The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-27
THE one QUESTION
IN ROANOKE CITY .. |. l|'.'|I'
Both Sides Preparing for a ST.
prcn1e Struggle Over
Local Option
\ fsnnclai M rho Tln1es- plspatch.l

ROANOKE, VA, Doc. roanoke 10
In the mids OF what IS probably the most
interesting local option elcctl ever held
In the State, and but little else Is heard, /
the discussion Of the matter actually
taking Up most Of tho time Of tho aver
age citizen whether he wants 10 talk
about It or not, 1t Is remarkable In hat
this Is tbs largest city in the State TINT
ever voted OH the question, and IN that
the people have not rs yet stirred up
any bad feelings. 5f4
About tho only unpleasant thing that
has arisen ia about tho annual dinner 0 T.
the Ellis to the poor chlldren. IT is gcn-
orally held on Christmas Day, and the
hall where II has been held was leased
by the Al1Ll-Saloon League for DR..
Tracey, who was hore delivering tenn
perancc lectures and showing l Ing
pictures OF tho horrors OF strong drink
TIE Elks' committee went to him With n
request for the use Of thct hall for three
[ days. lie told them that they could not
have It. and they published Il card In the
city papers stating that the dinner would
not DO given, ms the dry people refused to
give way. Tho dry people then stated
that later Or. Tracey heard that hia
wife was sick. and tho hall was offered
to tho Elks. That is not denied and the
only question Ii the time when the offer
was made, The dry people claim thatflt
K was made before the evening papers went
to press, and the E.lks wero aware Gilt
This they deny. There have been spicy
COMMUNICATIONS from both parties to the
controversy.
The chairman OF the local Anti Saloon
League and leader for the drys in the
fight, IS Mr.. r.. T. Fishburne, one OF tho
most prominent citizens Of Roanoke. II
q man was asked to name three Of tho
most respected and prominent citizens. he
would be one of them. ITO Is the lead
Ing Methodist lnymnniof the city and ono
against whom no man can say auEht but
good He Is one OF the pioneer citizens,
coming here when youth from Franklin
county In the days OF Big Lick, lcav-
Ing behind him n debt OF $40 with his
father for the payment OF n slave 70
take his Mace on the farm, paying it-off
dollar FOR dollar from a small salary
as clerk In a town store. finally making
the last payment OF fifteen dollars with
an oyercoat. @
EARLY in life he became a Christian. and
adopted as the rule Of flifsfto avoid any
thing questionable owe no man anything.
and fight sin and immortality wherever he
saw It.. III this no was then and Is to-
day uncompromislng It matters not
who may be concerned. or what may DO
tho financial results, he has Invariably
taken the religious side OF n matter, and
unhesltatngly spoke his mind. Tie Is
president OF thu National Exchange Bank,
which had n number OF vet men MS de-
positors but he gave that no thought.
No better evidence Of his great popu-
larity can be men toned than tho fact
when he resigned as president and MEM
Der OF the school board some months
ago, the whoha city demanded that no
should withdraw his resignation, which
he did, but was finally compelled to
sure OF business. lie is president OF
tho National Exchange Bank, City Hos-
pital, the Stone Printing and Manufac.
turing Company. the Virginia Bridge and
Iron Company, yice-president OF the
Southwest Virginia Trust Company, and
n stakeholder III nearly every enterprise
Of merit In the city.
While hs is not n young man, being IN
tho sixties. he Is as active us the young
est man In the city. When the local op-
ton campaign began he was at his winter
home in Florida, and 1t was languishing
until he returned, and from that day
n.sw life was put in it. Tho lesser lights
who have a part in the dry side Of the
campaign are Revs. w G.. Johnson and |
r. G. Dogan. The latter visited Danville
on bellnlffof the clergy OF the city. and
1t was mainly upon his report that It was
decided to 50 Into th,a fight. lie is pas.
tor OF tho Jefferson Street Baptist
Church and very energetic Wor.'i
Revl Johnson Is pastor OF the Christian
Church, and is also an enthusiastic nro.
hibition worker, The pastors OF tho Ban
list and Method LIST churches are all In the
fight to the best of their ability, heing |
the most aggressive, while other churches
are lending a llelping hand.
mt lo,, I,P xl,Aa AN,tk 1T. n
Option forces Is Police Justlee i. Ran,
men OF the city, Mr. Bryan Is q native
of Abemare county, ana comes from |
one of the Leading families OF tho State |
He is a lawyer by profession, a graduate
OF tho University of Virginia. and has
resided IN Roanoke nbout twelve years,
He served with distinction as Common
wealth's attorney to- III an unexpirsl I
term; was Mayor OF tho city for two
years and has been police justice fowl
two years. There Is not more popular
young man In the city or one Of more
startling integrity, The citizens anti
local option organization Is also com,
nosed OF some Of tho most promlnentf|i
men In tho city, while citizens Of all
walks OF life are members uf the various
committees
AS is usually tho case, both vets and
drys express confidence In the result
Tho first showing made Of the two
crowds was decidedly favorable to the
wats. on the night when they had their
meeting at City Hall the drys had
meeting In another room, The wet croWf
was nearly two TO one and decidedly
more enthusiastic.
The drys, az above stated, had Mr.,
Tracey here for two weeks, and point
to his large crowds as evidence that