Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-03
FIGHTING LIQUOR LAW
Virginia Saloon Men Appeal to
the Courts.
|CLAIM ELECTION Is VOID
Defeated at Polls They Assail Con-
stitutionality of Act.
BIG GAINS FOR PROHIBITION
Many Towns Won by Drys and
Campaign Is to Be Pushed
Throughout State.
BIG GAINS FOR PROHIBITION

RICHMOND, Va, January >. 1909.
With Roanoke. Houston and South Bos-
ton all in the temperance column as the
result OF elections held this last week and
with the temperance folks juDilant and
other cities marked for campaigns during
the coming months the situation and
prospects for the saloon men are any
thing but rosy. Just when the move is
TO be started to have an election in this
city is not known, the anti-saloon folks
declaring that they have nothing in pros
pect at this time or for the next thirty
days. In each of the towns and cities in
which there has been an election ttse
saloon men are contesting the result, the.
test case being that of the city of Fred
ericksburg. The case is in court AT this
time, having been appealed by the 'drys
following a decision of the judge of the
city court of Fredericksburg. who de-
clared that the act under which the cleo
ton was held Is unconstitutional and void.
In the other cities where the vets We're
defeated they are attacking the same
act on the same grounds that was done in
Fredericksburg.
Ii there is much hope for the vets
in the pending case it IS not entertained
by others than themselves and their
counsel. The law may be void and in
conflict with the constitution, but the
saloon men did not raise that point when
the application for the election was pre-
Sented, and when the campaigns opened
they participated, held their meetings,
did vast amount OF work, imported
speakers and their men went to the polls
and contested every inch Of the ground.
After being defeated they invaded the
courts on the contention that the election
was void and of no effect, yet they recog
niZed the validity Of the act and went to
the polls. Lawyers contend that they
have weakened their case and have little
chance of winning out, whereas had they
contested the election when il was or
dered and proceeded by asking to have
the election stopped they would nave
been in better position than they are.
With the closing of the saloons in North
Carolina Thursday night there are many
OF the men who have moved over into
Virginia and opened up mail order
houses close 10 the North Carolina line.
Some of them went TO South Boston,
some went to Norfolk. some to Lynch
burg and many to Roanoke. They opened
up big establishments and began to do
business some days ago. They expected
to reap a harvest by senuing to their
former customers. Roanoke is dry,
Lynchburg is dry, South Boston is dry
and unless all signs fail there is to be a
contest in the cities of Norfolk and New
port News with the coming spring.
The whisky men have expended large
sums of money In the campaigns which
have been waged in the several cities of
the state. and if the contest is kept up
longer there will have to be heavy drails
on the national association of liquor men
to supply the sneWS of war. The state
association has made costly fights and in
one instance alone-that at Abingdon
have they obtained footing, that town
retaining its diSpenSary, which, after
April of this year viii be the only place
a which one can get a drop to drink be-
tween this city and Knoxville, Tenn