Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-27
DRY OR WET VIRGINIA
Prohibition Wave Threatens to
EnguIf State.
PRIMARY MAY DECIDE IT
Carter Glass Worrisome Factor in
Governorship Contest.
MAY DECLARE AGAINST LIQUOR
His Announced Candidacy as Advo-
cate of Statewide Law Would
Start Trouble.

| Start Trouble.
| The prohibition wave sweeping over the
south with particularly telling effect in
| Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. now
| is threatening to engulf the state of Vir-
ginia.
Already many Virginia towns with
populations of from 5000 to 5000" have
gone dry The next move of advocates
Of temperance will be for statewide pro-
hibition.
| 1t is probable the fight will come dur
ing the approaching democratic guber-
material primary. This will be held next
| summer.
In Virginia the liquor question is looked
upon as two-edged sword. Democrats
who have declared as candidates for the
governorship handle the question eau
tiously. Yet at any time man who
has not yet spoken, whom every politi-
clan in Virginia is watching, may come
into the open candidate and adVo-
cate statewide prohibition. If he does
the fat will be in the fire and a political
upheaval may be looked for.
Three Announced Candidates.
| Up to date three men have announced
| that they will go into the democratic
primary for the gubernatorial nomlna-
ton They are Judge William I'll. Mann
of Nottoway county of the legislature,
! who ran second to Gov. Swanson for the
| governorship four years ago: Harry st
George Tucker of Lexington. former
member of Congress from the tenth dls-
trict and president of the jamestown
Exposition Company, particularly we'll
known in Washington on account OF MS
former association with George Wash
ington University as dean OF the law
| school, and Henry c. Stewart, chairman
of the corporation commission under Gov
| Montague.
Judge Mann is looked upon as the
most formidable candidate now IN the
field Tucker is regarded as safe second
choice Another man is known to be
| considering the ACCESSIBILITY of entering
the race He is Representative Carter
Glass of Lynchburg. If he runs at all
it will be on platform of statewide
| prohibition.
Glass is keeping ominously quiet. He
refuses to commit himself. although all
sorts of efforts have been made to smoke
| him out
The supreme court of Virginia has be-
| fore it a test case involving the consti
| nationality of the Ward law. enacted by
the legislature at it's last session. and
| under the provisions of which some Vlr-
| Sinia towns have gone dry. Its cOnSti-
| nationality is attacked as at variance
with that section of the state constitution
covering suffrage qualifications.
Variance of Laws.
| The constitution provides that a man
must pay his poll tax six months in ad-
vance of an election as a condition prece-
| dent to casting his ballot. The Ward law
| provides that municipalities or magiste-
| rial districts may decide for or against
prohibition by vote of registered and
Otherwise qualified voters without pay
| ment of the poll tax
Under this law Lynchburg. Bristol. Ro-
anoke, Suffolk, Fredericksburg, Win
chester, South Boston. Charlottesville
and Houston have voted for prohibition.
This leaves Richmond, Norfolk and Alex
andria as practically the only towns of
any size in the state where liquor is
freely sold. 1t also gives these cities the
control of the liquor traffic.
/ Many good lawyers hold that the SUI
preme court is bound TO declare the Ward
law unconstitutional because it fixes the
qualifications of voters contrary to the
provisions of the constitution. Should
the court SO decide, the action of the
voters in the cities and towns which
have gone dry will be declared invalid
and those communities will become wet
the minute the courts decision is an
nounced.
If the court upholds the law the pro-
hibitioniStS of the state will have gain
ed big victory and will loom up strong
in the near future. In any event, pan
demonium is likely to break loose.
The court is expected to hand down it's
decision in March. Politicians are trem-
bling in their boots.
Judge Mann's Chances Good.
If the liquor question is not stirred
up Judge Mann is looked upon as the
logical successor to Gov. Swanson. Judge
Mann's special qualification appears to
be that he was defeated in the last cam
paign.
1t is sort of unwritten law in the
Old Dominion that any good democrat
who makes q hard try for the governor
ship and is beaten, simply because the
other fellow is a little more popular, has
a great chance four years later provided
he has kept up his political fences. The
constitution of Virginia forbids a gov
Against Swanson last time were Judge
Mann and Joseph f. Willard. Montague's
lieutenant governor. Owing to his eff
forts in the direction of temperance
Judge Mann had a big prohibition fol-
lowing. Back of Capt. Willard were
remnants of the Montague wing of the
party pretty well split up during Mon
tague's term as governor.
Swanson had the backing of Senator
Martin and most of the regular organ
iZation The result was that he won
with great ease from both his opponents
Judge Mann ran second making Il good
showing
Judge Mann. it is understood, will
have something more than this senti-
ment in his favor-support of the Mar
r tin Swanson element II this is true
the men who go against Judge Mann
will have their hands full unless the
liquor question is involved. Should this
l occur. Judge Mann may be counted on
r to show more strength in the rural sec
r tons than in the cities.
? Question Is Avoided.
But then there is Carter Glass Or
ganization leaders, including Senator
Martin and his chief lieutenants, Repre-
: sentatives James Hay and Hal Flood.
I are keeping as quiet they can about
> Glass and statewide prohibition.
, The liquor question is d curious prop
3 osition in the south. A politician or
! statesman. whichever he calls himself
y may not be wise in coming out for pro-
: hibtion or near-prohibition, but let him
come out openly against is and he might
= as we'll give up all future political am
a billions.
= In addition to the possibilities OF the
> liquor question the democrats of Virginia
j., are face to face with another VeXing
: problem This involves the advisa blity OF
the repeal of that section OF the suffrage
: law which provides that the personal
e payment of "a poll tax six months before
{ election day shall be condition precedent
! to casting the ballot.
This provision was aimed at negroes
L IL, Al