Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-16
]. Melvin each to erect . wharf along
their shores on Chincoteague island.

SENATE BILLS PASSED.
Senate bill to incorporate the Prince
George Lumber and Transportation
Company was taken up out of its order
and ordered to its engrossment, and
the rules being suspended--two thirds
concurring-was forthwith engrossed,
read third time, and passed.
Several other Senate bills were taken
up out Of their order and ordered to
their epgrossment.
FREE.scHooL-BooKs BILL.
Senate bill to provide free books for
scholars in the free schools Of the Com
monwealth. which was reported from
the Committee on Public Institutions
and Educations, with the recommends
ton that it do not pass, was taken up
out of its order and made the special
order for Wednesday next at l o'clock.
This was done at the instance Of Mr..
Hurt to give Mr.. Mcdonald an oppor-
tunity to be heard on the bill.
MALICIOUS AND FALSE.
Mr.. Keezell, as chairman Of the spe-
cial joint committee appointed TO ill.,
yestigate the affairs OF the Eastern Lu-
natic Asylum, read a paragraph from
paper which he held in his hand (Rich-
mond telegram to the National RepuJ-
licdnj, charging said committee with
smotheripg certain facts brought to
light in their investigation. The
speaker characterized said statement
as malicious and false. The paragraph
referred to will be seen in the House
report.
LOCAL OPTION.
The hour of 1890 having arrived,
Mr.. Stubs called for the special order,
which was House bill to provide for
submitting the question ofliquor-license
to the qualified voters Of the several
counties, corporations, and magisterial
districts of the State. The question
required on the substitute proposed by
the Committee on General Laws to the
sixth section.
Mr.. Staples moved TO amend by
adding the following: "But nothing
in this section shall apply to the coun-
ties OF Patrick and Henry"
Mr.. Flanary wanted the counties Of
Scott, Lee, and Wise added. Ruled out
Of order.
Mr.. Rhea objected to this amend
ment. A general local-option law that
would apply to every county in the
State was what had been pledged to
the people of the Commonwealth, and
this he wanted.
Mr.. Staples advocated his amend
ment at some length. lie contended
that the Democratic platform was
framed to apply to the sale but not the
manufacture Of liquor. lie claimed
that the bill had incorporated in it the
identical local-Option plank of the Re-
publican platform.
Several unimportant Interruptions
were made, after which Mr.. Staples
proceeded. lie said that in Patrick
county there are $50 distileries and
only five bar-rooms, and he could
not vote for a bill which would be
so detrimental to such a large num-
Der Of his constituents. He said that
in his district there is raised large
quantity of fruit which Is not suited for
shipping purposes, and if these distil-
leries are broken up the orchards Of his
people would be of little value to their
owners. lie would favor a bill that
would prohibit the sale Of liquor, but
not one that would affect its manufac-
ture.
Mr.. Meredith wanted to consider the
subject from higher ground than the
platform Of either political party. lie
would subsequently offer an amend
ment exempting malt liquor and do
mestic wines. lie referred to the his
tory of Germany to show that v. here
these are drunk there is but little drunk
enness. lie said that one gentleman in
his county, Prince William, realized
$4,000 annually from the sale of wine
manufactured from his grapes.
Nj. Blackstone opposed Mr.. Staples's
amendment. lie said that because he
and the gentleman from Loudoun (Nlr.
IIeaton) had favored including cities
and distilleries in the bill they hal
been charged with being unfriendly to
the bill and to temperance. lie
thought they were the best friends that
temperance had in the Senate. The
people in his county did not have
distilleries, and they do not drink
malt whiskey and mild wines.
They have a taste for strong whiskey,
and to come down from it 20 mild wine
would be quite drop. He hoped it
would not be the pleasure of the Senate
to allow the people of Patrick and Hen
~ to have distlleries, those of Prince
William to manufacture and drink wine
and malt whskey, and leave his people
without any beverage. lie wanted
either lOcal.optiOn law that would APP
ply to counties. districts, cities, and
distilleries, OF no law at all.
MR.. CAUsEY's BILL.
Mr.. Causey hoped that the commit
tees substitute would be adopted and
that Mr.. Staples's amendment would
be voted down. He wanted to have a
real local.option bill. lie was ready to
deal with the subject and prohibit the
manufacture or sale of liquor in the
State without submitting it to his peo-
pie. He intended, at the proper time,
to offer the following as a substitute for
the bill then under discussion
Be ii enacted by tie General Assem-
bly, Of Virginia, That after the Both
day Of April, 1887, no license for the
sale OF manufacture of ardent spirits.
wine. malt liqnors, or any mixture of
any Of them, shall be granted to any
person in this State; and any person
who, after this act takes effect, shall sell
or manufacture for sale wine, ardent
spirits, malt liquors, or any mixture OF
them, shall incur the penalty prescribed
by the laws now existing for selling and
manufacturing the same without license.
Mr.. Williams said that the Legisla-
lure was not sitting to enforce either
prohibition or local option. They were
there to give to the people what they
had asked for-the right to vote on