Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-04-02
-Four Members Of Ordinance and
Police Committee Opposed
10 Ordinance.
50 S TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT
Representatives of Chamber Of Com.
meree and Merchants Association
Appeared to ASK for Passage Of
Measure and Rev. Mr., Christian
B Spoke for Opposition.

/ Measure and Rev. Mr., Christian
Spoke for Opposition.
r. Having listened for an hour and n
half to arguments pro and con, the
ordinance and police committee of
Ethe city council last night declined to
| fccommend for passage the ordinance
proviaing that the saloons be allow
led open until 1870 o'clock at night
Ednring the jamestown Exposition
l'peitod. The vote was four to two,
I ,Messrs, R.eLee Davis, Harris, Chris.
tie and Nelms voting In the affirma-
live upon motion to reject the
measure, and Messrs. Read and Bur-
cher voting in the negative.
.ls5The committee held q special meet
ling In the council chamber to consld-
er and act upon this matter. Present
We're the members of the Joint com.
\ mittee of the Chamber OF Commerce
fand Merchants Association, headed
by Chairman w. s. Upshur and MIR.
JR. NJ. 4 Lett, Rev. w. Ashury Chris
titan, pastor of Trinity Methodist
church. several other ministers and
/ n dozen or more citizens.
Proceedings Opened.
Proceedings opened with the reads
ling of as petition from the Joint com.
mittee, which accompanied the ortlf:
nance drawn by Mrs'Lett for the COM
mittee. Tho ordinance, which has
been published, amended the existing
saloon ordinance SO as to allow the
saloons to remain open until 1890
O'Clock each night except Saturday
and ut IL o'clock on Saturday night.
Mr.. Read said that rs this matter
would have to go to the council final
ly for settlement; that as neither
side would accept ruling from tho
for having the committee listen to
the matter should be sent to the
council without recommendation.
| After some argument, upon motion
by Mr.. Davis, It was decided to ALLOW
each side half an hour In which to
present its arguments to the commit.
tee.
The Argument.
Mr.. Upshur opened. saying that the
petition spoke for itself and talking
not quite five minutes in support OF
the ordinance his committee had pre-
scented.
| Mr.. Lett spoke for about 10 min
utes He declared that he favored
1880 O'Clock or ap earlier hour for
closing under ordinary circumstances.
but that the business men of the city
wanted the ordinance changed for the
Exposition period and that he believ-
ed 1t would be right and proper to
grant their request. He pointed out
that most of the visitors returning
from the Exposition grounds would
not reach the city. until midnight, ana
said that many of these. visitors
would like to be- able to get drink
before retiring.
Mr.. Christian Replies.
Rev. Mr.. Christian replied to Mr..
Lett and Mr.. Upshur, speaking for
nearly thirty minutes. re made a
strong appeal against any change ! in
the ordinance and said that he held
in his hands petitions from $500
people asking that no change
be made in the existing saloon ordl.
nance. He said that he had been In
formed that only 50 members of the
Chamber OF Commerce and is mem.
bers Of the Merchants Association
we're present at the respective meet
| ings of these bodies when this move
ment was started, and that all of the
members were not In favor of the
movement.
Petitions the Same.
A question from Alderman Read
brought out the fact that the petit,
tons held by Rev. Mr.. Christian were
circulated and signed at the time the
liquor dealers asked for the repeal of
the entire saloon ordinance several
months ago.
MR. Lett made another brief talk,
Rev. Mr.; Christian said a word or
two more and Mr.. s. Otis Bland,
speaking in favor OF the ordinance,
closed the argument.
A Foregone Conclusion.
Long before the argument was con-
ciuded, questions asked by the com.
mitteemen showed what the result
would be and that Mr.. Read was right
In his contention that il was a loss
OF time to have the matter threshed
out in the committee. when the
speaking was over Mr. Harris moved
that the ordinance be rejected. Mr..
! Read moved that the ordinance be
sent to the council without recon-.
mendation. The amendment was not