The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-06-23
CONDEMN THE COUNCIL.
FRIENDS OF LOCAL OPTION
HOLD MASS-METTiNG.

RESOLUTIONS Read and UNANIMOUS,
ndont.d-Open Letter to Council ir
a,pIv to official Ststemsnt From
Tss, Body Issued Few Days
S,nce-Remarks by Ministers anc
Citizens.
The local option campaign in the city
10 reaching "A stage which may, to use a
slang expression, he termed red hot
Anent. the open statement OF the City
Conncil concerning the danger vi loca
ontion from financial point OF view
comes an open letter to that body IRON
the Anti Saloon League and its !riends
and "A series uf resolutions censuriDg the
| Councilmen for their action in signing
) said statement. At the Courthouse Fri
day night u large meeting was held being
presided over by MIR J. c. Melville, presl
| dent of the Anti.Saloon League After the
meeting was called TO order MIR. j. WI.
/ lard Adams read the open letter referred
To above.
The hitter, which il quite lengthy
quotes statements in regard To taX-pay
/ ing. etc, in opposition TO those contain
"a in the Councilmanic document, severe.
/ ly censures Councilmen for signing SAID
/ document and criticlses in strong terms
/ their business ability, rs shown 10y man
agement and condition of the city imam
ces II states that many of the argu
ments used by the Council were oDlalheu
/ from the pamphlets of the Liquor peai
ers' Association, expresses determine
tion. in case local option succeeds "a
crush the blind tiger and says that th'
Commonwealth Attorney has express
ed his intention of seeing the law ooeye1
To the letter should the saloons he aboi
ished The paper as "A whole II We,
worded arraignment OF those 'oune''
men who signed the now celeDra'eu
statement and bestOwS praise upon May
or Willis aud Councilman Revere Tor re
fusing TO sign. A..
At the conclusion Of the reading MT
Adams presented the following resolu-
tions. which were unanimously auoP'eu
In view Of the extraordinary action 4"
the City Council at special meeting
June 18th. 1903, in passing p'aclne
npon their records and publishing whs'
nurported TO he "a statement OF iaciS u
regard To the financial condition oil th'
city. but which proved To be An extreme
ly partisan presentation OF the local op
tion question. we. citizens OF treierichs
hurp i'm ma.s.meeting asseinDieu' III
hereby resolve,
First That the Council, a. represent
ING The entire people has overstepped th'
bounds of propriety in oihclaiiy any 'nt
itself with the liquor element IN TINS com
munity. o.,
Second. Tint We enter our earnesl
protest agant the invidlous comparison
made bet ween the property holders am
that large body Of our citizens VINO
though not property holders, ar
equally interested in the moral AMI ma
teria welfare of the community, auh TN
seeming attempt 10 reflect upon the non
property holding class ~ wanting III III
telrgence and civic pride
Third. That we deplore the pIecipitat
action of the Council in publishing To 'h
world the present unsatisiactory imam
ciel condition Of our city, thereby ihlnr
ing the credit OF same.
Fourth. That We heartily cOiIi'nen.
the attitude OF our Honorable Mayor
NJ & Willis. and Councilman +. II. lie
we're 10 declining to aCquiesce IN the ~
ton the Council
Rev. W. D. Smith. OF 81. George
church. was given close attention VIM
he explained. or rather denied, ruino
current 70 the effect that he Was oppose
20 local option. Mr. Smith stated ina
snch was not the case and that while n
Ala not have a vote, not being registered
TINT he was in sympathy with the move
ment He also briefly discussed Bshol
Potter views on prohibition.
Mr.. + v D. Conway addresred '9
meeting. giving figures to show, ~ h
claimed. that the liquor traffic Is injgrl
ous TO the city. and he in turn was iol
lowed bv DR.. b Hales. The meetln!
closed after an address from Rev. DR. )
: Dill