The Peril of the 'Brewers' Bill'
As Washington state votes on prohibition initiatives, one local columnist warns that voters are being misled about the true impact of the proposed 'Brewers' Bill' on state law.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Two initiative measures, known as No. 18 (the Hotel Bill) and No. 24 (the Brewers’ Bill), are before the people for adoption or rejection at the November election. In my judgment, the adoption of these initiative measures, or either of them, would be a step in the wrong direction. The proposed Brewers' Bill removes all quantity restrictions, allowing brewers to open offices in every town to make deliveries at any time. Owing to a quite general misconception of the provisions of the bill, it would be well if every voter would study it and explain its true meaning to his neighbor.
“Owing to a quite general misconception of the provisions of the bill, it would be well if every voter would study it and explain its true meaning to his neighbor.”
This reflects the volatile landscape of early 20th-century temperance debates in Washington, where rural communities frequently pushed back against alcohol lobbyists. Today, the tension over local control versus state-wide ballot initiatives remains a central theme in Washington's civic discourse.
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