Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1920 — JERSEY ATTACKS PROHIBITION LAW [ARTICLE]

JERSEY ATTACKS PROHIBITION LAW

Attorney General McCran Files Petition in United States Supreme Court. / “IS VIOLATION OF RIGHTS” Suit Seeks to Have Dry Amendment Declared Unconstitutional and to Prevent Enforcement of Volstead Act. Washington, March 5. —The state of New Jersey through its attorney general, Thomas F. McCran, filed in the United States Supreme court a suit seeking to have the prohibition amendment declared unconstitutional and to prevent enforcement of the Volstead act. The suit Is directed against Attorney General Palmer and Daniel C. Roper, commissioner of Internal revenue. v The hill sets forth that the amendment was improperly drawn, that in twenty-one states the legislatures have not ratified it as provided by their state constitutions and that there is no power in congress to propose a constitutional amendment regulating the habits and inorals of the people. It recites further that the amendment is a legislative and not a constitutional matter and tlmt as such it was improperly passed. “Violation of Rights." It is charged that the amendment centralizes authority without the consent of the people of New Jersey and that It is a violation of their sovereign rights. The Volstea# act, having been enacted under authority of the amendment, the petition says, is null and void.

It is claimed that the Volstead act Is illegal because by “depreciating and in a large measure destroying the taxable value qf real and personal property within the state” it Is destructive of the state's free and Independent government; because it deprives the state of revenues from licenses, which in 1918 amounted to $2,442,899, and because it interferes with the internal government of the people and operates to punish them by heavy fines, imprisonment and forfeitures, thus preventing application for licenses for the sale of nonintoxicating beverages, which is authorized under the laws of the state.

“Restricts Physicians." Complaint is made that the act restricts the practice of physicians of the state and the operation of its penal, correctional and charitable institutions ; that the state has not concurred in the amendment and that if the act is enforced it will nullify the right of state to regulate its internal affairs. It is claimed the act is not appropriate to enforce the prohibition contained in the amendment, which is expressly confined to intoxicating liquors. Millions of “Drinks" Exported. New York, March 5. —Demon rum, John Barleycorp and other alcoholic concoctions in sufficient quantifies to make more than 290,000,000 average “drinks” were exported from New York during January —the greater part prior to the 17th, when the eighteenth amendment became effective. This is shown by the export statistics of the port of New York made public today in detailed statements indicating that 3,384,760 gallons of spirits were cleared at the United States customs house with a stated value of $4,694,858. During January, 1919, there were exported 14,006 gallons of liquor valued at $52,417.