The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-24
Norfolk City Tight as a Drum
on Sundays.
PROHIBITION in PLACES
Number Of Saloons Greatly Decreased
Possible Results ofthe Temperance
Wave-Judge Mann May Be
Named for Governorship.
Especial to The Times. Dlsprtch.

Especial 10 Inc .DlsDEtcn,)
NORFOLK. VA, May 2S.-Norfolk is
close shut town when 1t comes to the
matter Of getting liquor on Sunday. The
Mann liquor law has made 1t such. Mayor
Rlddick, who went into Office year
nBo as the good government party's can.
Gidate. was not able to prevent the sale
of liquor on the Lords day, though
there was every effort made by His Honor
to have his policemen put an end to
all such violations. Ncrfolks reputation
us n wide open town continued. and
whiskey could be obtained on Sundays by
anybody who wished.
But not SO at present I have heard
pnly one Of the many questioned on the
subject say that It is now possible to
get liquor on Sunday. Ie told me OF
scheme, inaugurated by II acknowledgment,
whereby It could be gotten by Joining
social club. when you entered the room,
the liquor man putting up the Initiation
fee OF n dollars. which wn into h club
fee OF ten dollars, which went into the
club treasury on tho way to the bar
mans TIL. But It Is certain that ths
scheme Is not very generally worked.
Many men Of my acquaintance. who have
been In the habit OF buying whskey on
Sunday as on other days, told me that 1t
WAS utterly impossible to get 1t now.
Guests at the Monticello Hotel find in
their boxes every Saturday night printed
Enps stating that no liquor can be had
from the saloon on Sunday. and that II
drinks are wanted on that day they must
be purchased the night before.
LAW ENFORCED.
There cannot be drop Of whiskey
bought In this hotel on Sunday" said Mr..
sylvanus Stokes. the proprietor of the
Monticello" am determined that the
law shall be strictly enforced. Whiskey
should not be sold on Sunday. hut It is
sold in other States on that day. and
in Virginia will have the effect OF put
ting the State far behind others In the
march OF progress. But 1 am free to say
that It is fine thing to go down to
my home in the country on Saturday
night and feel absolutely satisfied that
there vii be no trouble here through any
violation Of the Sunday law"
Mr.. Stokes is the president OF the ASSOC
cintion OF hotel men OF the State. He in
timated very strongly that the associa-
t!on would take a hand In poliucs at the
next election in Virginia. and said he
wanted Mr.. Roosevelt to know how mat
tcrs stood In yirginia"-A remark he did
not explain Mt length
II Is the opinion of many with whom !
have discussed the matter In the past
few days that there will be fight made
by the liquor men this fall against the
reelection OF the members Of the General
Assembly who voted for the Mann bill.
and that this fight may have serious
effect at the election. 1t Is an apparent
fact that II the whiskey men and Repub.
LEANS unite they VIII form most forn1i-
dable opposition In counties lnSthe State
in which the Democrats and Republicans
are nearly matched. But 1t Is not at all
certain that Republicans will unite With
tie liquor men.
OPERATION OF NEW LAW.
The operation of the Mann liquor law
in this section Of the State should give
the utmost satisfaction to the advocates
of abolition of the traffic In alcoholic
drinks There is plenty of whlskey to be
had In the county, but there are not as
many saloons by large per cent. as
there were before the law went into OPP
Grafton.
a few months ago there were twenty
saloons In the county of Princess Anne
and to-day. as a result of the law, there
are only five Formerly there was a sa-
loon In almost every neighborhood In
the county, but at present all the five
mentioned are In the eastern section in
tel neighborhood of Virginia Beach
in Norfolk county the law has not had
Suc han appreciate effect for the reason
HAT there were few saloons in the county
But several which were in operation are
how closed, and the county Is much nearer
the prohibition ideal.
There Is now great fight for prohibit
tinr on In Berkeley, and before the cleo
tion comes off on the Goth instant 1t will
be even warmer than at present though
khe temperature hns far passed the boil
Ing point. Rev. Asbury Christian, OF the
Methodist Church, Is the leader of the
prohibition forces, and he has thrown
homself into the fight with all the ADAM
bOl that chnracterizes this we'll known
gospel fighter. He has made 1t warm for
bill concerned, and 1t must be confessed
that the other side has done nothing cal
cuiated to lower the mercury. Rev, Mr..
christian recently made some serious
rharges against the postmaster at Berk-
icy to the effect that the official would
bot allow the temperance paper published
in Berkeley to be distributed from the
toatoftice. The charge was promptly de-
f!ed by the postmaster and think 1t
has not been substantlated.
CHARGES AGAINST A JUDGE.
Tho prohibition people have gone fur
1ilcr than this and made charges against
Erent comment and may be heard from
later The official In question is a man
Sf the highest character, and his friends
IRE Indignant that such charges should
lave been made.
In all the counties in this section of the
Fnte the Mann law has had an effect sim
liar to that In the counties noted. Many
FALCONS have been closed, and the advo-
Eates Of local option are of tho opinion
that the temperance sentiment will be
greatly strengthened by reason of an OBJ
feet lesson of prohibition.
That the saloon is ever the handmade
nj the church will be surprise to tho
good people who use the church as tile
powerful weapon with which to fight the
trafic In liquor, But there is man In
isle of Wight county who alleges that a
saloon has been a great help to church
work in his community.
few years ago a saloon was located
near certain church In Isle Of Wight.
OF course there was strong opposition
to the bar-room so near a house Of wor-
chip, but the court had always granted
the license. When the application for
license was made this. year one of the
witnesses put on by the applicant to tes-
tify that the place was a suitable one