Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-07-09
HARDING WET

Harding voted for submission
(and for enforcement), but in
speaking on submission (see state
ment in Congressional Record,
August /, 1910 he said
THE thought l have in mind, Mr..
President, is the elimination of this
amending prohibition contest in the
Halls of Congress. At the same
time | AM IN SYMPATHY WITH
THE OPPOSITION TO THE RE-
SOLUTION ABOUT THE UNFAIR
NESS OF ADOPTING A FEEDER
AL AMENDMENT UNDER THE
PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITU-
TION ON A QUESTION RELAT-
ING TO personal. LIBERTY,
and if there were any other method
of submitting an amendment |
should be very glad to employ it.
II AM NOT A PROHIBITIONS
IST, MR.. PRESIDENT, AND
NEVER HAVE PRETENDED TO
BE. / do claim to be a temperance
man. | do not approach this ques-
ton from a moral viewpoint, BE-
CAUSE / AM UNABLE TO SEE 1T
no ~ AlN I NlbINAlL IIbDi iNAN-
| can remember very distinctly
when / was a boy, during the early
days of hardy rural citizenship in
Ohio. some of the most moral peo-
Pile the state boosted had jug Of
whisky in the fence corner during
the harvest time. | am not saying
that / favor that, | only cite it as
an instance that it is not always
and invariably moral question.
"But l do see the ethical AMI
economical side of it, and when 1t
comes to decision on this point, NJ
q time when we are boasting of our
warfare for popular government, 4
] can not be inconsistent enough tot
deny the settlement of this much |
mooted question by popular will in
the only manner in which the con-
stitution provides.
II Do THINK IT is UNWISE. |
IMpRUDENT AND INCONSIDEP-
ATE TO FORCE THE ISSUE AT |
THIS TIME. | do not question the |
or the high purpose of the
prohibition forces, hut | do believe
and very sincerely, that it is a !
q eat misfortune to the country ID
divide American citizenship into /
two hostile camps over this question
of personal liberty at time when
we ought to be promoting the COZ
cord of citizenship that is essential
TO win the war. But having aX-
pressed myself as regretting the
pressure brought to settle this issue
now, ! must go further and say
that since it is insistent and in
truding, so that we must reach 4
decision now, | find myself i'm
PEELED to take the side which
think must in the end contribute to
the most good of our common peo-
pie.
II DO NOT THINK A PROFIT T.
TTTION AMENDMENT WILL BE
Mr.. President, You
can not make any law stronger
than the public sentiment which
sees to its enforcement. | have
the progress of this ques-j
ton from the conflict in the ham
let to the municipality, to the
the state, and the nation,
and while | stand here and freely
express my doubts about its prac-
liability, at the same time ! recog-
nize that it is growing and insist
ent and persistent and must be h
lettled.
Ever since I have been in publ
life in a small way | have seen
men continually measured by the
vet and dry yardstick, and the Il
admission Of this amendment is
going 10 measure every candidate
or public office by the same wet Ii
md dry. yardstick until the final
settlement. When say that, l
1nve eXpreSsea my strongest fea- ,
'on for putting n Limitation upon
he tendency of the amendn ent. II
want to see this question settled.l )
want to take it oui Of the Halls
If Congress and refer 1t to the neo- !
,le who must make the ultimate
lecision. | want to meet the de- 4
nand for submission AMI witness Il
decision.
$50, then, in spite OF its untimcli-
less, in spite Of the iack If rru-
lence in submitting II now. since y
We have come 10 this question ofis
as q var measure. ana
here has been n yielding on the
me hand against drastic prohihi-
ion in the food bill, l think This
is a sort of compro-
Mise between the contending 9
orces, and l am willing to be
ounted a compromising agent All
ur great movements are the re-
ult of just such endeavors. | Dol
OF HESITATE TO SAY THAT ~
THE QUESTIONIsy
rom A STRONG SENSE OF
USTICE AND If THIS AMEND >
lent is SUBMITTED TO THE e
'EOPLE OF THE UNITED
AND RECEIVES THE
Auction OF iTHREE-FOUTTHSi T
II THE GENERAL ASSEMBLE ES .
HEN, IF My TENURE OF or
ICE STILL OBTAINS, / AM =
I. ILLINt. TO GO FURTHER AND :
DIN. IN a MOVEMENT To- =
lake 1T EFFECTIVE THROUGIIr
PROCESS OF COMPENSATE nj Z
O THE BUSINESS DESTROYED. ',
so, .hcn, Mr.. President. in these !
,ther ranhiing remarks which III
aye made, rather than turning to- 7
,me written ones j wished to Of = :,