Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-03
IS PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Liquor Question Before West
Virginia Legislature.
SALOON MEN ARE ACTIVE
Contest Between Local Optionists
and State Prohibitionists.
ATTITUDE OF NEW GOVERNOR
Gossip Regarding Organization OF
the LEGISLATURE Of 1oO0-Fore-
cast Made by Prophets.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
WHEELING, w. Va, January q
Liquor is to be the paramount topic be-
fore the West Virginia legislature. which
will assemble for business ten days hence.
County, local option and state prohibit
ton will fight for recognition. with the
outlook bright from the temperance side.
The liquor men will submit as gracefully
as they can to county option. although
first making an effort to have the munich
pality instead of the county as the unit.
and they will fight to the last ditch
against state prohibition.
Gov-elect Glasscock does not go into
Office until March 4. at which time
the legislature should be a thing Of the
past, but as a coming governor always
casts his shadow before his administra-
tion, he Is already exerting an influence
on proposed legislation. Declaring the
republican state platform went on record
both for county option and for Subnis-
sion to the people OF a prohibition con-
stitutional amendment. the governor-elect
has already thrown his force and prestige
ON the side of the temperance cause.
A year ago at a special session the
proposition to let the people vote on
whether they wanted to prohibit the
manufacture. sale or storage OF liquor Tor
sale within the borders of West Virginia
passed the house of delegates by about
eight majority. but failed to go through
the senate by one vote. There are thirty
members Of the senate, and IL the vets
can muster eleven senator's they can
save the bacon of the liquor interests
again.
Gov. Glasscock says he will be in
Charleston for the fray incident to the
organization OF the legislature. and will
do all In his power to prevent the capture
Of the organization by persons not in
sympathy with the republican planks on
temperance. There is rumor among the
legislators that Glasscock will call a Spe-
cial session after his inauguration to
write into the statutes the legislation he
favors should it go by the board at the
regular session. which convenes In the
closing days Of the Dawson administra-
ton.
Liquor Only in Spots.
AS a matter of fact West Virginia is
dry now except in some scattered spots.
Liquor is sold in only about ten of the
fifty-fve counties and in only one town in
some OF these counties. There was no
agitation of the question until the Anti
Saloon League movement came across the
river from Ohio, two or three years ago.
NOW tflS league TldlHldl1LS d state OfSaUl-
zation and 1t will maintain d lobby. at the
head Of which will be Theodore Alvord,
who resigned recently as superintendent.
To Offset the temperance elements ac-
tivity the liquor interests are arranging
to offer a model license law, which is said
to be popular in Kentucky. the place Of
it's origin, but the liquor men have ap-
parently no effective organization. Only
lately they began to wake UP. They are
handicapped by the fact that there is a
tH{Si Of hof ON re
and saloonists. each blaming the other
for the causes leading up to the present
agitation, and it happens that the burden
of the fight will have to be borne by the
brewers.
The number of breweries, compared to
the extent Of the license area in the state,
gives the question an important industrial
phase. feature which makes the part Of
i.he proposed prohibition look like "a
hardship. For instance, there is only one
distillery in West Virginia, only one-half
of 1 per cent of its product being sold In
the state, yet it would BE- wiped out of
business completely under prohibition
that would prevent the manufacture Of
liquor.
Adverse Vote Thirty Years Ago.
Some thirty years ago the people of
West Virginia voted on prohibition and
defeated it by an overwhelming majority.
Conditions have undoubtedly changed
since then, but one proposition of the
character can command attention with
out disclosing the important considera-
ton that the safe now depends on the
liquor business for one-third of it's reve-
nueS and will be greater dependent If
the state tax on licenses is raised to the
81 600 mark, as advocated by ex-Gov.
A. 3. White in his message issued this
week in retiring from the state tax COM
missioner's office as its head. This reve
mn Yha will q u-ct at ifhn
from Wheeling and other counties where
the city predominates the county.
In the matte. of organizing the legisla-
ture all eyes are turning tC Charles w.
Swisher secretary of state, and former
candidate for governor. He organized the
senate at the two previous sessions, and
his will be the master mind again. AS
proof Of this nearly all the job seekers
want to get the ear of Swisher He goes
out Of office with the Dawson administra
ton, and has no political plans for the
future except to take up his old bust
ness of promoting big business enter
prises, SO that he will he missed at the
legislative sessions to follow. although he
declares he will be q candidate for gov
ernor four years hence. While in Wheel
ing this week he fraternZed with former
political foes, and If he keeps up that
gait and other things are equal he may
land the governorship tremendously in
1912 In contrast to the bitter internal
strife that forced him TO drop out at the
eleventh hour in 1908.
What the Prophets Say.
The prophets are. beginning to say the
legislature may be organized thusly:
President Of the senate, l.. J. Forman of
Grant county; speaker Of the house. Roy
Waugh of Upshur county; clerk of the
senate, John T. Harris Of Wood county;
clerk Of the house. Chas. II. Henning Of
Ohio county.
Forman will have to beat Howard
Sutherland of Randolph. Edward Baker
of Mercer B. +. Bailey OF Taylor. and a
few others, but it is believed he will do it,