Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-29
BRYAN RAPS PALMER
You Can't Call a Drink Dose, He
Says

do you think beer is necessary as
a mcdcine?" was the facetious in
quiry made of Col. William Jennings
Bryan, one of the leading prohibition
advocates, when he appeared 1T the
Capitol in Washington, last week.
THE prohibition amendment" he re-
piled, with scowl that drew those
hook shaped eyebrows down over his
eyes cannot be repealed by 50 simple
a process as changing the wofT drink
70 dose
Beer never has been recognized as
medicine and to place it in that class
would cause al epidemic of sickness
among Il large group of PERSONS, | am
afrn;d," Mr.. Bryan continued, with
mock fear.
"Liuuor as a beverage cannot bo
brought back under the pretensc Of
using it for medicine. Congress will
properly regulate the use Of alcohol in
medicine if the attorney general
does not Go it by executive order"
But what will you Go so long as the
ruling Of ex-Attorney General a
Mitchell Palmer stands? He declared
that beer is medicine and the present
attorney general has not reversed that
ruling"
The ruling won't stand long. II will
he changed either by Attorney General
Hurry NJ. DauEhcrty or congress.
need hardly comment upon the Palmer
ruling. Whether il correctly lntcrnret*
the law or not is less important than
whether it will he corrected. l have
no doubt that the evil influence cNrrtca
!,y this order will be short lived. Know
ing the prohibition sentiment o. the
country VIC c:in assume that the ruling
will he rCScinurd hy the new attorney
general or that it will he overcome by
act Of congress.
One Of the difficulties Of prohibition
enforcement in the United States. MY.
! Bran continued, "i; that we haven't
recognized the need or getting enforce
ment officers who are more Interested
in enforcement than they are in getting
Il drink. You would not put Il horse
| thief into the office of sheriff tn catcl
horse thieves. would you? IL IS just
as absurd TO put Il man in cE;lrSe ol
prohibition enforcement who IS looking
for :. drink His conscience Isl work
ing against his throat and his appetite
is holding a joint debate with his oath
Of Office all the time"
Mr.. Bryan said he did rot moan |"
F! criticize the prohibition commissioner
John +. Kramer. whom he believes has
! done good work. but he pointed out that
! tho officers under him were not Sc ecl-
cd by the commissioner. and many oi
! thcm wore cy-rcvc.uc officers who had
| dealt with the liquor business us Il
money raising factor for the govern
ment before il was outawed
"Eurthc"more" Mr.. Bryan sald'
"ryrryonc who decides prohibition
uucstions should be un!nllucmced by the
uucstion Where can set Il drink"
The Commnncr Unlisted that in ccr-
: tain PARTS If the country the )udicl;lry
! has sided with the lawhroakeri. lie
declared that the liquor tE'!nc de-
rrivcs both the buyer and the seller.
"prnhibition is the triumph OF the
nations conscience. It has pat TIC
| force Of law against the liquor tr''I III
and reduced, the defenders ni Lie
suinnns tn two groups, tic one III "Hic-'
appetite nvcrcumc$ respect l"r vi
yaniZcd government ami the o'lr /"
which greed for the money oo'ailapiI
through smuggling and hontlcEgin@
leads men into lawlcssncss.
Enl nl