Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-02-05
FRIDAY MORNING. FEB. S. 1885.
THE LOCAL OPTION DEBATE.

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We read the debates In the House
OF Delegates on Local Option with q
curious interest-cuEious,b because it was
Che sort of interest one takes in q
chatter over the purchase Of white horse,
when be knows that after all the details
of the trade are arranged. the buyer might
drop the trade altogether and instead Of a
white horse buy a black one. over which
there will be no chaffering at all. All the
discussions OF local option, last week. were
directed. not to the bill prepared by the
Local Option Alliance which was report
cd by the House committee. but to sub
stitute for it offered by Mr.. Loving. All
the amendements adopted were to that
substitute. When it was perfected it was
passed and the Alliance bill left
out in the cold. The incident Of
the debate, the most noteworthy,
occurred on Saturday. when the amend
ment was ON trial exempting cities
of over 5000 inhabitants from the opera
lions of the bill. The amendment had
been rejected by a vote of Al to IS, when a
new phase was given the subject. Mr..
Terry, from his seat. stated that he had
been waited on. the day before, by the SEQ.
Rotary of the Local Option Alliance and
instructed not to put cities In the bill.
After this statement the vote was recon-
sidered and the amendment exemptlng CT
ties of over 5000 inhabitants was adopted.
The request of the Secretary, we presume,
was made by authority. but it will strike
those familiar with the workers for local
option, as strange one. For the most
part, as far as our knowledge extends,
they are chiefly located in the towns and
cities and it is from them their work is pro-
jected. Take our own vicinity and we
find devoted band of active local option
workers In Stanton who do pretty much
ell the work for the county where there
are comparatively few active Prohibition.
lists. The reason given for.the exemption
of cities was, that the friends of local op-
ton were afraid Of mourning the hostility
OF the delegates from the cities, which
would imperil the whole scheme.
We have all along frankly stated the
position of the VINDIcAToR towards Lo
cal Option. We favored the passage Of the
bill just as it came from the Alliance or
just as they might desire it changed in any
respect. In brief. we wanted the Local OPP
ton Democrats to be satisfied that they
have as good chance in the Democratic
party as out of 1t, and We wanted the posi-
bility of Prohibition being made party
question in Virginia averted. We
have Just passed through season of cam
paigning. over question of financial poll
cy made one of party politics, which last
ed over seven years and did much harm to
the State; we do not want another ques-
tion of--morsls, If you choose to call it
that, made party question for more dam
aging campaigning. We wanted Virginia
to have time to draw free breath and
look around her, before she is plunged into
another campaign which, however mildly
1t might open. would soon degenerate into
appeals to the outside world to credit the
competing assertions that one-half Of her
people are drunkards and the other half
fanatical cranks.
We desired, too, that the people should
understand what they are doing when they
did it, and fully comprehend the fact that
the success Of Local Option throughout
this State meant an increase Of taxation.
If the city of Staunton, for instance,
adopted it, then her City Council must raise
the taxes to provide for deficit OF % SOC
paid for licenses by the liquor trade. If
the people of the State adopted it. then the
legislature must provide for raising the
taxes sufficiently to raise nearly half a
million dollars to supply deficiency occa
stoned by the loss of the liquor licenses.
+ To us. after reading good deal Of both
sides, Local Option has not proved
itself preventive OF the evil COM
planned Of. and we believed the cities gen
orally in the State would take the better
plan OF High License. 1t is conserva.
tive, effective and feasible plan and at
Che proper time We hope to presen some
evidence establishing Its right to be 80
characterized.
We should like to see the Senate amend
the bill by including all cities, large and
small. Until this is done the promise Of
the Democratic party will not be carried
out,and the agitation Of the question will
not cease. Having done that, the skirts
Of the party will be clear, and the matter
will be in fact as well as IN law, RENTED
TO the action Of the People.
The people of the State demand of the LIE.
gislature fair and square fight on the ques-