Evening journal., 1919-03-14
SENATE PASSES BILL TO
MAKE ENTIRE STATE DRY

u3ls who are working seriously and
sincerely for the uplift Of humanity
whereby our jalls might be cleaned OF
the occupants. Since time beginning
alcohol has been in use, and for several
years past. the Stale has licensed the
sale Of alcoholic liquors and has many
people who have such a weakness fol
alcohol that they cannot resist the APP
neille and do and must consume alcO-
hol. thereby becoming intoxicated. This
is a weakness and not a fault. These
people TO my mind are more 10 be
pllled than censured. These people 70
my mind should be taken care Of by
the state IL necessary, wher by they
will not be dlsgraced any more than
they now are, but here we have a law
prepared by some one out Of Delaware
20 be enacted by Delaware Legislature
TO be imposed upon Delaware people
whereby If this amendment is not
adopted we viii be filling our iails with
this class OF people and make them
jail birds and when IN reality we should
try 10 lift them TO the higher plane
OF society. I would like 10 have seen a
bill drawn by nelawareans to be en-
acted by the Delaware Legislature 10
be lived und by Delaware people, be-
cause ! think we have as good plans
in Delaware as we have anywhere.
MY thought, Mr.. President, is that
this bill should be amended Ia such
way that we may be able OF live un-
der 70 in a respectable manner. II this
amendment is not adopted, we will
soon ind that the law win not be en-
forced because there will be no judge
or no jury which viii convict under
this part OF the law whereby we will
make Jail birds Of our unfortunate cti-
zens."
In reply TO Senator Benefits re-
marks, Senator Long declared lhat the
law was not INTENDED to get after the
weak-minded, but was framed 10 get
the boOtleggers. He pointed out that
II the b0otleggers We're permitted 10
get away with lnes they could make
o much money at their trade that they
could afford to pay the fines. He de-
clared that the bill was intended to
help, not TO impose upon the weak
minded. "They are the ones we want
TO protect he declared. and urged that
the amendment be killed.
senator Alice made q strong plea In
behalf OF the Bennett amendment.
when this bill was FIRST introduced
in the House. / found serious objection
10 10, nve of them in fact" he said,
and explained that one Of these was
the time when it went into effect; an
other was the right Of search without
a warrant: third, the presumption Of
guilt; fourth. the giving away Of Ii
QuOr, and nth, the possession Of liquor
a. Of which he declared had been COW
cred by amendments in the House He
pointed out that the bill before them
was not a wet and dry" bill, but the
eighteenth amendment TO the constitu-
lion Of the United states which had
already decided that the country should
be dry II approved OF that amend
ment," he declared. land he'd | been a
member Of this body at that time !
would have voted for its ratification"
lie explained that the bill was o po-
lice law 20 enable the State to properly
enforce the federal law, and declared
that when he came upon the floor Of
tho Senate this afternoon he had his
mind fully made up TO support the
bill without any more amendments.
But, he remarked, Senator Bennett had
pointed out a condition that he did not
realize had existed. He declared EN-
phatically That he was not willing to
take an inebriate. the man made by
inebrlate by the State. and Mt him In
jail, and advocated that the Bennett
be adopted and the bill
sent back 10 The House. declaring that
he would do everything in his power
TO insure its passage by that body
again.
Senator Gomley, in reply to Sena-
.or Longs remarks, pointed out that
he amendment would not interfere
With the proper punishment of boot
egging. as it did rot remove the i'm
penalty but merely gave
he court discretion in imposing such
/ sentence.
Senator Palmer declared that for the
,ast twenty years the people Of the
,tate had the opinion that the Legisla-
ure should pass some dry" legisla-
ion, and that personally he did not see
ny use in loading up the statute books |
With such stun as The bin under con- |
ideration. but If the people Of the |
tate wanted 10 he was willing TO sup I
0rt it and he d'd not see the need Of /
ttaching an amendment and sending it
ack 20 the House TO be killed.
senator Bennett declared that he had,
ot offered the amendment to kill the
'il but had offered il in good faith 20
Drotect those who would otherwise be
made Jail birds. He also objected TO the
act that the bin had been drawn out
side Of Delaware, declaring that he be-
ieved there were men in this Stale
'opabls OF drawing q bin that was to
pc presented 90 a Delaware Legislature.
he pointed out that the bill had orig
naIly been presented In such miserable