Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-07-15
BRISTOL VOTES WET.
Anti-PrOhibitiOnists Win After Spirited Fight
BY Majority of ThirN-TWo.

VI moIuiIU VI iHilV-lWVs
In the fercest election contest ever
witnessed the voters of Bristol, Va, on
last Thursday decided by majority of
thirty-two out of a total vote of S45 to
again license the open saloon.
Filled with dramatic interest and ex-
citement the opposing forces fought
bitterly from the opening of the polls in
the early morning until the last ballot
had been deposited late in the after
noon, and no opportunity to gain van
tage point over their competitors was
allowed to pass by either side. Although
rain fell necessarily throughout the day
men, women and children all kept up
the struggle as though their very exist
ence hinged on the outcome of the con-
test and refused to be driven to shelter
by the storm. For two weeks the tenn
perance people had fought like Trojans,
realizing their cause was in danger, and
had brought to their assistance many of
the most noted temperance workers to
be found in the South. The saloon peo-
pie, on the other hand, conducted
quiet campaign and at no time did they
engage in any controversy whatever
with those favoring the cause of tenn
perance. They kept constantly before
the people the idea that Bristol would
be made great supply center for the
vast prohibition territory of Georgia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama
and Mississippi, and that in addition to
800 600 in license revenue to the city
there would come to Bristol annually
from the trade millions of dollars. That
the majority of the voters in the city
believed the arguments set up by the
vets is evidenced by the result of the
election. The temperance forces have
given notice that they will contest the
| election. In the meantime the whiskey
people are making preparations to re-
sumo business.
Following the announcement of the
election result in Bristol, the Rev. DR..
James Cannon, Jr., superintendent of
the Anti-Saloon League in Virginia,
gave cut the following which bears the
caption, ''Bristol's 400 Unpurchasable
Voters:
'The 401 men of the city of Bristol,
Va, who voted the ''dry" ticket on
Thursday deserve the praise and the
sympathy of the temperance people of
the nation in this, their hour of trial
They made glorious fight. They were
confronted with conditions such as have
rarely confronted the voters of any
city. Every voter in the city was
tempted by direct or indirect bribes of
one kind or another. 1t was made
known that if the city voted "wet" it
would be made a distributing point for
an immense territory. This would bring
large number of shipping houses to
the city, which would bring a great
sum into the city treasury, far more
than the usual license receipts. An op-
ton had been taken by the liquor people
on every available building at a very
high rate of rent, which was bribe to
the owners of said buildings. The open
ing of these houses would bring many
men with large means to the city, and
would give employment to a great many
people.
These were all indirect bribes. And
in addition to these things, every man
who would sell his vote could get more
hard cash for it than in any election
ever held in Virginia.
''The liquor interests had representa-
tives from various cities, who had at
their command all the money that they
could use. Money" is the word that
explains the result in Bristol. The city
is disgraced that it yielded to the bribes
and sold itself to become distributing
center, not Of learning, light and life,
but of drunkenness, insanity, murder
and damnation. But it has in it 400
men who cannot be bought, and, like
the men of Danville, they will not rest
till Bristol is once more redeemed.
''The election had absolutely no DO
litical significance. 1t is probable that
it will greatly hasten the demand in
Southwest Virginia for vote on State
wide prohibition.
JAMES CANNON, JR.,
Superintendent Virginia Anti Saloon
League"