Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-21


t,er of cifssers cf al Glasses: VII ~ once
diminish the sensAi value OF great nnn-
Der Of houer<. upon the rstufns fro1 sulcn
many families are defeodenf for support
and VIII, ne b<iieTe, exercise Depressing
Influences upon sII the commercial IN
fefesu and suterpftse< araonz rs. ana
whereas while We yieih 70 pone OF oar
feilcwsc'tszens In 6epioring the evih % m
eours ging an legitimate efforts 20 check and
restrain the undue Ese os intoxicating
iiquoys NO sre not satisfied froin the ex oe-
rtenee OF other coEannnltiss tnat pronlolo
| the promotion cf the moral any more Than
| a. tces 20 the advancement OF the material
Interest Of the state therefore
Resolved. That We earnestly advise AL OF
our feIlow-cltinens 70 v2te upon the zstn
instant for adherence 70 the traditional
! policy os our fafbers In the licensing OF The
! 70 e of wires and ncoors under the exist
| iug laws of the Com monweaith.
hcsoiryd f,ythcr. That We deprecate tns
proposed violent departure from the poilcy
which hes characterized the legislation OF
virginia IN al ber past glor,ons history -
| TIE 1rst step towards the adoption of sys-
TEN of sumptuary laws at war with the
fundamental principles OF eivl ana consti-
tufsopai liberty.
gret and dsplore the efforts made In THIS
| matter for the first time in Virginia. 20 Co
| cree pubiie sentiment upon questions o; 20.
ifttcsl action by the inhenoe OF 'be Church
and the clergy.
HON. WILLIAM LovESsTEIS.
Mr. Lovenstein, speaking to the reso-
lutions. reviewed somewhat their legis-
lsiive history. and said that II was
bis opinion that the General Assembly
should have put its foot on the bill.
Applause He insisted that it was
nst xifhin the constitutional scope Of
the General Assembly to place this op-
iion--this lsw-naking power--in the
hands of the people. That was his
Judgment and be had voted against the
bill. Cheers The Law, If adopted,
would uproot long-setted customs and
stab extensive interests. All thrs By
bare majority Of those who may 60 TO the
polls. He thought. too, it would be
provocative Of continual agitation and
eng.ndsr i'll feeling among classes that
have long lived in harmony together.
IL would throw out Of business
a host Of men. II would leave many
houses untenanted. His reference TO
the use Of churches on Sunday for pro-
hibition meetings, TO induce men TO
vote against their convictions Of right .
was greeted by tremendous cheering.
Be made the most Of the argument
that the law would work great revo-
| lution-would bring a paralysis upon
trade. Il would not, be said, 60 70 re-
ferto Atlanta. Prohibition has not been
tried there, but Senator Brown states
ths; il is doing grea; harm. From per-
sonal knowledge Of Atlanta Mr.. Loven-
stein was sure that if the people Of that
city had 70 vote again il could not
be carried there. At least, SO many
people who had voted for prohibition
bad told him upon the occasion Of
recent visit 10 that city.
IOwE NEED THE LAW HERE:
After presenting the view that prohi-
bition is antsgoniStic 70 the spirit Of
liberty that it Is unfair; that Il i
repuCnsnt TO the spirit Of our laws and
institutions, Mr.. Lovenstein said
Is il necessary that this law shall be
adopted IN Richmond We are no: 3
country village, but 1ourishing COM
mercial city. We are competing with
other great cities Of the Union for COM
mtrce, for manufactures, and other
great interests. We are quiet, law
abiding. orderly people. We have an
excellent government. We bear Of No
fraud or corruption. We have men al the
head Of our pfsirs in or city government
worthy Of all confidence. We have
q thorough police system, whose force
does not consist OF roughs and rowdies,
but gentlemen, most Of whom have
tttested their loyalty and devotion 10
this people IN other days. We have
few drunken men occasionally, but, all
in all, our city compares fsvora5ly
with that Of any other Of its size IA
the Union. Why, then. this terrible
cry against the morals Of our people ?
Whv, sir. the ministers themselves,
/ in the petition 20 adopt this law,
exempted cities Of 5000 and up
wards, and the Leutenant-Governor Of
this Commonwealth Vho must. it seems.
come down from his exalted position 10
advocate temperance on Sunday and
prohibition on Saturday. told me that
no effort would be made against cities,
and that s compromise could then be
made which would prevent any trouble,
ss the people IN the country wanted II.
My reply 10 him was that those whom
! Immediately represented came under
I the operations Of the law. should
make DO factious opposition, yet that
DO law could be framed which imposed
prohibition for which ! ever would
vote. Yet, Notwithstanding al Of these
protestations, we find the fight being
wsged IS bitterly and fsrcely here ss
il can possibly be.
Mr. Chairman, must now conclude
my already extended remarks, bat
cEnnot do so without calling attention
10 the language used by clergymen
and others IN decrying hqnor-dealers
and their servle dependents. Yet
vhen we look around IN the city.
when we see such men as L. A.
Saunders, as Z. L. Brown, D.
| o. DAVIS, Davenport & Morris,
Ellison 4 Harvey, Slater 4 Myers, and
others. we recognize IN them citizens
whom we are proud Of; who IN evsrr
position, public and private, have been
good and useful men, whose hands are
ever ready to encourage business en-
ierprise, deeds Of charity, and, ] doubt
not, have contributed their share TO the
building up of churches and schools
Great applause We can point 10 re-
tail liquor dealers, who as class
are quiet and orderly citizens, ever
ready TO bear their portion Of the
burdens and city and State laws,
ready 10 lend = helping hand 10
objects Of worth and charity. Do you
propose 10 drive these people from
among Us because they are engaged In &
business sanctioned by law, and which
if not licensed Will be transferred to men
who viii transact the business without
bearing the necessary burden, as nOw
requireds / cannot believe, Sir, that
/ laws Will be adopted IN this CITY which