Year: 1876

For several years efforts have been
made to secure the appointment, by
Congress, of Commission to investi-
gate the whole subject of the manufac-
ture, importation and sale of alcoholic
and fermented liquors and their effect
upon the country. AS we stated last
week, Senator Sherman, of Ohio, recent
ly introduced in the senate a bill pro-
viding for the appointment of such a
Commission, and we earnestly hope that
may speedily pass both houses and
become a law. 1t provides as follows:


''That there shall be appointed by the
President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, Commission of
five persons. neither of whom shall be
the holder of any Office of profit or trust
in the General or a State Government,
and all of whom shall not be advocates
of prohibitory legislation or total absti-
nance in relation to alchoholic or fer
mented liquors. The said Commission
ers shall be selected solely with refer
ence to personal fitness and capacity for
an honest, impartial, and through in



their duties shall be accomplished, but
not to exceed one year.


at shall be their duty to investigate
the alcoholic and fermented liquor traffic
and manufacture, having special refer
ence to revenue and taxation, distin-
gushing as far as possible in the conclu-
sions they arrive at between the effects
produced by the use of distilled or spir-
nd frn Of
uors, in their economic, criminal, moral,
and scientific aspects, in connection with
pauperism, crime, social vice, the public
health and general welfare of the people,
and also inquire and take testimony as
to the practical results of license and
restrictive legislation for the prevention
of intemperance in the several States,
and the effect produced by such legisla-
ton upon the consumption of distilled
or spirituous liquors, and fermented or
malt liquors; also, to ascertain whether
the evils of drunkenness have been in
creased or decreased, and whether pub
lie morals have been improved thereby.
1t shall also be the duty of said Commits
sioners to gather information and take
testimony as to whether the evil of
drunkenness exists to the same extent
or more so in other civilized countries,
and whether those foreign nations that
are considered the most temperate in the
use of stimulants are SD through prohib.
itory laws; and also to what degree pro-
hibitory legislation has affected the con-
sumption and manufacture of malt and
spirituous liquors in the country.


''That the said Commissioners shall
serve without salary, and shall be
authorized to employ a secretary at a
reasonable compensation, not TO exceed
81, 600 per annum, which, with the cec-
essary expenses incidental to said inves-
tigation, in ali not exceeding $4,000 of
both the Secretary and Commissioners,
shall be paid out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated,
upon vouchers to be approved by the
Fifth Auditor of the Treasury. 1t shall be
the further duty of said Commissioners
to report the result of their investiga-
ton, and the expenses attending the
same, to the President, to be by him
transmitted to Congress"


The subject coming up at later date
for discussion, Mr.. Sherman said this
bill had been fully debated at the last
session of the Senate. The expense in
volved in the proposed investigation
was not over $40, 900, and the result of
it would be vast amount of useful in
formation. He believed that an inquiry
of this kind made by sensible men would
be of great use. No State conld make
the investigation because, none had the
command of statistics TO procure the
inquiry.


Mr.. Bayard, of Del, said that in his
opinion this is not the way, nor is this
the proper place to treat the subject. If
the investigation was to be made to pro
cure information in regard to the taxa
ton of liquors, it was unnecessary, as
the Secretary of the Treasury had al
ready the fullest information in regard
to the matter. Noquestion was of more
Importance than that of regulating the
use and abuse of intoxicating drinks,
but it could not be dealt with safely by
legislation based upon sentimentality.
There was a domain of morals and do
main of law. He argued that this mat
ter was within the province of the State
Governments and could not be treated
by the United States, and said this
aggrandzement of the powers of the
State by the federal government is one
of the radical evils of our time. He
would vote against the bill, believing
that legislation to reform the vice of in
temperance only increased the evil. He
submitted an amendment instructing
the Commission to inquire whether the
use of opium as substitute for alcohol
ic drinks had not become more general
in consequence of legislation.


Mr.. Sherman said the use of spurious
liquors was the cause of crime in all
parts of the world and Caused beggary
and poverty. This vice was almost uni
versal, and it seemed to him that the Con-
gress of the United States might well
give the subject full and fair examina-
ton. He was not in favor of prohibit
tory laws, but he believed the passage
of this bill would promote the common
good and Congress had the right to pass
it.


Mr.. Howe, of Wis, spoke in favor of