Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-19
RATHER WELL
ON THE WAY NOW
After Hearing Bryan Commit
tee in Charge Reports 1t
Back to Upper House

In the language of an experienced
observer of the legislature the pro-
hibition amendment ratification res
oluton lis well on its way toward
approval in Pennsylvania. THE
amendment was passed for the first
time yesterday in the Senate, sent
to committee for a hearing, report
ed out again and put on the second
reading calendar for Monday night.
1t will be passed finally on Tuesday.
William Jennings Bryan was
among the auditors at the hearing
on the bill in the Senate chamber
and at the invitation of members
of the Law and Order committee
he was invited by Senator Salus,
Philadelphia. chairman of the COM
mittees to speak for FIVE minutes "on
any subject that he desired" Mr..
Bryan, who was spending the day
in Harrisburg prior to going to
Chambersburg, had dropped in on
Governor Sproul to pay his respects
and was invited by some dry" ad-
vocates to attend the hearing. He
said he had no intention to speak,
and expressed surprise when called
upon by Senator Salus to address the
assemblage.
Mr.. Bryan said he came to hear
what reason could be given to have
Pennsylvania secede from the Union.
He said the members of the Senate
are not discussing a thing to be done
but a thing that has already been
placed in the constitution of the
United States. The saloon. he added,
had been indicted, tried, convicted
sentenced to death and is now on
the way to the gallows." The only
question left in connection with the
ratification of the amendment, he
said. was that of enforcement and
he wanted to hear what reasons
could be given by anyone in Pennsyl-
vania for violating the organic law
OF the land.
Those who spoke against the rati-
tcation resolution were James H.
Maurer, Reading, president of the
state Federation of Labor; Joseph
NJ. Richie, Philadelphia. national
organizer of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, and a Mr.. Montgom-
cry, a Philadelphia lawyer. Maurer
spoke along the same lines as when
he appeared before the House Law
and Order committee two weeks ago.
He said organized labor was not in
favor of the amendment. and that he
did not wish to place himself or labor
- BOSitAOiA VI diSOptsil TIE law, (,
but he did want to protest against
the manner in which the amend
ment was placed in the constitution.
He denied that all those who voted
Tor ratification in the House truly
represented the people and denied
that most of them were elected on
the wet or dry" issue. He felt
that the country should have waited
until the boys came home" from
across the ocean before the question
or prohibition was decided.
Mr.. Richie said that organized la
Dor was against prohibition. He
SAID that he had attended hundreds
or meetings of shipworkers in the
Delaware river district from Bristol
Pa. to Wilmington, Del. textile
workers. men in the building and
metal trades and railroad workers
and in none of them was ever a
resolution adopted favoring prohibi-
ton. In many of the courts, he
added, resolutions were adopted op-
posing prohibition. He urged that
the remedy for evils in the liquor
trade is proper regulation and not
prohibition.
Mr. Montgomery who had request
ed permission to speak, said he an
peared as citizen against ratifica-
tion. He said that the constitution
or the United States did not restrict
or infringe upon the liberty of the
Individual and he claimed that pro
hloltlon adopted in the manner it
was did restrict and infringe upon
the liberty of the individual. He
saiu mat 1t was absurd and impert-
inent TO say that the people of the
country have spoken on the subject.
T.. 4 il
the last report of General Crowder.
provost marshal general. in charge
OF the selective draft law. in which
statistlcs were given to show that
ieWer men were rejected for service
IN the army due to liquor than from
any other cause,
wayne Wheeler, Washington, d. C.
or the national anti-saloon league
spoke for the "drys." He said the
nearing on the resolution was moth
ing more than "coroner's inouest"
because the liquor traffic is dead in
the nation. Answering the argument
or Mr.. Maurer that the legislators
ala not fairly represent the people
on the question. he said that the last
suoernatorial election in Pennsylva-
ma When one candidate was suuarely
Tor ratification and another soua relv
~ wac lilt DcSI referendum
that could be had; that it was better
than many of the referendums in the
states. Also answering the argument
that ratification should have waited
tne homecoming of the soldiers. Mr..
wheeler said that every congressman
VINO voted on the question of ratifica-
ton was selected before the soldiers
went abroad.
Mr.. Wheeler said that Pennsylva-
MIA by rejecting ratification would
not be helping the liquor traffic but
would be hurting the state by giving
encouragement to those who would
violate the law. He argued that pro-
hibition should be tried and that If
the vets" felt it was a failure. thev
should not violate the mandate of
the constitution but should go before
congress and ask for the repeal of
the amendment or that the people
be given chance to decide whether
they want prohibition continued
The Law and Order committee met
"a flor rim