The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-05

NO sALARlED OFFICERS HERE
Anti-Saloon League Helped to
Create Healthy Sentiment, Il
Says President.


In a reply issued yesterday to II
statement of the Retail Liquor Dealer
Association, so far us 1t concerned u
Anti-Saloon League. Rev. Edward
Dadmun. PRECEDENT OF the Richmol
branch, spoke plainly III derinl OF ce
.ain charges. and added. incidental
Ind sarcastically, that IL the saloon ell,
mont now registering represented on
applicants for licenses ami prospect,
the liquor people were ev
1ently expecting a wflc-open town.
President Dadinun denies that II
agitation for restriction or the whiske
rattle was ca, Used by salaricd officer
IF the Anti-Saloon League.
Tho stat amont follows:
Liquor Denlcrs vs.. Anti-Snioon
League.
The Richmond Anti Saloon League
has no desire to siirk any respon-
sttility for Its pal In the recent
and partially successful attempt to
further r, strict the saloon busi-
ness Of this city. The Liquor Deal
ers' Association has. perhaps. given
our organization too much credit
for what hns been done.
1t is no doubt true that the anti
SALOON sentiment has been largely
increased and its influence solidi-
fled by the vile ard conservative
Efforts OF the iaeSue, in both state
and city.
In spite of the charges of the
liquor dealers, II remains true that
the only part the league had In the
restrictive movement was its edit
cative work which helped to arouse
public sentiment
1t Is a great mistake to conclude
thpt our constitute Is composed
only of thote who believe
IN IN, prohibition. That part of
ing very rapidly. and may be-
come the controlling element In
our city policy IN short time.
But there is very large and infu-
entail element who believe that
the saloon needs a strong curb in
our city, even though it be permit
led to continue. This is the ele-
nient which las carried through
the "Dabney ordinance" 1t is no
DOUBT true that these conservatives
would not support a local option
campaign 1T this time unless the
issue Is forced upon us by the IL
luor trade. II the apparent effort
this trade, which seems to menace
us at the present moment, is car
ried out, then, 1 believe. all the
good government forces Will unite
to annihiiGt, a business which will
have become. more than II has been
IN the p;st a menace to all civic
Righteousness.
The somewhat childish state
ments as to "salaricd men" paid to
keep up agitation against the sa-
loon come Very strangely of our
ears. Who does not know thai
the great liquor interests of the
country Keep their paid represent
n r. fpl, ontrt pln t..
all over the land? No paid official :
OF the Anti-Saloon League appear
cd before either Aldermen, Council
or Finance Committee. There are
no paid officials in our city organi-
eaton, though there are several in
our state organization. These
state secretaries took no part In
this contest
Didn't speak for League.
Even our city organization took
no formal part in the matter. The
PRESIDENT. when requested by the
Council and Finance Committee.
stated his individual views but did
not assume to speak for the league.
fear that We are over-praised
by the Liquor Dealers Association
Tor our very modest part in the
good work which has thus far
been accomplished. A curious incl
dent If this connection was the
appearance Of al attorney before
the FINANCE Committee. who stated
that he had been retained TO speak
for certain (nnmentioned by namc)
retail dealers, making it clear that
ne appeared because he had hecn
employed to see that their side was
clearly presented before that body,
not because OF any personal inter-
est he felt in their cause. No one
vas employtd to speak for the
dollar spent to employ skilled rep
resentatives 10 present their cause,
The plea that 1t is poor time
to disturb business would be a good
one ii the business We're a good
business and helpful to the public
taxes it, receipts largely from
money which ought to 70 to pay
for food and clothing and fire for
hungry and cold mothers and little
ones, / am constrained to believe
That there Is no better time to re-
strict IT than In a time OF business
DEPRESSION and stringency, and,
best OF all at Christmas time. when
Joy and the welfare OF our chill
drcn is brought SO wildly before
us.
In conclusion let me add that II
az the new registration which has
ment are only applicants for IL
cense and prospective hartenders.
as the li1uor dealers statement In
dicates. then our liquor friends
must expect a widc-open city In
deed, Tor the number OF bars must
ne increased many fold to en-
ploy a fraction OF those they are
rrepnted to have prepared for reg
istration By payment or poll taxes.
Let every good citizen register.
Respectfully.
EDWARD T. DADMUN,
Prcs. Richmcnd Anti-Saloon Leagu