, 1935-08-26
REPEAL BEER
CONTINUED from Page one)
Cameron county. the wet" beer
was being sold late Sunday and was
On sale Monday without interference
from state or federal officers.
Hard Liquors Sold


All through Hidalgo county not
only the full strength beer. but hard
liquors Of various sorts were being
sold openly by the drink or the
bottle.
In Cameron county LIQUOR was
being sold by establishments that
possess the federal liquor license,
but no instances were reported In
Brownsville of single drink sales.
In Harrington, 1t Is understood, bars
were openly displaying liquor and
making single drink sales.
Cameron county, which gave re-
peal a majority OF 928, on the face
Of things Monday appeared "drier"
than Hidalgo county. which gave q
majority Of IS against repeal.
Beth Sheriff Art Golsby Of Cam
eron county and Sheriff Bob
Daniels OF Hidalgo county were out
OF their offices, and official state
ment could not be obtained on the
attitude to be taken regarding the
sale Of liquor.
County Attorney Charles Bowie
explained to The Brownsville Her
aid that the amendment repeating
prohibition will not become effec-
tive for 40 days. at which time the
vote will be canvassed by the sec
rotary OF state and the result Of
ficially announced.
In the meantime, there Is no state
penalty for selling liquor unless 1t
Je the Dean Law. the enacting legis-
lation passed following the adoption
Of statewide prohibition. This act
viii be in force. az least theoretical
~. until the result Of the election
Is officially declared.
Open Saloon Banned
Under the amendment adopted
the open saloon" is
prohibited. and the legislature Is
ordered to enact laws against and
10 define the "open saloon. The
amendment gives the legislature the
to regulate traffic In liquor,
apparently giving 1t the right 10
establish a state monopoly in the
trade.
In November. 1885, another con-
stisuticnal amendment will come I'D
for vote, providing for the estab-
Of a state dispensory"
virtually q state monopoly.
Under the amendment carried
Saturday, the local option law still
If a precinct was dry
local ortion IS years ago when
prohibition went into effect. It Is
dry today and will be dry even
when the repeal amendment is le-
yally in effect.
1t Is this provision Of the amend
ment that is causing the greatest
confusion in the Valley where old
timers are scratching their heads
10 remember the status Of the
various communities when r-ohibi-
ton was adopted.
According 10 the best recollt11e1s.
San Benito was the only major
Cameron county community to be
dry prior TO prohibition, the dry
provision being written into the
original towns.te deeds on which ell
later deeds are based. When 81 beer
was legalized in Texas a local op-
ton election IN the San Benito
school district was called, and sale
Of So legalizec. The district would
still be dry however. for the sale
or anything stronger.
Three cities in Hiadlgo county
were dry under the same original
townsite provisions. Mercedes, Ala.
mo and Pharr. All OF these cities
had saloons on the outskirts, Just
outside the city limits, but no sa-
looms have existed In them. The
other cities Of Hidalgo were all wet.
IL Is also understood that the
same provision was incorporated In
the original townsite deeGs Of Ray
mondville.
Willacy county, created out Of
parts OF Hidalgo, Cameron and Ken
edy counties. occupies q unique po-
sition IN the state, having been
formed after the passage OF the
prohibition amendment. Status OF
towns IN that county will be the
same as their status prior to pro-
addition. ia the counties Of which
were then a part.
Border StiIl DRY
As far rs the federal government,
through us customs department. Is
concerned. the state Of Texas is still
Try.
William Neale. deputy collector