The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-01-07
THE ROANOKE DRY1
WIN A BIG FIGHT
They Carry the City BY a Majority
of 86 Votes.

HOdnOke Especial The local Op-
ton election here resulted in a vic
tory for the Drys by a majority of
SO votes, the advocates of prohibition
getting 1,135 votes, while those who
favored retaining the saloon polled
1,O49.
AS a result of the election az saloons
and 6 mail-order liquor houses will
be put out of business, and clubs.
holding retail licenses, will have to
discontinue serving drinks. There
are 90 retail licenses in the town
and 100 United States licenses. The
city license is $3.50 and the State Ii
cense, $3.50. The federal tax is $25.
Besides the saloons. maiI-order
houses and clubs. there is a large
whisky distillery and big beer brew
cry mere. The saloons will have to
close their doors within 80 days.
The Vets carried three wards.
with total majority Of 1O7. The
Drys carried one ward with a major
ity of 1913. The Anti-Saloon League
has pledged itself to contribute S1O.-
600 to aid in the enforcement Of the
law after the saloons are closed. 1t
is estimated that S1,2OO,OOO a year
Is spent for whisky in Roanoke.
Ihe Vets will contest the election.
ASKED for an expression on the
result OF the election, Field Secretary
J. ID. McAllister, of the Anti-SaIoon
State League, said the Drys had not
won by as large a majority as they
expected. He added, though, that,
considering the forces they had to
work against here, it was remarkable
that they won at ALL
Mr. McAllister said that the Anti
saloon League has nothing further
planned, but will continue its work
along usual lines. He added that
should Lynchburg and Roanoke con-
test the elections and the saloon peo-
pie win, the result would be a revolt
against the saloon all over the State.
he said that no local option cam
palgn has been planned for Rich
mond or anywhere else, and added
that the question of Statewide pro-
hibltion would be taken up and set
tied at the State convention of the
league to be held at Norfolk in Feb
ruary. Nobody connected with the
league has any authority to talk
ABOUT Statewide prohibition, declar-
ed Mr.. McAllister.
Roanoke WAS so much interest man
ifested by vOters~and others as shown
IN the election, and never -OerrSre was
night at the polls here waged 50
stubbornly by opposing forces. Voters
appeared in large numbers at the poll-
ing places an hour before the polls
were open, and stood in long lines
outside until the polls closed. There
was much confusion at times. and
large numbers Of voters wore turn
ed down, mostly because they had
not paid the poll tax for 1905. as
required by law, to make them eligi-
BILE
In the forenoon dummies" were
used by both sides in the long lines
IN 'front.' of the polling places. The
dummies" surrendered their places
To eligible voters and then took
stand at the rear, gradually working
up TO the front and again surrender
ing the places to a voter. Judge
Woods, of the Corporation Court
and Mayor Cutchin were requested
to have the practice stopped. and the
Mayor ordered policemen to take anv
man not entitled to vote out of line
and, after man voted, not to allow
him in the line again. At times If
seemed that the opposing forces
would have personal clashes. but no
trouble OF this kind occurred.