Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-02-28

State is occupying the position of the
bar-room keeper. 1t is said it is a
good thing and we must make money
out OF it; and that is what old Vir-
ginia is doing, making money out of
a great evil that is cursing a great
many of her people.
They say this is an experiment.
You are going to try several expert
ments- You have adopted the ex-
pertinent of railroad commission in
the State of Virginia; and you did
not stop at that because it was an ex-
pertinent, but because you believed
you were upon the line of right,
and therefore adopted it. Some
gentlemen say the whole matter
ought TO be left to the General As
sembly. have found in the dis
cussion here that if we favor a
measure we are willing to put it in
the Constitution, whether it has
legislative characteristics or not, and
If we are opposed to it, we seek to
condemn it by saying it is matter
that ought to be left to the General
Assembly of Virginia. We have
already adopted this corporation
article, which is essentially legisla-
tive in its character, and vet gentle
men who voted to support that will
condemn this because il is. legislative
in its character.
Mr.. Chairman, from the time
when was boy, this question in
regard to the sale of intoxicants has
been before the people of Virginia.
The friends of it have adopted vari-
GUS devices. /, myself, have been a
member of temperance association,
the Good Templars, for instance. l
remember in my boyhood when the
old Sons of Temperance were in Vir-
ginia. | wish to say that l believe
the friends of temperance in the
Commonwealth have made mistakes
along that line, and that relief can
never come to the people through any
of these organizations. Years ago /
formed the opinion that the proper
way to do was to strikeat the saloons
in every part of the State. rejoice
to live In the day when there is In
the Commonwealth of Virginia a
league that is known as the Anti
Saloon League.
Now, in regard to another obiec-
ton raised, that it is going to hazard
the adoption of your Constitution.
We must be cognizant of the fact
that a great many petitions have
been brought here, signed by, per-
haps, 10000 of the registered voters
of the Commonwealth of Virginia
a small part, it may be, but l will
tell you, gentlemen of the committee,
that these 10000, in my judgment,
represent majority of the voters of
the Commonwealth, and the people
behind this measure can make or
unmake your Constitution. There
are more people behind this measure
than are engaged in the liquor traffic
in Virginia. The temperance people
of Virginia can control more votes
in Virginia than the whiskey element
can control in the State; and the
people who are asking this measure
at your hands can defeat your Con-
stitution if they want to do so. They
are patriotic citizens, and they will
most likely vote for your Constitu-
ton if it is submitted to them.
whether you have outraged their
desires or not by failing to give them
this relief, but that is no way for
this Convention to treat those who
stand by them in the hour Of their
peril. 1t may be that the whiskey
interest will threaten the overthrow
of our Constitution, but / doubt
whether they have that degree of
patriotism which is entertained by
the men who have signed the petit
tons which have come up here.
In reply to q question from Mr..
Quarles, Mr.. w. A. Anderson said
that he had found that in twenty
four counties Of the State no licenses
were granted, and in as many more
in but a few places. He estimated
that no liquor was sold in one-half
of the State.