Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-31
WASHINGTONM MAY Be DRY
Prohibition idhersRls Will Rakt
Great Fight Against The Saloons.
WANT 500 DRINKING PLACES CLOSED
Anti-Lquor People From All Over the
Country Arc Aiding the Movement
The Sellers Are Organized and WIN
Fight to Bitter End.

WASHINGTON Oct. 3O-Prohibi
ton for the District OF Columbia may
come within the next few years, and
II is not unlikely that Congress at the
next session may at least decide to
give 10 the different sections of the
city the right TO say whether or not
liquors shall be sold within their re
spectivc limits.
Several members of the House are
known to have under consideration
the ACCESSIBILITY OF introducing bills
In December striking at the liquor
traffic. and as the prohibition senti.
ment throughout the country appear
To be stronger than II has ever been
before, there is no exagEeration in
saying that the chances are at least
even for the cause of temperance to
strike telling blow right here at
the seat OF Government
Liquor Men on the Alert.
Representatives of the whisky and
brewing interests fully appreciate the
danger of the situation from the stand.
point of their trade. and are on the
alert to meet the movement with such
arguments as they can bring to bear
against the enactment OF inmical leg.
islation.
The indications are that the fight
in Congress for prohibition in the Dis
trict Will be begun almost Immediately
upon the assembling of the Senate
and House. The two important bodies
that are now agitating the subject are
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union and the Anti-Saloon League
These forces have enlisted the sup.
port OF the ministers here of all de
nominations, and every Sunday mum
Ter OF the pulpits are given up TO adj
yancing the cause.
Red-Hot Campaign Certain.
The preliminary work thus far has
been of character to insure n red.
hot campaign when tho Congressional
fight is entered upon. Advocates Of
prohibition throughout the United
States generally realize what a great
stride foreward will have been taken
with prohibition at the seat OF Gov
eminent an accomplished fact. arb
are lending their efforts to bring this
about.
At the last session OF Congress Rep.
resentativa Weber of Ohio introduced
Il bill prohibiting the sale of liquors
except by druggists There was
Wild scene at the Capitol the day OF.
which the hearing on the measure was
had in the room OF the Committee on
the District of Columbia. The mem
bers of the Woman's Christian TEN
perance Union and the friends of TEN.
ucrance generally paraded the corri
doris of the big building previous to
the hearing In the committee-room
the clashes between the counsel for
the liquor men and the foes OF liquor
were enlivening TO the last degree
The hearing adjourned the Weber
bill never saw the light of day. but
was left to slumber in committee.
Nothing daunted. however the women
have returned to the charge. and
backed by the growing feeling in favor
Of prohibition. they will again make
their demands known to the legisla.
tors.
To Keep Up the Fight.
There are now about 500 saloons in
the District and many of them are
of very bad character. A license
of $500 annually Is required of them
and there is much talk of elimination
the most undesirable by raising this
assessment. Such step would. OF
course. not Ia opposed by the ten.
perance element in the community.
but II is said that this will not be
considered substitute for Drohihi.