The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-08-27
sTAuNToN NOTES.

L Wda WlictiICl vi nv biAN vi >Ooip /
hould at the May term of the court, |
s92, grant license to sell liquor within
he city limits for two years. The con-
est was the result of the preaching OF
Rev. Sam Jones several weeks ago 1t
vas the effect of Mr.. Jones and his
urid denunciatiois OF the saioon-the
and all who might favor
granting them license, that aroused the
people and precipitated the issue oflicense
or no license. Thorough organization
was effected on both sides, and Iaber-
nacIe erected by the opponents OF license
and tent by the supporters of license,
each capable OF accommodating large
audience Speakers from distance
were secured by the temperance people,
such as Rev Sam Jones, Rev. Rumsey
Rev. John (. Massey. Rev
John Hector, colored, and Mr.. Cheves,
of Kentucky and IA number of local speak
ers. The license side had Hon. }. Il.
Gordon. of Charlottesville; A w. Harris,
of Dinwiddie. and W. W. Evans, of Pc
tershurg, the latter two colored, besides
a large number of local speakers Ad
dresses were made at both places for
several nights before the day Of election.
Canvassers and workers were employed
to attend to registrationandt to locate and
bring in voters, and every device and
forethought ad opted, that 1t was
thought would assist IN affecting the
result, and until twelve O'Clock ON the
night before the election both sides We're
working like beavers. BY day break,
on the morning of the election the lead
ers and workers were on hand, and
when the polls were opened at sun-up,
the ballots fairly rolled in from both
sides At ten o'clock, i'll the day, over
200 votes had been polled, and only
.54S at sun down-the largest eyer cast
in the city, except ia 1899, when Me-
Kinney and Malone were running for
Governor 1t was then 14l0.
Notwithstanding the feeling which pre-
vailed and the unusual activity that
directed the movements on either side,
there was no disturbance OF the peace
during the entire day We heard OF no
angry discussions-no personal conflicts;
and when the result was known each
side took it calmly and dispassionateiy.
A few boys cheered on the streets. but
the voters who had carried the license
question, made no demonstration or did
ANYTHING to add to the chagrin of defeat
that must have been felt by the friends
of local option. At ten O'Clock the
streets were comparatively deserted, and
the city was as quiet, almost, as a suns
day evening.
As a result of this election. next May,
the city Judge will grant licences for one
year to -}proper" persons at proper"
places to sell liquor. or such persons as
may apply, and are considered safe men
with whom to entrust the privilege
The Court has a wide discretion in the
matter and with faithful exercise of it,
feariessIv discriminating in favor of such
only whose character will prove guar
antee that in every respect the law Will
be observed, the first important step
will have been taken to prevent abuse OF
the privilege Were this followed by a
vigilant and determined Mayor giving
such instructions TO the police as will
insure strict compliance with the law;
the arrest and punishment of those who
drink to excess and expose themselves
on the streets; or in other words, if the
law is rigidty e,yD}eed, there will be no
just cause to complain.
To our mind, it is infinitely better for
the community that the liquor traffic
should be under the control and direc-
ton of the Courts, and the legal author
tiles of the city and State, and in the
hands of men, whom the Court may
deem proper men and the places
they do business in proper" places,
than to have it iIlicitly carried on, and
the vilest stuff dealt out from hidden
places and in defiance of law. II it had
been believed that prohibition would
prohibit, there would have been the
fewest number of reputable votes cast
for license The issue as presented,
was considered question between evils
liquor dealing under license, and the
sanction of the law, or liquor selling
without license and in defiance of law.
1t was that question that was decided,
and that alone
During the canvass a great many in
temperate and foolish things were said
b,r +ba ,,,,blic cr,aa L.arc o;, both cidac ac
well as by partizans on the streets. The
prohibitionists were the most intemper-
ate, reckless and vituperative, One of
their speakers from a distance, who had
never been i'll Staunton before, de-
nounced the city and the people in the
coarsest and most outrageous language
Others tried to make it an issue between
God and the devil, and resorted to the
literature and the language of the fish
market to convince the people that
such was the case. Several speeches on
the other side were equally reprehensi-
bic, and the figures employed to present
their views, equally offensive to right
people.
The vote in the two wards stood as
follows
FIRST WARD.
For License 425
Aganst License.
Majority for License al
SECOND WARD.
For license ...>.. .24
gainst License. si5-
Majority against License. .................... 81
Several votes were challenged, but
w h out unseemly excitement, and
verything passed off in an orderly and
law respecting manner
The local optionists say they viii keep
up their organization, and prepare for
another combat two years hence. Four
years ago, the license party carried the
.ity by 81 majority.
There WAS "A very strong pressure from
5he temperance people of the county
against license. a large number of
workers from the neighboring precincts,
who could not vote in the city, had
Dry badges on the lapnels of their
coats, aud put in their best licks for the