The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-21
FIGHT SENT NOW
TO LEGISLATURE
FOR EARLY VOTE
Anti-Saloon League De-
clares for State Wide
Prohibition.
NO DISSENTING
VOICE HEARD
Convention Seeks Passage Of En-
abling Act, With Vote by Peo-
pie When Committee Be-
lieves Time Expedient,
if Requisite Number
Sign Petition.

Sign Petition.
State wide prohibition yesterday
superseded local option as the declared
policy of the .Anti-Suloon I,carue NJ
NirEinin. Prolonged debate yxn. fol.
lowed by the adoption, without disscnt-
Ing voice, OF the Legislative prog rnn,
outlined by the special committee.
The resolution call. ON the cxlsffnr
General Assembly TO enact an enabling
Inv which will provide for II State-
wide election whenever onc-fourth o1
the qualified voters OF the state shalf
80 petition. And u further resolution,
modelled on that proposed by cx-Scn.
ator A. II. Thomas, OF LynchburE, dc-
clarcA 1t to be the sense OF the con.
ycntton, In the event that the cnablinu
net Is adopted, TINT the executive con-
mittee shall proceed to take steps to
call such an election cat the earliest
practicable time, during the present
ycnr, unless some new Development
should render 1t tnndvisablc.v
| The last clause. was added by tho
committee on resolutions after n cnrc-
full review of the situation, and In def
crence TO the view of many LEADERS,,
who hold 1t dangerous to press a Statc-
wide fight Mt this time.
Realize Uncertainty.
Realizing the extreme doubt OF OBJ
tanning from the present General AS
sembly tho act for a Statewide e1ec-
tion proposed. and the probable post
ponement of the Statewide fight for
another two years until Legislature
lis elected on that Issue. and notwith-
standing the declared policy OF the
league for state prohibition, the cons
/ vention adopted an extended schedule
OF legislation to be demanded for
Strengthening tho temperance canss
1 under present conditions.
Important items are statutes to pre<
4 vent shipment from wet to dry terri.
ttorv; the altering the present local
| option election laws to insure falr
elections to prohibit distilleries In
local option or dry territory. and 70
provide in the case Of second conSic-
tion for infringement OF the liquor
laws felony sentence with term OF
servtude on the public roads.
The league did not adopt Its new
program without vigorous debate. bus
the action came with surprising unan'-
nifty. A substitute resolution, pro-
posed by Rev. Joseph L. Sherrard. of
Albemarle. proposing that there be no
call for a Statewide vote until thes
next annual convention of the league,
prccIpitated the fight Of the day, and
was finally rejected by an oyerwh AIM
ing vote.
League Forced to Act.
Several speakers voiced the view
that the league had been grossly mis-
understood in its action at the Norfolk
convention last year when IT post
poned a Statewide issue. 1t was more
than hinted at at that time that lead
ers OF the league had made an alliance
In politics with whiskey interests, by
which there would be zone more Gay
of grace"
such charges were false and abs
surd," stated one Of the speakers, sI .s'1u puo
IL we again postpone the real issue
half Of the State will be convinced THAI
the charges arc true. y.
several others took the ground that
the league must strike whilesthe iron
ia hot" admitting that the prohibition
! wave is not as strong as IT was
year ago. and that there was prob.
ability of its retrocession. others
were prompt to controvert the idea
HAT the temperance movement could
at any time go backward.
! Senator Thomas urged an ADOPTION
4 Of the supplementary report holdtnss
mat 1t would be a grave mistake for
Z the convention to adjourn without
! giving the people OF the state
I definite idea of the purposes OF !he
!. .lleague. 1T would seal the cohs1ceioil
in the minds of thousands ina .ia
4 league is guilty of what has neeh
4 charged, he asserted, adding that IN
]. his judgment the cause of prohibition&
!. is not as strong to-day as 1t was
! twelve months ago. and that " Inc
. fight is DELAYED twelve months longer
\, the ..whiskey interests Will nave ia.d
i their snares to defeat It's object
i Resolutions Adoptcd.
After prolonged debate the folloWlnS
i resolutions were adopted:
4 "RcsoIycd, That the Legislative CONS
\ mittec OF the league be instructed To
/ request tho General Assembly OF Vtr-
/ Elnin to pass resolutions calling upon
Congress to take action regulating
Federal control OF the liquor traffic
In the following particulars:
Il TO regulate Interstate commerce
I In Intoxicating liquors so asastO limit
ithc consiEnInents to those entitled ia
sell or disbursc the same under stats
| law.
3, ro pass a hill requiring the forR
OF application for n Federal tax rc-
cctpt to be SO changed as to reGutra
the applicant to state that the hnslncss
| mentioned IN the tax receipt Is not
contrary to the local law of his COM.
munitH. 9l
3. TO pass lazy fOrbiddinS the sata
! or con ftscatcd liquors by the officers on
agents OF the Federal government
where same cannot be legally sold un-
der local law,
Resolved, ., That our representatives,
I IN Congress he requested to use their
utmost cndcAvor to secure the ahoyu
leSislntlon In Congress.
Resolyed, rs That II Is the sense OF
this convention, In tbs evsnt that tho
General Assembly cnacts law sub-
mittinE the Liquor question to tha
voters Of the state, that the excrntivn