment 10 the constitution
OF the United States has ever received
a more cordial endorsement by the
states than has the eighteenth. the
prohibition forces point out.
For the FIRST time since they began
mixing about lighting the ratification
OF the federal prohibition amend |
menG the liquor men have announced /
DEFINITE program. Tho announce |
ment comes from the executive com.
mittee OF the Distfllerr Assoctation al
America, whose headquarters are IN I
chicago. The executive cummitte> l
vent to New York on Monday ana be-
1An on Tuesday a series OF mce4inKsI
g the Hotel ST. Regis which win ex-
lend over several days. The stAtc-
nent was prepared for the commit-
&c BY Levy Mayer, of Chicago, its zen
ria counsel. and signed by samuel
Nootner, JF., president OF the DfstiI-
ers' Association. and by George r. I
oieterie. its secretary.
According to the statement. the dis
1liers will begin their fight By inwDk- /
ng the referendum In fourteen states
wnose lAGtslatnEes ratified thA fedsrall
without giving the people
% Those states the chance 70 say
Nnetner or not they wished Ia vote
tConttnued on Page Two.)