The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1919-06-06
The Debate and Roll Call Most Dramatic in History of Dry
Legislation
few CHANGES FROM RECORD VOTE MADE
ON RATIFICATION OF DRY AMENDMENT
The Attempts of Druggists to Defeat Law Enforcement Measures Fail
VETS LACKING VOTES TABLE ALL WET BILLS

would not be satisfied if the Legisla-
ture failed to pass an enforcement
measure. He also called attention to
the fact that 81 states have enforce
mcnt laws so that if Illinois failed to
pass the bill this state would become
dumping ground for undesrables.
Bill Too Wet or Too Dry
Stubbles made the next wet speech.
He seemed troubled about consttu-
tional rights and liberties which
would be lost if law to enforce the
provisions of the constitution should
be passed. Lee Oneal Browne made
a long drawn out defense of liquor in
which he appealed to both pride and
prejudice for votes against the bill.
He mentioned the Presidents rccom-
mendation, and asked the members
whether they would be big enough
to vote against the bill The hypo-
thetical hypocrites who carry liquor
in their hip pockets and vote dry were
given complimentary % mention. In
closing Browne unintcntionally ex-
planned the attitude OF most vets. He
said that the bill either went too far
or not far enough; it was either too
drastic or not drastic enough.
Devine Speaks for Bill
Next came the big sensation of the
debate. Devine, who had been a wet,
who was present. but did not vote
either way on ratification, announced
that he would vote for the bill, and
gave his reasons therefor. He cx-
planned that he formerly opposed
Prohibition laws because he did not
think they were effective But he de-
clared it as his opinion that the law
enforcement bill would make Prohi-
bition effective and successful. This
bill says in brief terms the bootleg
ger must go, and is there any reason
why he should not go?'" he declared.
Mr.. Devine's address is given prac-
tically in full in this number of the
Issue.
Representative Smell was to have
closed the debate, but he rose and
stated that Mr. Devine should have
that honor for his address. Then the
roll was called.
Drys Lose Four, Gain One
Every man voted the same as he
had on ratification until Devne was
called. He voted for the bill This
made a gain of one for the drys. The
next change came when Ginders of
Rockford, who had voted for ratihca-
tion, changed his position by voting
against law enforcement. Next How
ard, who had voted for ratification,
failed to respond to the roll cali.
Then Shurtleff of Marengo, who had
been dry for several sessions, voted
against law enforcement The last
man to change was Young of Chi
cago, who also voted wet. Long was
absent on account of sickness, and as
he was dry, the dry side sustained a
loss of five votes and made gain of
forcement bill. The vets mustered
only g. AS II votes were required,
the law enforcement bill carried by
margin of just three votes.
Vets Table All Bills
The vets had a number of bills be-
fore the House, but seeing no hope of
passing them, they were all tabled.
After recess the Prohibition Com
missioner bill was called up. Repre-
sentative M. P. Rice opened the de-
bate, explaining the bill and the need
for it. There was little further dis
cussion and the bill went to roll call
promptly. A number who had voted
for the law enforcement bill voted
against the commissioner bill. When
Shurtleff's name was called he rose
to explain his vote on the bill and
took occasion to comment on his
vote against the law enforcement bill.
Without further incident the roll call
proceeded through to the end The
result was 73 for the bill and 6S
against. The next wet and dry bill,
known as the gallon house" bill, was
then called up. 1t was explained by
Representative Abbey, who had in
troduced it. There was little discus
sion, and on roll call the bill passed
by vote of 81 to 81.
In securing the passage of the law
enforcement bill the dry forces of the
state had achieved victory for which
they had been fighting for from the
time the local option bill was passed
in 1907.