The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-29

For eleven years the people Of the town
had been struggling with the liquor prob
lem. The town was sometimes wet and
sometimes dry. Finally. 1t was learned
that some OF the liquor men and some OF
the prohibitioniats were willing to under
take the dispensary experiment A public
meeting, presided over by Rev. j. L.
Lawless, the pastor of tho Baptist con-
gregation, decidedly the largest and
wealthiest here, was held, and the peo-
pie declared overwhelmingly for the dis
pensary
But Franklin got her dispensary law
almost by accident I recall that one day
General Assembly Of 1Se9-'0O. Senator
Stands. OF this county. arose in his
place In the Senate, and asked for the
passage under suspension Of the rules
OF a bill creating a dIspensary for the sole
Of liquor In Franklin. The Senate had
refused to pass such measure relating
to the town Of Front Royal. Senator
George Norris OF Charlottesville. now
Judge OF the Corporation Court OF that
city. arose to object. His objection would
have prevented the consideration of the
bill and killed 1t.
Members OF the Senate recall how Mr..
Stands pleaded for tho bill. He would
not yield to Mr.. Morris. who was on his
feet. near him. but be continued for seve-
raj minutes to make such an impassioned
appeal to the Senator from Albemarle
to withdraw his objection and sit down.
that, finally, Mr.. Morris. with laugh and
amid cheers, dropped into his seat and
the bill was passed I am constrained
to believe Mr.. Stands did good piece
OF work for Franklin that day.
NOT UNCOMFORTABLE
would not have the impression created
that the dspensary is unobjeCt ionable.
There are objections The half bottles
Of liquor are almost invariably short in
measurement. OF course. this is due in
the case OF goods bought In bottles to
the commission merchant, and to the bot
tlemhker in the case of whiskey bottled
at the dispensary, but there is q feeling
that the. municipal government is cheat
ing somebody when half-pint bottle OF
whiskey bought docs not come out q half
pint when measured.
Complaint is made that nrst-class liquor
cannot be obtained at the dispensary. I
am inclined to think this true. But ! do
not know that this Is an objection from
the viewpoint of the prohibitionist. The
dispensary has not solved the liquor prob
lem fully. but 1t is undoubtedly q good
compromise between the prohibitionists
and the liquor men.
DRUNKENNESS DECREASED.
MIR. Bell. who Is the manager OF the
dispensary, under the Board of Commits
sioners. says that since 1t has been estab-
lished the drunkenness has decreased at
laest seyenty-five per cent He thinks the
decrease probably greater than that. His
assistant. Mr.. Leary, fully bears out this
statement. A drunken man on the street
Is rare sight. Confirmed drunkards are
almost unknown. The TWO men named.
with negro employed in bottling, consti-
tute the force employed by the board to
operate the dispensary. The board re-
quires that the affairs OF the establish
principles. and 1t is doubtless true that
this has had great deal to do with the
satisfactory working OF the system.
AS evidence of the way the dispensary
Is regarded at home, there may be mem
toned the fact that the town Of Court
land, which Is the county seat OF South
ampton, after seeing the working of the
system In Franklin. secured the consent
Of the Legislature to the establishment
of ono In CORTLAND. I understand 1t Is
working satisfactorily.
There are no mixed drinks sold at the
dispensary, a fact which has made a
CORTLAND man an odd merchant. This
man seeing the need of place where the
other concomitants of Julep could be
obtained near where the whiskey was had
recently took out merchants license,
but sells only sugar, mint and water.
Possibly he may also be able to supply
lemon for punch, and the cherry for a
cocktail.
The dispensary cannot yet be regard
ed as thoroughly stable institution. 1t
has not yet fully passed the experimen-
tai stage, Liquor men oppose 1t, but pre-
fer 1t to local option town. Prohlbi-
tionists oppose 1t, but prefer 1t to having
q saloon In every block, The people who
represent the mean of sentiment on the
liquor question. the conservative men OF
Franklin and CORTLAND. think that In
tho dispensary they have come upon n
solution of the liquor question, II liquor
Is to be sold.
But there Is always the possibility Of
the union of the extremists on both sides.
the extreme liquor men and the, OK
treme temperance men and the abolition
OF the dispensary Then Will come re-
newal OF the old fight over liquor. The
town would be wet.
WALTER EDW, HARRIS.
MEMREp rOkISTITJITI0N