The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-05

the Old Opera House.
The final night of the campaign in the
local option issue, to be voted upon at
the polls, to-day was celebrated in
manner ftting the cause as looked
upon by the two sides of the contest,
which for several months has been Wig
orously waged in this city. Both the
Academy of Music and the old
Opera House were filled with citi-
zens listening to the discussions
carried on from the opposing stand.
points. The "wets," or those favoring
the continuance of the existing la VIZ
licensing Of saloons, meeting in the
Academy-an assembly composed
almost wholly of whites. comprising
the most OF the business men of the
town-and the "drys," or local option
advocates, in the old Opera House, a
meeting for the colored people and
largely attended by them.
Two bands were on the street the
first part of The evening, both mar ching
TO the Academy. An interesting fact
about one band the colored organiza-
tion-being that 1t had engaged to play
at the other demonstration at the old
Opera House, but under stress uf higher
pay offered for their services had
yielded and exerted their influence for
the vets.
The Academy atan early hour was
crowded with people, it being the first
meeting of Importance held by that
side. The audience was very orderly
one and attended closely to the words
Of the several local speakers who were
called upon.
The meeting was organized with Col.
Thomas Lewis as chairman and j. A.
Pugh secretary. Several prominent
citizens were seated on the stage or in
the adjoining boxes on the parQuet floor.
Capt. w. w. Berkeley, whose name
was prominently mentioned in tho re-
cent contest for candidate to the
house of delegates, was called as the
first speaker. He was received with I'D.
plause and spoke for few moments on
the issue, taking the stand in his
remarks that local option interfered
with the personal liberty OF the citigaas
and that prohibition did not prohibit.
w. A. GLASGOW, Jr., followed him and
said that he was there because he b d
the best interests of Roanoke at heart.
The question was not, he said, whether
liquor should be sold or not but whether
1T should be sold under the lawful super
vision. by men whom the city officials
consider competent, or those who would
cell la direct violation of the law
Mr.. R. 81 Woodruff, the nextspeaker,
argued in about the same strain. He
firmly believed in temperance and If
local option would in his opinion benefit
the city he would vote for that but he
said in discussing this thing the people
overlooked the very elements to be
considered and that the more rare
thing was the more q man would want
it. If you could exterminate the de-.
sire for liquor why he was in favor for
determination.
Judge WilliSm Gordon Robertson was
announced as the next speaker and he
was received with much enthusiasts.
He said he had grown up with the town,
and to show tie interest ne took in the
present issue he would cite the fact
that although he had been for years in
public office this was the first time he
bad addressed Roanoke audience and
he would not might had he not
felt that he could help TN
opposing this local option fight
The gentlemen who were elected to
the Legislature had shirked this CUES
ton of local option and license ano had
thrown 1T upon the communities to de.
eide for themselves. The question is
not, he said, whether we are TO be in
temperate or not, but it is, shall ma.
jority say to the minority, you shall not
drink liquor?" Are we to be babies?"
he asked.
This infringement of personal liberty
had been settled centuries ago. If they
come in now and say you shan't sell
liquor they May come in later and cav
you shall not sell tobacco, and that in
terriers with ooe of our States most
flourshiug enterprises.
In abiding to the course of the
pastors in the present issue Mr.. Robert
son said 1t was not Christian doctriae
TO make Christians by laws. He be-.
lieved that pastors should not make
their pulpits routine for political
work. 1t makes slaves of us, he con-
tinued, to have the traffic closed and it
does not make our sons 30 capable of
resisting as it would were they sur.
rounded by it.
He thought the pastors had entered
into this movement to get up some ex-
element. They had tired of REVEALS
and had taken this up instead. Are we
to do away with the revenue from this
business, he said, at this dull period in
the city's history, when we cannot get
money enough now to meet our ex-
penses?
1t is idle talk about the money that
goes into the saloons being diverted to
other channels after they are closed up.
They themselves will take what money
they have and like the Arab fold their
tent and depart for some other place.
will conclude, said the speaker, by
asking you to be men and not to be car.