The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-02

With liquor dealers actively prepay
ing for the spring election, the minis
tiers OF Richmond urging citizens to
move at once TO counterfeit the effect
OF the movement, the Council torn
with dissensions over the question Of
regulation 81 bars, the Anti-Saloon
League threatening Il prohibition fight
and city pastors taking up the dis
cussion of the temperance problem
I'm the pulpit. conditions here With
relation to the whiskey question have
reached an unprecedented state, and
bid fair within the near future to
produce developments of a more or less
startling character.
Y. NJ. G. A. Meeting.
The statement of the Rev. DR.. Knight
quoted above. which was read without
comment by the men to whom 1t re-
fcrred. was made at Y. Nj. c. A. mass
meeting for men at the Academy Of
Music yesterday afternoon, and was
the .'important Information that a
crowd had assembled to hear. DR..
Knight first read the call issued to the
citizens by the ministers. When he had
quoted MI. Rosenegk he paused a mo-
ment, and then repeated ii. word for
word and slowly.
Il say that this is not being done
through pure patriotism or philan-
! t.IiopS, cRlt!Nlteu' NUlsNt, anu
not because the State needs the money.
1t is done because the men are friendly
toward the liquor dealers and because
their votes can be depended on in the
spring elections. Are we going TO
have yover-srient here OF the people,
for the people and by the people or u
government of the saloons, for the
saloons. and ~ the saloons? In other
'yords. shall wrong rule Richmond?''
There was a storm of applause as
he concluded the last sentence.
Depends on Good Citizens.
Who'll answer that question:" DR..
Knight asked again. That answer
depends upon the good citizen. l have
reason to believe that between 5000
and $500; men have qualified to vote
with the liquor interests. Few of the
moral, Christian men have qualified
to vote. These facts are before us.
We see that these liquor people have
qualified to vote that way. The Chris
tian citizen (and l use the phrase in
LIS broadcast sense) who. in the face
of these facts. fails to qualify TO vote
Is unworthy to be called either citi-
zen or Christian. The man who will
: not spend $3.50 and one hour and II halt
of his time in an emergency like this
does not deserve to he called citizen
All we need Is To get these facts be-
fore our people. Then believe we
VIII come up like men and say that
wrong shall not rule this city"
There was another outburst of ap.
plause when DR., Knight sat down. A
moment or two later while collec-
tlon was being taken, Mr. Mckee read
'sutan's Want ADJ" dealing with The
evil of liquor drinking.
54 Mr.. Gray ON "The Red Light.
The Rev. Ora samuel Gray, in ar
address on ''rhe Red Light foIlowe,
Dr.. knight with a strong plea for TEN.
prrance.
The argument. OF those people NH,
ccntcnd that prohibition would no.
atop the sale OF intoNicants he met b,
the statement that because the LAW
against murder was not always obeye,
Il therc was no good sense or reason 1,
repeating 1t. BETTER let a man drinl
barrel Of beer behind closed doors,
he said than to lift tiny glass 1,
Is his lips before your boy"
referring to the tax feature. he said
/ MEvery time the saloon puts 81 int,
yonr city treasury, 1t takes out inhn
ttciy more 10 pay the expenses of poor
houses and jails."
# IN closing, he urged the citizens t.
X gay their poll tax and pray for III
elimination Of the saloons.
Meeting OF the Ministers.
Another conference of ministers vii
& begheld at the Central y, NJ. @, A. a
1.,30 o'clock tlas afternoon 10 fnrthe
consider The liquor question and ILL
Importance of urging an citizens I
Z NAY thci. poll taxes before pecembe