The Alaska daily empire., 1925-04-10
FACT AND FANCY
INTERMINCLE IN
PUBLIC HEARING
Hearing on Dry Law Repeal
Bill Is Cause of Lively
Session in House.

Disordered nightmares of wet pro-
paganda' mills, uneasy visions of
Democratic plots to discredit the
Delegate to Congress and the author
of the Alaska Bone Dry Law, for
mer Delegate Wickersham, exaltation
literate whites, and perhaps an oc-
casional scent of the mintbed-bordered
paths of the halcyon days of the
brass rallied mahogany counters pre-
sided over by white-eoated wizards
of the mixers, blossomed forth yes
terday in the public hearing on House
Bill No. 9, by Hardy. proposing the
repeal of the Alaska Bone Dry Law
The hearing was held before the
: House in Committee of the Whole,
Representative Sheldon in the chair.
Two hours were spent in talk,
some of ii to the point. much of it
wide of the mark, dash of reminis.
censes, a jigger or so of speculation.
topped off by sprinkling of suspic-
ion, served on a tray onto which
was slipped note of warning from
the w. c. r. u, and you have the
widely advertised and occasionally
postponed hearing
Proponents in Majority
| Proponents for the repeal bill who
appeared were in the majority. That
| is, speakers outside of Legislators,
who attended were all for Represen-
a a atf
can't be counted and won't be among
those present when the measure
comes up for passage this afternoon.
And from all appearances opponents
of the bill will have their innings
today
Four attorneys, II. L. Faulkner, F.
A. Boyle and III. r. Morton, of Ju-
neau, and T. A. Marquam, of Fair
banks, said they believed the Legis-
lature had the power to repeal the
Alaska Bone Dry Law. The first
two appeared in response to an invi-
tation from Mr.. Hardy, and the fourth
was spectator in the balcony, was
personally requested by Mr.. Hardy
to make a statement. Mr.. Morton's
statement was also made at Mr.. Har-
dy's request.
Conflicts in the Alaska Bone Dry
Law and the National Prohibition
Act were emphasized by all of the
lawyers. Almost as a unit they point
cd specifically to provisions in each
of these acts they claimed to be
Inconsistent with the other.
| In answer to questions from Mr..
Paul, Mr.. Faulkner said he didn't
believe conditions in Alaska are as
bad as in New York or worse than
those existing anywhere else.
Prohibition, said Mr. Marquam, who
agreed with Mr.. Faulkner in this
statement. would be more efficiently
and effectively enforced in the Ter
ritory if there we're only one law
dealing with the subject. Two, he
asserted, simply complexities the sit
uation, the ideal law being the sim
pie one.
He pointed out that the repeal of
the Alaska Bone Dry Law did not
mean that the Territory would be
again wet" declaring if there was
any provision that any prohibitionist
could desire that isn't in the Vol
stead Act, it was an oversight since
they not only had the most exert
of lawyers aiding but the famous
Anti-Saloon League directing its
drafting. The popular lack of under
standing of what the repeal of the
local law entailed. he asserted, is
the only reason such action had not
been taken before now
Mr.. Marquam, in presenting his
statement, declared repeal was
question for each legislator to de-
eide, but that as far as the legality
of a repeal law by the legislature
was concerned, he was convinced it
would stand.
| DR.. W. A. Borland spoke briefly
on the virtual impossibility of OBJ
tanning pure alcohol for medical and
correalative purposes. He gave spec
ific instances of the need for it when
1t could not be obtained. Mr.. Boyle
gave other instances. The latter
contended that the electorate of AL
aska did not vote on the law enacted
lby Congress but on the question of
licensing saloons and manufacture of
alcoholic liquors.
Valentine Relates History
f. Valentine, prominent in bust
ness and as local political leader