Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-09
OUR LOCAL OPTION COLUMN,

OUR LOCAL OPTION COLUMN,
To THE READERS OF THO STAR.-I have
arranged with the editor of this paper to
have the use of one column weekly for the
publication of such information as will adj
vance the interests of Local Option in this
county. also wish to make this medium
of communication between myself and the
members of the Executive Committee of
the county. This will also be helpful to the
Local Committees in their work hat}s.
therefore these and all other friends OF thin
movement will now subscribe for the 81 q
PHENs CITY STAR This will be the only
remuneration the editor will receive forthe
use of this column, and volunteer to edit
it without any compensation whatever, ex-
cept the satisfaction Of working for my
fellows good. A. A. P. MEL.
HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT IN THE
STATE.
In December last State Local Op-
ton Convention was called to meet in
Charlottesville The Good Templars
of Middletown elected VIM. Dinges,
of our county, as delegate. At this
Convention a Local Option Alliance
was formed for the State. We insert
two Articles in full, and two sections
of the third.
CONSTITUTION.
Article 1. This Association shall be known
as the Virginia Local Option Alliance, :
Art. 2. The grand objects of this ALT
ance shall be to secure the enactment by the
Legislature of Virginia, and their enforce
ment by the proper officers, of effective Lo-
cal Option laws, whereby every community
in the Community in the Commonwealth
shall have the right to elect for themselves
whether the traffic in intoxicating liquors
as a beverage shall be licensed or not, and
to this end to educate public opinion by
lectures, temperance publications, individ-
ual efforts, and other suitable methods, and
also in our religious organizations, temper
ance associations, Sunday schools, and So
cal intercourse.
"
Alliance shall be composed of delegates
from all regularly organized temperance
and other associations in full sympathy
with us, and those who shall pledge them
selves to cooperate with this Alliance in
accomplishing the objects set forth in Art
2 of this Constitution, who shall make an
annual contribution. All such persons in
cordial sympathy with us, as shall contrib
ute twenty five. dollars, shall be life mem
beers.
Sec. 2. The officers of this Alliance shall
be President, Vice President for each
county and city in the State, Recording
Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, and
a Treasurer, who shall be elected at the reg
ular annual meetings of the Alliance.
History OF THE MOVEMENT IN THE
COUNTY.
According to the above, we were
elected Vice President for Frederick
county. 1t was made our duty to or
ganize the county for work. The first
thing to be done was to send in petit
tons to the Legislature for the passage
OF bill providing for vote to be ia
ken in any county in the State. upon
the petition to the Court of a certain
number of its voters.
There was no time for organization,
but petitions were circulated in parts
Of the county only, and duly forward,
ed. Such bill was before the Legis-
lature and passed the House twice,
but was smothered in the Senate. AS
soon as we could have the time we APP
pointed an Executive Committee and
published meeting ill Winchester
This called committee decided that it
be composed of two gentlemen from
each District in the county, and that
all ministers should be ex- officio mem
bers. 1t permanently organized by
electing the State Vice President for
the county as its Chairman, and Rev.
]. E. Widmeyer, Secretary. 1t also
ordered meeting to be held once.
each quarter in different sections of
the county; these meetings to be pub
lie, and to consist of addresses and
other methods of instruction to the
people, s0,,
At the first quarterly meeting held
in Brucetown, it was ordered to ap-,
point Committee at each voting pre-
cinct in the county, consisting of five
persons, not less than two of them be-
ing females. These Local Committees
are to procure and circulate Temper
ance literature, and otherwise provide
for the education Of public opinion
These Committees are being appointed
as fast as possible, and when this shall
be done, we will have this county fully
organized. We mean work by this.
By facts and figures we design show.
ing the curse of whisky in this county.
and then proceed to its cure.
With the best will toward all we be-
gin this work, and in the true Christian
spirit we mean to continue it. 1t may
lead to the destruction of the so-called
business of some; but to all such we
would say, we mean to put you in a.
better business, which may not be quite
so remunerative in money, but infin-