The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-05
Tho Food drink tor AL Ages.

i axe no 3Q09(1tuIes hSh AVa AAO go. =
Others are limitations.
clergy, to control the legislation OF the ~,
people OF Virginia. / am not elec.eu
here as third party man. out as q Del''-
senator Lnssiter's stand.
Senator Lassiter tolloWeo. thkluE u
bold stand against the bill ana saying
In part:
"rhc particular provisions OF this
bill fail to recommend 1t to my iudr-
ment even wore | an advocate OF the
principle OF Statewide prohibitions. 1t
may be that these are matters OF de-
tall which can be ren nanr py fo prope.
there are, in my Judgment, objections
to this bill which are too FAR reach
Ing for amendment. for the reason
that they are objections 70 the prln-
"Thc people of Virginia have the
right whenever they sec fit to do so.
to so change our Constitution as TO
upon any question which may be of
Interest to them. but until the Con-
stitution has been so changed. sub
NIT that it is not true that the people
have q right to initiate. leEislatloil
| by direct vote.
Section 40 of our Constitution pro-
|vides: .The legislative power of the
State shall be vested In q General
Assembly. which shall ;sTats. Of ir,, q
right OF petition Is entirely a different
proposition. and no one denies the
right q e4e t pseptS Hat e }he peope have
a right to vote upon this question di-.
/ rectiy, / submit that the advocates OF
| prohibition would not be here asking
lis to pass an enabling act. Gentlemen
on tho other side may argue ,1 tha1 while
enabling act to vote upon this Qucs-
| ton, still the General Assembly has
the power to give them that right.
Thrents OF No Avail:
threatened with political death By. the
patron OF this measure because they
have seen tit to exercise their judg-
ment, as he exercises his, In regard to
the meaning, of their oaths to support
I am clearly convinced that the people
whom 1 represent will repudiatc me as
their representative for voting my con-
scientious views upon any measure.
THE principle OF this bin Is obnoX-
ious to every principle OF free govern
sment. It's advocates. claiming to rep-
resent all that is true and beautiful
,tian men and women OF this State be-
lieve that citizens, who cannot agree
with their views are necessarily al
lied with some. political ring or with
vate gain is opposing this measure.
"This question is up for discussion
and for settlement. In my Judgment
there Is only one way to reach the
liquor and that is to meet them on
the highest moral grounds. Unless the
advocates OF local option and Cs tho
proper licensed sale Of liquor can meet
their opponents on The ground Of the
cannot meet the issue at all. But I
submit that they can do this and that
1t Is for. the interest of the State that
We should do SO.
burden is upon the advocates OF this
measure to prove that prohibition will
prohibit. and that in communities
where the sale Of liquors Is now regu-
the community Will be better. safe
guarded by the provisions Of this bill.
c Because I believe that this has not
peen done. and because I am OPPOSED
to the principle of ''prohibition'' as
! do not believe that any amendments
against it, -
Foll<es Ii Vigorous.
Senator Folkes attacked the bill In
Characteristic style. Ie commented on
the inconsistency OF the church, which
turns out the barkeepcr from its mem
bership. but lets the man in favor of
License stay In. II the bill passed the
coerced. he said
This seems to be sort OF expert
ence meeting" said Senator Edmondson,
VINO said that though a temperance
ton bills. he did not like the drastic
bin offered by Senator STROBE. He
pointed out Maine as prohibition
state, and called 1t the worst wills
Ikeyisoaked" state In America. IN cons
hymn.
ELAN Opens for DEFENSE.
II have always stood for the prin-,
ciple, embodied in this bill" declared
this bill. The issue cannot be avoided"
Senator King stated that while he
would vote for the bill in obedience
he Z, personally favored local option.
Elty. Senator Noel. declared that he had
first thought to vote against the bill,
put mat the tactics OF the majority
that he would vote for lt.}S
Referring to an allusion made by
senator king to- the Rhea investlga-
3tion, he said that he would sss bring
charges against any Republican .or
Democrat who did wrong. Whentthe
Democrats used so much hitewasll as
was used here two years ago, said
ne, Il do not wondersStha the State
wants to go into tho lime business"
Serious Responsibilities
The members Of this Senate have
upon them a serious responsibility,
:sald Senator Tucker, in a clear. strong
speech. IF the bill We're directly
f for prohibition, ! would not vote for
Il. shall vote against the PROPOSE
ton at the polls. If IT. comes up. The
only real question Is whether the peo-
pie OF Virginia shall have the fright
to vote on this great moral. political
ana social question:. No Senator here!
can satisfactorily determine how the
people stand on this question, but
every Senator knows that there Is a
large prevailing sentiment among the
people that they have the right tofvotes
on thls question, i cannot conceive
how the Legislature can deny this
right TO the people OF the Commons
wealth OF Virginia" Senator Tucker
was OF opinion that there is no con-
stitutional Inhibition to prevent the
legislature from delegatlng ths8power
70 Inc people, Tho principle OF the
referendum in local cases had been
decided faNorably in. Virginia many