Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-07
THE LOCAL-OPTION LiT',
Interviews with ] ,cading Liquor
Dealers and Jiher Merchants.
A WET OR DRY town.
WI f.fh Wal Richmond Vote TO Be !--EfieCts
Of the Law on Trade.

The passage Of the local-OptiOn bill,
2, accordance with what the General
Assembly understood to be the pledge
both of the Democratic and Republican
party platforms, brings the people Of
Virginia face to face with one of the
greatest issues presented in recent
years.
The law allows a number Of voters
equal to one fourth Of the number of
voters who voted at the last preceding
November election to demand a special
election in their corporation or in their
county or magsterial district to decide
whether liquOr-licenses shall be issued
or not. In Richmond. for instance, if
3,237 voters petition Judge Atkins for
a special election to vote upon this
question it will be his duty to order the
election, but at such time that it shall
not fall within thirty days Of any other
election. If 5000 people vote, 2,j0l
will carry the question "aye" or
"no" license. If 10000 people vote,
5,OOl will decide the question. The
usual voting strength Of Richmond in
very spirited election is from $4,000 to
$500.
The temperance men are organizing.
SO are the liguor-dealers and their im-
mediate friends, and those who like
them arc opposed to this form of prohi-
bition on principle.
Soon there will be two great parties
in the State: one "wet ~; the other
"dry." In the two houses Of the
General Assembly when this bill was
up old party-lines faded out Of sight,
and so it may be when the con-
test is taken to the hustings. There are
many Democrats for, many against local
option. There are many Republicans
for it. many against it. Exactly how
the great bulk Of the colored vote will be
thrown none can now tell. In a great
many communities they hold the balance
Of power.
On the threshold Of this great strug-
Gle the Dispatch, pursuing its busi-
ness IS a chronicler Of public feeling
and a recorder Of passing events. lays
before It's readers the views Of large
number Of liquor and other merchants,
and in due season will give The other
SIDE a like fair hearing.
With few exceptions all the parties
interviewed on the question are mem
t,rs Of the Liquor Dealers Protective
Association.
IOEsN'T THINK FICHNONp WILL
BECOME 4 "pNT TOWN.
+. V. Chamberlayne. Esq, the rep
resentatiye Of one OF the lar-cst dis
tillerieS in the West, was asked What
has been the effect on trade Of the pas
sage Of the local-option law
Said he; 1t has a demoralizing effect
.nerally. / was in Lyuchburs a few
ly~ ago to sell to the trade, and failed
, sell a dollar worth, and never failed
eretOioIc.
What are the conditions on which
,oods are now sold:
sell only to iobberS. and upon the
same terms as heretofore, but | have
not sold barrel of liquor this month.
DO yon think Richmond will become
." dry town "?
No, do not, for ! rely upon the
good sense Of the people.
TO CARRY LOCALOrTION WOULD RE
BUCE VALUES or ALL KINDS.
Mr.. L. Harvey, Of Ellison ~ Harvey,
in response to the same questions. said
As far as my experience goes the effect
OF the passage of the law IS very de-
pressing. our Virginia trade, however,
is small as compared to what it is in
other States. Our New York trade is
good and Is. Of course, not affected.
As to sales We are more guarded IN
credits. For instance, man that has
been buying from three TO four hundred
dollars worth Of liquor in Virginia,
and whose capital is small. we are very
apt to reduce his line Of credit to one
half on account Of the uncertainty that
hangs over the trade.
All parties that deal in liquor, both
wholesale and retail, so far as | know
Of, are becoming members Of the Ii
quor. Dealers Protective Association,
which has for its object the defeat OF
prohibition whenever 1t comes to vote.
VIII Richmond become a dry town,
thilk you:
donot, most decidedly, forit would
not only injure all kinds Of trade, but
would reduce values Of all kinds, and
our people are too wise to adopt any
such measure.
THE LEGISLATORS WERE AFRAID
or THEIR SHADOWS.
Mr.. Harvey. Of the firm Of Harvey <
Blair, wholesale grocers, said | do not
sell liquor. | will vote against the bill.
If it should become a law in this city
it would iniure trade very materially
and the effect would be to drive the
better class of trade to Baltimore or
other northern and western cities. In
my opinion the members Of the Legis-
lature are afraid Of their shadows.
They ought never to have passed such
a bill but you know some Of them
are very t!mid men.
TRADE DULL.
Mr.. Il. l.. Brown, Of Brown, Davis
y Co., wholesale grocers and liquor
dealer, said that the passage of the
law has made bushes very dull. The
trade is buying in small quantities. As
10 whether Richmond would become a
dry town he said: am not able to
form an opinion as yet.
WHAT 30 TIE OTHERS SAY.
Mr.. +. \, Saunders, of Z. \. Saan-
ders d Son. wholesale grocers and
liquor. dealers, vas next seen and in
tefroeated as the others had been.
Said he: The Law has not affected oui
trade-trade is about the same. Ny
trade is confined altogether to Viz.
Cinia. As to whether Richmond will
become a dry town, do not know
have not thought much about it. What
do the others say:
BUSINESS ALREADY PARALYZED
AND THE PARTY IN DANGER.
Mr. Georpe 4. LathrOp. wholesale IL