Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-07-13
PROHIBITION LEGISLATION
EDITOR DEAN OF THE @CAM-
PAIGNER, MADISON, WRITES
Tells of Action Taken on Prohibition
During Present Session of the
Legislature

Legislature
Editor Dean of "The Campaigner''
at Madison and well known prohibit
ton worker in the state was in Viro-
qua last week and wrote for the Cen
son the following review of prohibi-
tion activities in the Wisconsin legis-
lature during the session just closing:
After playing politics" with the
prohibition enforcement measure thru
out the entire session, until it seemed
inevitable that no bill could receive
the approval of both the legislature
and the governor, on the very last
day of the session, bill which had
been agreed upon the night before by
a conference committee, passed both
houses of the legislature, and it is I'M
derstood will receive the approval of
the governor.
The Anti-Saloon League centered
it's effort, early in the session on the
Matheson bill. 1t passed the assembly
too early for Prohibition Commission
er Smith, who had just been appoint
ed, to give it any careful consideration.
BY the time it reached the senate he
with the backing Of Governor Blaine,
offered numerous objections to the
bill, claiming that many of its pro-
visions were ambiguous and difficult
of enforcement. Some of these OBJ
jections seemed to be well taken. The
drys in the senate refused to adopt
the proposed amendments on the
ground that they did not care to take
the risk of having amended bill go
back to the assembly for fear it would
be defeated there.
When the bill came up for action in
the senate, Commissioner Smith had
a substitute amendment ready, cover
ing the objections, but which was
claimed by the drys to offer certain
loopholes to the liquor traffic. The
substitute amendment was thereupon
defeated
Again presenting his objections, the
governor asked that the bill be re-
called for amendment. This was re-
fused by the assembly. Then the gov
ernor vetoed the bill. Soon after,
bill, drawn by the governor, the pro-
hibition commissioner and CHI. Crown
hart, was presented and introduced in
both houses simultaneously
It nov became apparent that the is
sue between the governor and the drys
was chiefly on the matter of home
brewing. II was charged that the
governor was making this an issue
to please the wets-and it seemed to
please them to the extent that all the
vets in both houses supported the gov
ernor's bill, Notwithstanding many
drastic enforcement provisions it con
tanned.
The governors bill received the sup
port of enough drys in the assembly
to give it fair majority, but in the
senate the division was strictly wet
and dry, even the dry administration
senators Severson, Huber and Olson
leading the fight against the measure.
As the drys were in control the pro-
vision allowing home brew was strick-
en- out, and the amended bill sent back
to the assembly, which stood by the
governor. Two little words formed
the bone Of sontention. The senate
would prohibit the manufacture i'm
portation and transportation of intox-
icating liquors, and the governor in
sisted on having the words "for sale"
follow the word manufacture" as he
did not wish to interfere with the MAX
ing of wine and beer for home use.
As there did not seem to be any ba-
sis for agreement on this point, it was
generally considered that there was
no chance to get any amendment to
the Mulberger law for enforcement of
prohibition. Then the proposal was
made that, inasmuch if no bill were
passed the Mulberger law would re-
main that section which embodied the
point of contention might be left I'M
touched and the other desirable fea-
lures of the governors bill could be
added to it. A measure was thereup-
on drawn up on this basis by the con-
ference committee and was adopted by
both houses.
The law as it now stands follows
the Volstead act, prohibiting the man.
ufacture, sale importation and trans
portation of intoxicants. This would
seem to prohibit home brewing, al
though some claim that the courts
would not construe the word "manu-
facture" to include the making of a
little wine or beer for home use. By
another section, it is provided that no
warrant shall be issued to search a
private residence without proof that
liquor is being sold or manufactured
for sale therein. Thus sides claim
advantage and both are satisfied. The
bill prohibits the possession of a still
without a permit and further prohib-
its possession of any mash or "moon-
shine.
The bill carries an appropriation of
$50, 900, which will allow the state pro-
hibition commissioner to add eight
deputies to his force, bringing it up
to twelve. If he secures eight more
as good as the four he now has, the
moonshiners and bootleggers in the
state will need to be very discreet.
The commissioner is given full power
to choose and discharge his men, as
they are removed from the civil SER
vice provisions.
In Washington, we note that the
bill prohibiting the manufacture and
prescribing of beer for medical pur-
poses passed the House Monday by a
good majority, and it is expected that
it will pass the senate very soon. The
other provisions which the Anti-Sa-
loon League sought to have put thru
with this bill were left for future and
more careful consideration. Wiscon-
sin congressman voting against this
measure were Beck, Classon, Lampert,
Kleszka, Stafford and Voight.
Opposition to the bin came from GER
tain labor organizations, from out
law physicians, who are writing pre-
scriptions for revenue, and from the
smaller breweries, many of whom are
now violating the prohibition law by
the manufacture of real beer,
VIM. C. DEAN.