Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-03-30
STATEWIDE ISSUE
TO Be NEXT CONTEST
Report of Anti-SaIoon Leagues
Legislative Committee
FIGHT AT COMING ELECTION
Urges Opposition to Enemies of
Strobe Enabling Act

Statewide prohibition will be the
issue in the next election of members
Of the General Assembly of Virginia
and all those members who at the
last session of the Legislature voted
against the Strobe enabling act will
be opposed for reelection by the
Virginia Anti Saloon League. This
much is made known by the reportof
the legislative committee of the
league
The Report a Lengthy One
The report which is quite lengthy
gives in detail the steps taken by
the league to secure the passage by
the last Legislature Of an enabling
act and OF its failure to do so, and
then says;
Ample time was devoted by the
Senate and House committees on pri-
vileges and elections in 10 Mt ses-
sions to hearing the advocates and
opponents Of the bill express their
views upon the merits thereof. The
bill was advocated by your commit
tee and by leaLing citizens from
every section of the State. who came
to Richmond to plead for
the passage OF the measure. More
sections were represented and more
prominent temperance workers spoke
than at any hearing ever held in
Virginia on . temperance measure.
The bill was opposed publicly,
chiefly by the attorneys for the
liquor dealers association. W no were
publicly aided by only few citizens
all of whom were from wet cities,
10 the meantime petitions for the
passage of the bill were pouring into
the Legislature from all over the
State. Every county in the State,
save four, and every city in the
State, save one, sent petitions. More
than 35, 600 petitioners asked for its
passage-a greater number than be-
sought the passage of either the
Mann or the Byrd bill. The opposi-
ton to the bill presented no petitions
against the passage"
To Oppose Their Reflections
That the league will urge its men,
bers to oppose for reelection any
State Senator or member of the House
of Delegates who, for whatever rea-
son, voted against the Strobe meas
ure, would seem to be the meaning
of the following abstract from the
report of the legislative committee:
Laying aside the various side is
sues concerning the finances, party
politics, and persons. there is only
one fact to be considered by the
temperance people, namely, Did
my Senator and Delegate vote on the
bill as l should have voted had
been there myself? If he did, then he
represented me; if he did not, then
he did not represent me, and | shall
blame or praise him. and l shall
favor or oppose his return to the
General Assembly, in accordance
with his conduct.
Leagues Future Policy
The future policy of the League.
as urged by its legislative commit
tee-w hich, being composed of the
leading members of the League, may
be taken as the future policy of the
League itself-is announced in the
concluding paragraphs of the report.
which follow:
by this action of the General As.
sembly it will be necessary to carry
the fight into the election of the
members of the next General Assem-
bly,, and then the issue will become
mixed with personal and political
issues, This the League has always
greatly desired to avoid, but mas
much as this method has been thrust
upon us and there is 10 alternative
your committee urges upon those
who favor a Statewide law the abSo-
Lutte necessity of beginning the
: fight at once and of continuing il
until the next General Assembly
has been elected.