Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1919-01-24
THIRTY-EIGHTSIETES
RATIFI PROHIBITION
NEBRASKA AND MISSOURI ADDED
TO LIST MAKES MORE THAN
THREE-FouRTHs.
Il HAVE CERTIFIED ACTION
Dealers Preparing To Quit Many Dis.
tllleries May Be Converted Into
Factories Or Other Bust.
ness Concerns.

Chicago-National prohibition seems
an assured fact. Thousands of dealers
all over the country have announced
their intention of exporting their
stocks and converting their distilleries
and breweries into factories or other
business concerns. The National Liz.
uor Dealers association, however,
holds on to the idea of injunctions to
prevent the consummation of the bone
dry victory, claiming that in many
states that have ratified the amend
ment there is referendum law re-
curing such issues to be submitted to
the people.
The United States on Jan. Is com
pleted the legislative process of voting
itself dry. When word was flashed
over the wires that Nebraska had rati-
fled the prohibition amendment, prohi.
bition leaders declared that the accom-
plishment was the greatest piece of
moral legislation in the history of the
world.
The amendment to the federal con-
stitution prohibiting the manufacture
and sale of intoxicating beverages be-
comes effective one year after the date
of its final ratification. Meanwhile,
the nation goes dry July /, next, by
presidential proclamation, as a war
measure, unless the president rescinds
1t before that date
The Nebraska state legislature COM
pleted ratification Of the amendment
when the senate voted to concur in a
house amendment to severe joint
resolution providing for ratification.
Soon afterward the Missouri legisla.
ture ratified the federal prohibition
amendment when the house concured
in the senate resolution by a vote Of
1O4 to 36, making the thirty-eighth
state.
The legislature of Mississippi was
the first to ratify on Jan. s, 1918. Four
teen other states took similar action
during that year, the last, Louisiana,
ratifying on Aug. 5.
In the fall elections the wet or dry
question was paramount In most Of
the remaining states, but the vote left
no doubt that the United States was
destined to be the first great nation to
veto liquor The ban on vodka in Rus
STA was never completely effective, nor
did it interfere materially with the con.
sumption Of more expensive liquors.
Russian advices now state that the
Bolshevists have restored the vodka
traffic.
Michigan was the first state to rat,
ify in 1919, the legislature voting on |
Jan, @ From that date on legislatures
have acted rapidly. Five states rati-
fled Jan. Is, bringing the number up
to 35. Other legislatures worked at
feverish speed to be the thirty-ninth.
A distillers' committee announced
that in % states the constitutions re-
luire a referendum vote Of citizens in
order to ratify constitutional amend
nent. They claim these states are as
follows:
South Dakota, Oregon, Nevada, Mon.
lana. Oklahoma, Maine, Maryland,
Michigan, Arkansas. Colorado, Arizo.
Ia, New Mexico, California, Ohio, Ne
)raska, Washington, North Dakota.
Missouri Kansas, Louis
ana and Utah.
In California court action already
las been taken to restrain the govern.
II from certifying the action of tho
legislature to Washington. Every re-
source of the distillers, with $1,000
100000 available, will be employed in
he supreme effort to save their bust
lesses, it is said. An important meet
ng OF the distillers' committee will be
reid at New York on Jan. rs. when it is
damned to adopt a detailed program
Dry leaders assert the distillers' at,
ack was foreseen and that it is with