Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-29

| Peacock. Kicker, Stanley, Thombs,
Thornton. Walker.-24. Absentees:
Messrs. Babb, Creighton. Gannett.
Gordon, Parent. Tuttle.-6.
And the veto was sustained.
Upon his name being called in the
above rollcall, Mr.. Davies of Cum
berland, spoke as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: May I inquire
If the senator is in the Oh; mber who
presented this bill?
The PRESIDENT: He is.
Mr.. DAVIES: May ask who it is d?
The PRESIDENT: Senator Chick
Of kennebec.
MIR. DAVIES: Might / inquire Of
Senator Chick through the Chair
something in relation to the bill, MIR.
President?
The PRESIDENT: The Senator
from kennebec hears the inquiry of
the senator from Cumberland and will
please answer through the Chair.
Mr.. Chick: 1 simply wish to say
that | introduced this bill by request.
Mr. DAVIES: Mr.. President, | vote
no.
Communication from the Chief Ex-
eeutive
Gentlemen of the Seventy ninth
Legislatures:
At the very time when the victory
OF national prohibition is being cell
ebrated and Maine is rightly hailed
as the pioneer in this great welfare
movement. we are in grave danger of
stumbling into a pitfall which Will
bring us into unenviable notoriety
throughout the country.
For lack Of precise definition re-
garding the percentage of alcohol in
non-male alcoholic beverages. our
courts have held the question wheth-
er such q beverage was Intoxicating
TO be IN each instance a question of
fact. In the case Of non-malt liquors
containing less than three per cent
or alcohol proof Of acutal intoxication
has been required in order to show
the beverage to be intoxicating
liquor. l . practice such evidence is
always extremely difficult to secure
especially in search and seizure
cases and the result has been immun-
ity for purveyors of various near
beers" containing less than three per
cent Of alcohol
The places where such beverages
are sold are often centers for distri-
button OF stronger intoXicants when.
ever these can be smuggled into the
state. The sale of such beverages
even Il confined strictly within the
ostensible limits of near beer" tends
10 create the appetite for alcohol
among boys and young men who
would not otherwise acquire It,
SO far as know. Maine is now the
only dry" state which permits the
sale OF beverages containing so large
per cent Of alcohol. In nv address
at the opening of the session I con-
fdently appealed to you to take &C.
ton which would make the definition
or intoXicationg liquors in this re-
spect harmonic with that Of other
dry states and the federal govern
ment. The New Hamn-ilire Leyisle-
ture has just refused to legalize the
sale OF beer containing as much ms
TWO ana three quarters per cent al
cohol. You have had before YOU a bin
defining the percentage OF alcoho, in
intoxicating liquors. l hope that tho
unfavorable action taken on this ,i,l
In both branches may be recon lar.
ed and the standard Of our Naive
law be brought up to that OF our
neighboring state OF New Hampshire
Dated at the Executive Chamhsr
March %. 1919.
(Signed) CARL E. MILLlEFv
u - Governor.
The PRESIDENTS: The Sen,,s
hears the message Of the Governor
What is your pleasure?
Mr.. DAVIES OF Cumberland: Mr.