The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-22
Mann Bill Seems to be OF
Greatest Interest.
PETITIONS POUR IN
FROM ALL OVER STATE.
Adverse Report Of Committee viii Not
Keep Down Big Fight on Floor Of
Senate and House Anti-saloon
League and Liquor People
ActIve-General Dis
pensaries.
p e n aries.

Ono OF tho lIvcst issues before the
Legislature at its present session, IL
Tho liquor question. which has been
brought up through the Introduction ol
!. three important measures looking TO It's
solution.
They arc briefly these: Tho Mann Sen.
ltc bill requiring the applicant for II
cense in the rural districts to secure the
tIgnaturcs OF a majority Of the register
ed voters III the maglsterial district
where tho license is sought TO be OBJ
Staincd; the Claytor Senate BILL allowing
local option8 az 10 tho matter OF cstab.
fishing dispcnsaries. and the West House
bIll. which puts the burden upon the
temperance people III the matter OF grant
ing licenses, requiring rcmonstrance
from them against license rather han a
petition favorins il, and reguliai! 'ing the the
llours5withiu which saloons may be kept
open and providing that there shail oe
mo screen doors. .4FE1'hc fight istynot {,
new one and has been consistently nnd
persistcnuy waged BY tho temperance &c
people throIghout tic state for many
Years. II had most tangible clln,ina-
ton IN the recent Constitutional con-
vcntion, when behind tho famous Bar
i hour -ouarlcs resolutions which was
4 practically tho Mann bill with<citics in
cndcd. the Temperance and church peo-
ple stood In solid Sphalanx and poured III
petitions for nearlyaa year
TURNED III DOWN.
But the58convention failed to incor-
rorate the principle In the new Gonstl i
tuition and the fight. was renewed before
+ the Lcgislutlirc,s F5 h
y,on, s.,atr ieH q
this hour hy the, church and temperance
4 reorlc on the one side and the lldnor
interests on The other. the greatest
amount OF interest renterng around the
Mann measure Strong arEumen, Vas
made before the Fina nee COMMITTEES the
other night by Judge Mann ol, one side
and Judge Robertson on the other, and
later on the committee reported the bill
fayorably In response TO the great
volume of petitions that have poured
poured into both houses from all over
tho State fors$ the past SIX months, me
popular patron will prosecute his patlle
,lpon The floors of the two houses ana
there is every promise OF powerful
struggle. ~.
There is no denying the fact that the
temperance sentiment has grown ana
snread RAPIDLY throughout the State, es-
pecially IN the rural districts.
STRONG PRESSURE.
This is evidenced not only by the great
mass OF petitions favorlng the Mann. Pill
turc. to say nothing Of those that came
ID the convention In raror of the
ouarIes. Barbour resolution IN the con-
vention, hut also by tho fact that nli-
merous dispensarles regulating tho sale
Of linuor have been established IN va.
rIous towns and that sixty-one OF tho
one hundred counties OF the State have
- , oil her IN whole
Or In part. 1t is believed that neither
Tho Clnytor nor the West bill Will be
pressed as long as there Is prospect
st the passage OF tho Mann measure.
Mr.. West says he will not push his
bill gunul action Is finally had on the
Mann Bill, and this latter measure Is re.
sognized generally as being the one
which Is most desired by the Temperance
advocates and which is most earnestly
opposed by the liquor people. So It Is
this that brings the Issue up fairly and
Gquarely between tho two clements,
GREEK MEETS GREEK. n
Tho Anti Saloon League and the State
Idquor Dealers Associa t!on compose the
head and front Of the respective oppos-
ing sides, and around and behind each
arc corraled countless hosts not actively
associated with either. 1t is generally
thought that invIew Of the evident SEN
tlment favorable to some liquor legisla-
IlOU LIldl tSOIIlCtNius VIII W. lOIle OH LllS
line at the present session, What, II any
thing, this will be no man can tell but
II may be said that the temperance peo-
Pile are both persistent and hopeful. In
discussing tho growth Of tho temperance
sentiment in the state, It Is interesting
10 note that the following towns have
ljauor dIspensarIes now IN full and sue
cessful operation l'armvilc, Martins
ville, Franklin, Boykins. Boydton and
Courtland. Southampton was the first
county to try the now system and the
bill establishing dispensary at Frarilis
lin was gotten through some wears ngo,
being the first In the State Southamp-
Ion now has three Of tho six IN the en-
Tire State, and It Is said that. they arc
giving entire satisfaction,
BILL. OF MIR. WEST.
y The bill introduced by Hon. Frank T.
West, Of Louisa, has many features that
appear in other bills, The bill was in
4 troduced during tho first week of the
extra session In Noyepyer, 1902 The
bill provides that the application for H.
gems. must SGT forth tho nnnlp Of the ap-
plicant, the room, tho exact place, tho
district and the ward where the busi-
ness Is proposed TO be conducted. When
the application Is made, the applicant
must deposit q fec OF sa00 for the State
and like sum for the county or city. The
applicant must furnish the Judge Of the
court that Issues the license evidence Of