The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-22
Determined Opposition
to Changes In Law
Proposed by Him.
WHISKEY DEALERS
BEFORE COMMITTEE
Fathers and Mothers of Common
wealth Make Appeal, Judge
Mann Declarcs-Plea of
Pocahontas Ministers.
The Social Club
Question.

In small basement room crowded. to
sufocoton with whiskey dealers, minis
ters OF the gospel, social club officers.
temperance cnthus,asts and Interested
lesinluutors. the Senate Committee on ri
nance and Banks sat for some three
hours last night, and after hearing argu.
mcnt in cxtenso for aud against the
various features OF the Mann law and
Amendments proposed. went into execu-.
tiy gession and Immediately thereafter
ro1, without reaching n vote.
Determined and powerful opposition TO
the changes suggested by the Sottoway
stuIitor and earnestly urged by MIN be-
senator and earnestly urged him IN person
senntor and carnesly urged By him In
person before The comiHiitce. was present
ell by the varioua interests anected anu
liz, hearing developed beyond all question
tinf thc amendments will be bitterly
fought in and out OF .hc legislative cham
berg. and that II finally enacted 1t VIII
be only after death grapple.
Advocates OF the new restriction, de-
signed as Judge Mann declares, TO meet
what is taken az a flank movement on the
part Of the saloons. apparently reaiSe
tIe obstacles before them and are tho
,ouoblv aware of the extreme difficulty
that viii be encountered at this stage oil
an oycrworked session in getting upon
the statute books measure or such
swceping moment as that proposed. But
the attempt will be made and the Iorces
Will be mustered on both sides Tor
gigantic effort. The repot, oi ~
Finance Committee which will probably
come rerr shortly will be the signal
for the first movement urnn the floor
~, tho senate. At the end Of the hearing
last night the hour was too late and tine
members. jaded and worn out with d
long days work. were unable 70 pesth
exe.rt,tixe consideration of the several
n,atters involved. This will be done.
however. at an early date. Ihefe "tn
be no more public hearings.
Speak for Social Clubs.
During the evening representatives Oh
The bona iide social clubs, distlllcries.
cider manufacturers and wn,skcs as.s a.,,,
.poke. followed by Judge Mann and one
ar Two others on the other side. Mf.
DANIEL Coleman, OF Lynchburg. and Mr..
Jones of Newport News. addressed
themselves particularly TO the social ciup
feature. OF the amendments, and Mr.. s. L.
I;eIley. of Richmond who appeared as
tbe representative of the Whiskey Dear
.rs Association OF Virginia, also reIefrel
10 this matter. The hardship OF placing
a. rs
nooreland and the clubs conducted by
TraternaI associations. such as the Elks
Home Club upon a basis with saloons
was emphasized by these gentlemen, and
Mr. Coleman suggested certain further
amendments that would exempt thess
clubs from the operations cs the new
Z iaw proposed. Mr.. Kelley thought ans
now law at all unnecessary Mr.. II. Y,
Folkes. of Richmond, spoke for the cider
-.I.. It,ay1 h.
law in this respect. Mr. Sexton. of Poca-
hontas va. and Mr.. c. N. Wallace
touched upon the new requirement. that
In cities of less than lo,000 inhabitants and
In towns no saloon may be located within
two hundred feet OF a church or schooi-
house Attention was called TO the TACT
that this would put out of business N
Pocahontas nine saloons paying rev.
enue to the city of $500.
Opposed to Them All.
on behalf of tho Liqour Dealers Asso-
citation Mr.. Kelley argued against the
entire set OF amendments proposed. he
advanced particular objection to the IN
scrtion of the Jail penalty In the punish
ment for violation of the whiskey laws
and the Increase In the license Tux. Re-
fcrrlng to the fight over the Mann OH,
MT tho last session, Mr.. Kelley declared
that after long and careful consideration
tho jail penalty had been stricken out
then. AT that time, he said the Liquor
Dealers Association entered into com
pact with the General Assembly to eXer-
cise it's influence in securing a proper
observance of tho law.
''Thnt compact, gentlemen, declared
Mr. Kelley. ..the Whiskey Dealers Asso-
citation has faithfully observed. In so
Tar as 1t was humanity possible they have
prevented violations of the laws. the
violations are growing less and less each
year and each day.
The problem is solving itself. There
la at this time less reason than ever
before to enact now and more stringent
laws, nnd yet the attempt is being made.
do not think the gentlemen asking
for these changes will deny that they
are approaching the matter with the as
sumption that anything that strikes at
the whskey traffic is good, whether 1t
knocks down the reputable dealer and
leaves the disrcputable to ply his trade
or not. IF the laws are being violated
.nforce them for they can be enforced.
n these gentlemen or any others have
evideuce of violations let them begin Il
prosecution and will sioin with thcln,
Rut Il asl, YOU In all earnestness TO
enact harsher and more stringent laws
whom those already in affect are ex-
lraordlnarily severe The w Whiskey Deal
Ia UNFOLD tho law. It. is asking for no
rhanges. for no privileges but II Is pro-
Testing against m increase OF the pur-
nbsoryed to-day than Il ever was. and
MAT there is no necessity for a change
We all know that some years ago the
saloons of Richmond were wide open or
Sunday. To-day there is SO far as
know, not single saloon in the entlre
city OF Richmond that sells whlskey or
Sunday"
Present Law Sufficient.
A. for, tho social clubs, MIR. Kelly cx,