Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-19
STATEWIDE FIGHT
OPENS IN RICHMOND
Continued From Fourth Page)

forts to carry elections In favor OF the
saloons are destroying the good ell
fects OF the action of the constitutional
convention in the matter of suffrage
that the same body of voters which
decides all other questions in Virginia
shall decide the question of license or
no license. They have made de-
termined. and II Is TO be regretted
somewhat successful EFFORT to place
upon the registration books the ig'
norant and debased element among
the negroes, and the continuation OF
the local option policy seems likely
TO result In placing the liquor traffic
in control of the towns and cities OF
the state by the aid OF the negro vote.
The liquor traffic has no regard Tor
good government or for manhood anu
womanhood in comparison with the
opportunity 10 make money. even II
Il be made by the damnalion OF men
and women, the wreck Of s-ciety or
the destruction OF civilization IT.
self.
Elections Not Fair.
Il. The experience of the past year
have shown the great difficulty OF Sc
curing fair local option elections IN
the larger cities. The election laws
do not furnish any guarantees of
fair local option eiection. and where
ever the election machinery is in the
- taaoIA
with the liquor interests. as is the
CAGE in sevsral of our cities. il is we'll
nigh impossible TO overcome the
trickery and fraud. IL seems almost
usless to attempt a local option eiec-
ton under such conditions.
20. The domination of the larger
cities by the liquor traffic and its al
lies resGlt in grS at danger TO the rest
of the state
Camping Ground for Crunkardmakers
6. Finally, not 10 take longer time.
IL Is a disgrace 10 Virginia that she
has become the camping ground OF
the drunkard makers, who have been
driven from our sister Southern
States. From Bristol, Roanoke, Pc
tersburg. Richmond and Norfolk we
are boastfully told that thousands OF
gallons are shipped daily to the states
south of US. which have banished
saloons. and We are called upon by
the liquor advertising secular press
tofwait while and see If these states
will hold out. and while we wait TO
see. our Virginia cities are to be al
lowed to do everything possible TO
make their success impossible. =.
''In view OF the conditions indicat- |
ed above your committee is convnc !
ed that while the local option policy |,
is still producing satisfactory results /,
in some parts of the State, yet in |
the greater part of Virginia, we have |
gore as far as We can go with profit |
under the local option policy. and the |
time has come TO ask for an extern
sion of that policy to the State at
large, that Is TO ask that the unit |
be made the State instead of the |
county. town, or city, as il is at pres
cnt
Your committee have carefully |
considered the several methods by
which Statewide prohibition law
can be put upon the statute books. )
1t is of prime Importance that the
method followed in the enactment OF
the law shall be such as TO brand
the law as the expression of the will
of the majority of the intelligent and
patriotic citizens of Virginia. Any
method that does not clearly demon
strate beyond any cavil that the law
enacted is the expressed will of ma
jority of the intelligent and patriotic
citizens of the State will not receive
the support of the people. and furth-
ermore there will be continued ef-
forts to repeal it contrary TO the will
of the people. A majority of the vot-