The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-06-03
Scores Anti-SaIoo1 League in
Rejecting Bill.
"INDEFINITE AND UNCERTAIN"
Executive in Message TO Assembly A.
lacks Dry Lobby--Asks That New
Enforcement Measure Be
Passed.
BY FRED L. HOLMES.

ulcLS WllH LQ6 VO1SL6dU act anu VIZ
lates the Constitution and law of the
United States, Gov John ]. Blaine has
vetoed the bill and asked the legisla-
ture to pass a new measure that will
be reasonable and certain in Its
terms"
Incidentally Governor Blaine points
out Il.at Il "nerniciOus" NObby at the
capitol is to be blamed for the incOn-
gruOus MathesOn enactment, and says
there is plenty of time to enact good,
strong enforcement measure if the leg
islature can free Itself from the sim
lister influences of the perniciOus
lobby
''The bill is unnecessarily long and
involved and for it's enforcement red
tape is given more consideration than
there is means afforded for effective
enforcement" says Governor Blaine.
''The Matheson bill makes no penalty
for drunkenness. It leaves stalls,
booths and curtains in permit places
a condition conducive to Illicit sale
and consumption Of liquor and other
immoral practices"
Governor Blaine said that a proper
bill should suppress the illicit sale Of
"mOOnshine" and indicates that the
MathesOn bill is weak in this particu-
lar. Neither is there anything in this
bill to prevent the illicit sale of flavor
ing extracts for beverage pur-
poses.
Governor Blaine calls upon the leg
islature to pass a "plain and definite,
and easily understood enforcement
law"
He says in part:
II return herewith, without my ap-
prOval, bill No. 16A. I have come to
the conclusion that it is very defective
as an enforcement measure and, in a
communication to the legislature on
Friday last, l asked that it be recalled
for correction. A resolution was Of
fered in the assembly for that purpose,
but, on motion of the sponsor of the
bill, the consideration of the resolution
was laid over until next Thursday,
when it will be too late to act upon it.
This was the purpose of the motion. l
am therefore called upon 10 sign the
bill, or refuse it my sanction.
1.-THE bill requires patient, for whom
liquor is prescribed by physician, to
make an affidavit on prescribed forms,
stating many things in detail among
which are that he is more than twenty
one years of age, and the purposes for
which he needs the liquor. Manifestly,
the doctor is the one to determine the
necessity of any medicine he may pre-
scribe for a sick person. Manifestly, if
liquor may be used for a medicine, then
it may be needed by patient under
twenty-One years of age, as we'll as for
one over that age. And it should be
apparent to every one that a patient
may be too i'll to make an affidavit in,
time to do him any good.
"a good enforcement act will have
the sympathetic assistance OF the peo-
pie. An espionage law, which pro-
vides for spying on the home and the
family life, will become repulsive and
the reaction of the people will endan-
ger the success of any enforcement
act
There is no difficulty in passing a
reasonable enforcement act such as
have suggested.
''In a great many respects it is In
definite and uncertain and leaves IN
defined many important words and
phrases, which produce a great con-
fusion. Any law of this kind should
be plain and definite, and easily under
stood. 1t ignores the fact that the
Constitution of the United States and
the laws of congress hereunder are
the supreme law of the land. In some
essential particulars this bill conflicts
with the Volstead, or national prohibit
ton law, so that if it becomes a law
there will be one law by the federal
government and another law by the
state government, in conflict with each
other. so that people will not know
which law to obey. This will result in
unavoidable confusion. l deem the
reasons set forth herein sufficient to
give the bill my disapprOval."
day laws at this session of the legisla-
ture. Senator George Czerwinski, Mil
waukee. introduced bill to repeal that
section of the Sunday laws which pro-
hibits the operation of theaters and
baseball games on Sundays. He
claimed that this law was a dead let
ter; that theaters are in operation i'm
practically every city in the state and
that BASEBALL games have come to be
regular Sunday event. Such Sunday
law, he declared, is a 'blue law" and
he asked for its repeal.
The state affairs committee of the
senate has given the Czerwinski bill a
full hearing. BY unanimous vote the
bill has been recommended for indefi-
mite postponement. 1t is believed that
the senate will kill the bill, because it
IL pointed out that such a measure
would delay the closing Of the legisla.