Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-10
CONTEST OVER LIQUOR.
West Virginia Legislature Con-
fronted by Problem.
COUNTY OPTION PROBABLE
Temperance Advocates Demand
Statewide Prohibition.
POSITION OF THE SALOON MEN
Accept Local Option as "Lesser of
Two Evils - Activity
Among Politicians.
COUNTY OPTION PROBABLE
POSITION OF THE SALOON MEN
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
WHEELING, W. Va, January ., 1909.
That the one outcome of the liquor leg
islation before the West Virginia legisla-
ture will be a county option bill may be
considered a certainty. Both vets and
drys will favor 1t. The republican plat
form went on record for it. Gov.-elect
Glasscock says there must be such bill
hence II is reasonably assured that some
sort of an option measure will slide into
the statute book
But no option law will suit the two in
tensely interested elements. The liberal
fellows will endeayor to pass bill which
will exempt towns having a certain popu-
lation say 5.OG0 The advocates of this
plan will argue for home rule for munich
palities, and contend that inasmuch as
the license question is a local one. be-
cause 1t involves revenue and police
maintenance features the residents of the
cities should be allowed TO deal with
their own affairs without the influence
of outside communities.
The temperance people will strenuously
combat any d stinctionS of this charac-
ter In fact, they do not care particu-
larly for the county unit. They want
statewide prohibit on. and to this end
will make the hardest kind of d battle
to have the legislature submit consti-
tutional prohibit on amendment to the
people. to be voted on at the next cleo
ton confident that in a vote OF the sta.e
as a whole the dryS Will FREEDOM nate.
They consider the option bill a compIo-
mise which does not go far enough. The
liquor men are inclined to take option
SIMPLY as the lesser of two evils, and
will not submit 10 that proposition will
linllv unless they can have exceptions
made for towns of a certain population
and over.
Provides for County Option.
The first. or about the first, bill to be in
troduced after the solons assemble next
week will provide for county option. With
the passage of something along this line
the liberals hope the sentiment for pro-
hibition will be neutralized. They also
place hope in an appeal to the taxpayers
pocketbooks on the score of the big reve-
nue. deficiency to follow the cutting off of
the saloons The liquor interests now
contribute about three-quarters of a mill
lion annually to the state government
virtually half of the states revenues.
This feature is intensified by retiring
Tax Commissioner Whites recommended
ton for an increase in the saloon licens IS
TO 81, 900 year. The organization of the
legislature will embody the liquor fight to
4 certain extent. Senator FOrman, candi-
date for senate president, will be favor
tble to the temperance people because he
goted for the prohibition amendment two
vears ago. Three of the other aspirant s.
Senators Gartlan. Bailey and Baker. voted
against it. The other candidate for presi-
lent, Howard Sutherland, is new timber.
Inasmuch as Delegates Strother and
5trickling We're not temperance shouters
IN the house. their ambition to be speaker
s not cordially received by the Anti
Saloon League workers. who are reported
o be backing Roy Waugh of Upshur TIL
state administration forces are due to
back Forman and Waugh, respectively.
Kingsley Is Handicapped.
Delegate Kingsley of Wood county. can