The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-05-05
BRYD SPEAKS
Addresses Large Gathering in
Park.
coLoRsO MAN ALSO SPEAKS

n very large crowd OfpeOple assembled
In the park Sunday evening 70 hear al
dresses from Hon. T. +. Byrd. of Win
chester, aud A. e. Clay. acolored speaker
from BistOl. Va. on local option. Two
separate meetings were held. that OF Mr
Byrd at .. m. and that OF Clay at
O'Clock.
The FIRST meeting was opened by sing
Ing, led by Mr.. J. ". Adams Mr. Chas
Wright sang a solo. Does IL Pay2' A
ierveut PRAYER was delivered
by Mr.. :. +. Eastburn. Then
Hon. Granville Il. Swift introduced Mr.
Byrd, aud in doing 80 said II had been
stated that II this city goes dry speak
easies aud blind tigers will spring up:
that SO long as he - Commemorative
attorney he will see that no speakeasies
live. for he will take especial care that
the law which viii prevent them Is ell
forced.
Mr. Byrd said he brought a message
from the historic city of Winchester
which had lately gone dry and its people
Intended TO keep II dry; that he admit
ted the right of any man To diher with
him on the question now 50 prominent;
that there Were men who consci
entiOus.y voted wet as well as
those who voted dry; that it was
wrong for either side to indulge IN
abuse. He felt Il duty to raise his voice
IN iavOr prohibition, just as be felt Il his
duty I'm the halls of Legislature at Rich
mona by the side OF Frederick sioux
representative. Hon. &. O'Conor Cool
rick. TO rid fredericksburg of the mon
opoly held by the r +. & p X. r. n,
said, what l. the Issue? Only one and
that Il, will prohibition prohibit How
is It To be dOne2 BY enactment OF the
law. How II law enfOrcru? 80 yuO G
.piniOn aud the law itself IL putt c
opinion behind the law? He argue,
hat IL T.; that he knew the Cpmmni-
wsalth's attorney, OF this city, and he
would enforce IL. Spoke Of the power OF
the liquor interest In years past, and
compared II with what II Is now-On It's
knees begging for an existence-that the
liquor dealers were good when an cleo
ton was on, but watch the difference
when Il Is over. Mr. Byrd read extfactr
from Judge Embrey'z letter as to tn.
construction of the Byrd law and said
they were absurd and ridiculous. Ex-
planned the Byrd law; that Il Is not per
iect, but will stand constitutional test
IL was the best that could be made IN
der the circumstances; that II was fram-
ed TO destroy speakeasies aud blind
tigers and " ia do il; that prohibition
hR- GUMS 70 NAhl tlttu luTtt ways 10
get AZ "blind tigers" and that II a lei
low tells you the law cannot be enforced
TO search him; said the Jug trade will al
ways be with Us so long az the inter
state commerce law exists and whiskey
Is sold elsewhere. He discussed the sa-
loon from an economic standpoint; that
II was not a commercial advantage. but
an economic waste: that the merchant
voted against his interest when he voted
Tor the saloon; that IA majority OF the
Manufacturers oppose the saloon for the
reason they get six days work out Of
their men without the saloon, when
they only get four with g. His address
wes listened To with much interest
At the cOlOred meeting, u which the
bulk OF the whites remained. Rev r. l..
Ransom introduced A. T. Clay. and said
the saloon Il a dangerous foe and should
be abolished; that II he Thought a ma
iority of the cOlored people would vote
wet he irlt Ike he would leave Freder.
icksburg that the "wets" are composed
OF many bad people and few good
ones, " bile the -'dry-' have many good
/ people and few bad ones.
Clay's speech was received with much
enthusiasm 10y the cOlured people and
many of the whites. IL was conservative
/ Ia tone.