Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-31
wHISKEY OR no?
LOCAL-0PTTON DISCUSSION.

The House of Delegates was crowded
with visitors at 1890 o'clock yesterday
when the Chair Mr.. Cardwelll an
nounced the special order, the general
local-option law. The Clerk stated that
the pending question was ION the ad'p-
ton Of the amendment proposed by the
gentleman from Alexandria Mr.. Stuart
to the substitute of Mr.. Loving '-in
effect exempting from the operations of
the law all cities having population Of
5000 and over.
Mr.. A. Fulkerson said that he was
opposed to discriminating in favor Of
cities. There can be no reason for it.
unless it is proposed to leave the cities
as a sort Of nest-egg for party purposes.
1t is said that the cities do not ask for
the local.option law. Neither do the
counties. The Legislature is far ahead
OF the people. He had not seen any
petitions here asking for this law. If
the cities were to hs exempted he meant
to ask that his county Washington be
| also excepted.
Mr.. Fulkerson thought this discrimi-
nation unjust and unfair, and believed
that it would be so considered by the
people of the country.
CITIES VS.. cor MITES.
Mr. Wise Republican, also opposed
the amendment. lie thought the law
should be general. He was voting for
the bill because his party platform
plegedit.
Mr.. Martin Republican, thought that
cities needed local.option even more
than the counties. lie went on in a
lofty, classical strain to illustrate that
the worst elements OF country's popu-
lation are to be found in cities. lie
was speaking of Troy, Babylon, Sodom,
and Gomorrah-
Mr.. Munford (interrupting): | plead
limitation on those cities. They are
too far back.
Mr.. Martin: But there should be
no limitations on this bill. a local-Op-
tion law would have been OF vast bene-
fit to SOdom and Gomorrah. Laugh
ter.
TIE HARM OF WHIsKEY.
Mr.. Thornc (Republican) eontended
that if whiskey did no harm in The cities
it would do no harm in the country. but
the truth was it did harm everywhere.
There should be no discrimination. If
it is a good law for counties it is a good
one for the cities.
He then proceeded to answer Mr..
Fulkerson's argument that the people
were not asking for this law. They are.
Their voice has been heard in two party
platforms and in nearly every other
way.
NEEDN'T HAVE ANY ELECTION.
Mr.. Loving opposed the amendment.
If, as the gentleman (Mr. STUART says.
the people Of Alexandria are nearly
unanimously opposed to the law, they
needn't have any election. 1t takes
one fifth Of the voters to petition for
an election, and if the one fifth are not
gotten the election will never be or
dered.
Mr.. Thorne here read the following
telegram
WAsHISGToS, y. C., January %, 1856.
IoJ. N. Thoyne. Hotsa Of DeIe0dfcs:
Three hundred members OF the Reform
Club and one hundred and fifty Good Tenn
plars OF Alexandria are anxious for the pas
sage of the local option bill, besides large
number OF citizens not connected with
either organlzation., u. VI. FULTz' .,
Past officer Golden Light Lodge. ]. .. 9. T.,
and x.president Reform Club OF AleNan-
dria.
Mr.. Stuart said this same gentle
man had pledged himself to get coo
votes for st. John. st. John got four.
Two of these were sons Of this gentle
men and the other one was stranger.
Mr.. Fultz does not represent the Re-
form club; that club has done good
service, and this man is the only one
who has ever attempted to interject
politics into it. The Reform Club has
been a great blessing; but not because
it seeks to control men, but because it
attempts to persuade and entertain
them in sensible ways. Mr.. Stuart
explained that a temperance-man had
come out against him for the Legislature,
and though the speakers position on
this matter was well known, that oppo.
nent was ingloriously defeated. Local
option would be defeated in AleXan-
dria overwhelmingly, but they did not
wish to be annoyed by an election.
Mr.. Stuart further contended that the
Democratic platform expressly exempt
ed cities. As for Mr.. Fultz, while he
was an honest and respectable man. he
spent very little of his time in AleNan-
dra, and was not entitled to represent
the views of the people Of that city.
IN THE INTEREST or TEMPERANCE.
Mr.. Pollard advocated the amend
ment because, be said, he believed it
was in the interest of temperance to
have it adopted. The temperance re-
formation, like all other reformations,
must proceed by graduation. He meant
no reflection on the cities when he said
that the country districts were in ad
vance of city communities in intelli-
gent estimate Of the grievous evils
that flow from the promiscuouS
sale of intoxicating liquors. Persons
leading the reformation must re-
cognize this fact and not place them
selves too far in advance of public senti-
ment. When country districts, in whole
or in part, have adopted the measure
and the good of the measure is yindi-
Gated, as he believed it would be, AMI
public sentiment shall have been edu-
Gated up to a proper point, then the
Legislature would be asked to grant a
similar privilege to the cities, and in
due time they will align themselves on
the side of temperance reformation.
Mr.. A. Fulkerson Then it is your
purpose ultimately to put it on the
cities:
Mr.. Pollard 1t is my purpose to al
low the cities to take advantage Of it in
time, but not to ram it down their
throats. fApplause.l He believed that
temperance reformation is most strongly !
imbedded in the minds of the country |
people. 81 mean no disrespect to the
city people, but that is my idea. -
Mr.. Waddill said that the champion |