Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-11-25
PROHIBITIONISTS
TO BEGIN FIGHT.
Statewide Erpoasuis Will Start Within a
Fsu Days TO Obtain Signatures Asking
The Legislature For an Election on
Whisksy Question.

That the movement for Statewide
prohibition has begun in earnest is
abundantly evident. The work of Sc
curing signatures to a petition which is
to be presented to the Legislature which
meets in January next is to be begun at
once, and it is quite likely that the De.
tition will be in circulation in this Sec
ton in the very near future.
The newspapers throughout the State
are publishing an interview recently
given out by Rev. J. d. McAllister,
f1eld secretary of the Anti-Saloon
League, in which he is quoted as saying
that he believes the temperance people
In the State have now sufficient strength
to carry Virginia for Statewide prohi-
bition by majority of at least forty
thousand.
81 base my assertion" he said, ION
what our own people have seen and OBJ
served. Our agents report increased
crowds and increased enthusiasm every
where. We have bean feeling the pub
lie pulse for months and months past.
and have done everything possible to
ascertain our exact strength. We are
settled in our own minds that it is best
for the people to vote on the question
instead of having a direct Legislative
enactment on this subject. We desire
Legislation looking to the end of submis-
sion to the vote of the people. 1t is my
personal opinion that the coming con-
vention of the Anti-Saloon League,
which sits in Richmond January 18 to
20. will declare for Statewide prohibi-
tion.
IL observe" continued Mr.. McAllis-
ter, that the papers have had a good
deal to say about the action of the Vir-
Ginis Conference in regard to prohibi-
ton, but they have said absolutely
nothing about the resolution of the Hol-
ston Conference in the Southwest.
That body adopted this resolution:
I'VE recommend Statewide move
ment for the State of Virginia, in which
the vote of the people of the whole State
may be heard either in legislative enact.
ment or in direct expression at the bal
lot box, and that we call upon the Anti
Saloon League of Virginia to lead the
movement.
Rev. Charles E. Stuart, one of the
district superintendents of the league,
explains that the Holston Conference
represents large portion of the Vir-
ginia people in the Southwest, and he
seems to share fully the opinion of Mr..
McAllister as to the strength sof the
temperance element in the State.
Speaking of the meeting of the Bap-
tist General Association now in session
in Portsmouth, Mr.. McAlIister said:
Even though the association may
not endorse the Statewide movement
under the auspices of the Anti-Saloon
League, yet it will be very pronounced
in its resolution against the liquor traf-
fic. and in its determination as a body
Of Christian workers to abolish the sa-
looms in this State
When asked what he thought of the
suggestion that the Democratic caucus
of the legislature, at the very outset of
the approaching session of the General
Assembly, settle the question of State
wide prohibition, Mr.. McAllister, with
shrug of the shoulders, said:
Il must decline to answer that ques-
ton. That's politics"
Speaker Byrd, of the House of Dele.
gates, who acquired wide prominence
as one of the authors of the Byrd-Mann