Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-07-20
Peace and Prohibition
Go Hand in Hand
Jennings Democratic Convention

Mr.. Chairman and Members of the
Conventions: Water: the daily need
of every living thing. 1t rises from
the earth. obedient to the summons
of the sun. and descends in showers
Of blessings. 1t gives of it's spark
ling beauty to the fragrant flower; 1t
is the alchemy that transmutes base
clay into golden grain it is the can
vas upon which the finger of the
Infinite traces the radiant bow Of
promise; it is the drink that cheers
and brings no sorrow with it; Jeho-
vah looked upon it at creations dawn
and said: ut is good"
The first subject to which l invite
your attention is the one that seems
to arouse the deepest interest because
upon it there is evidnce Of the widest
difference of opinion. There is no
use concealing the fact--there is no
desire to conceal the fact-that the
eighteenth amendment has wrought a
tremendous change in our country.
But the change has come at the close
of discussion that has lasted nearly
so years. For ten years prohibition
Of the liquor traffic has been under
consideration in all parts Of the
country.
The prohibition amendment to the
national constitution was submitted
in the regular way. In the senate,
three-fourths of the votes. and in the
house it received considerably more
than two-thirds of the votes. the two
leading parties casting about the
same percentage of their vote for an.
against.
The constitution requires that all
amendment shall be ratified by three
fourths of the states. this amendmen,
was ratified by As of the 4S states
nine more than the number required
(Applause.) The resolution submit.
ting this amendment allowed seven
years and one month to secure the
necessary SO states, and the IS states
ratified in less than 16 months.
Every democratic state in the
Union ratified this amendment Zap
plause) all but three of the repub-
lican states ratified. Thirtyseven OF
the states have, by their individual
action, voted to exclude the liquor
traffic from their borders, and nearly
all Of the 81 states banished the
saloon by popular vote.
In some states the question had
been submitted rs many rs five times,
and each time an increasing vote has
been recorded in favor of prohibi-
;tion It is therefore no new ques-
tion forced puon the nation without
notice. Everyone now recognizes that
the amendment is part Of our con-
stitution. and that it is there to stay
(Applause.) Everyone admits that
the liquor traffic is dead. never to be
resurrected. (Applause and confu-
sion.) The question is whether we
shall rerognize is is dead and pro-
ceed to bury it, or allow it to lie
above ground uncovered-that is the
only question. (Applause.) There
is no doubt that the traffic is corpse
and decency requires that corpse
shall be covered up so that it may not
offend the senses.
The minority report offered by my
distinguished friend from New York
does not propose to repeal the amend
ment; it recognizes it as a permanent
part of the constitution, and Mr.,
Cochran declares in favor of the en-
forcement of that amendment. The
only question that he raises is wheth-
err. within the limits of the amend
ment, the enforcement law should be
so changed as to allow, not the re-
turn of the saloon or the manufacture
of intoxicating liquors, but modif1-
cation of the enforcement law that
will allow a man to manufacture for
home use Notwithstanding beverages
containing more than One-half OF !
per cent alcohol. Down to this has
the opposition been reduced. The
question you have to decide is wheth'
or II is worth while to disturb whole
nation in order to secure a change
which, when secured, will permit the
manufacture for home use Of bev-
erage that, though not intoxicating.
can contain more alcohol than the
present law permits.
The vote in favor Of the amend
ment proposed by the gentleman from