The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-20
Battle royal between the conserva-
tive and radical clements In the Anti
Saroon Jeayu, .,f 1,---f,,,a d.

Battle royal between the conserva-
tive and radical elements In the Anti
Saloon League Cf Virginia Is expected
this morning, when the report OF tho
committee on legislation comes up for
dfscusstdn. All ngrec that a forward
movement looking to Stntc-widc pros
hibitfon is due and necessary, hut
there is wide disagreement over tho
methods to be pursued. According to
Field Secretary McAIister's report, sub-
mittcd yesterday, little progress has
becn made In the past year In obtain
Ing the announced goal of the league
n state without a saloon.
STATUS NOT CHANGED.
So fnr has this been the case that
the field secretary and other officers
In their reports aud addresses now
take the ground that the time has
come to change from local 10 state
ortioD, Will 2 the more radical element
seem to demand nm immediate Stnfc-
Ixsido prohIbitory law. The officers
of the organization nrc unanimous IN
agreeing with the Legislative commit.
I tee that the work has advanced as far
| ms is practicable under local option.
During the year, according to the re-
! port of the field secretary, the city 0f
! Staunton and the town OF Franklin
| hnye shifted from the wet to the dry
column; while the city of Bristol nnd
the town of Shenandoah have changed
from dry to wet.
Two wet cittcs-PetcrsburE mil Ron>
nokc-and two wet towns-Rocky
Mount and Hnrrisonburs-hnyc voted
to stay vet. Three dry citics-Bucna
Vistu, Rndford and Charlottesville
md four dry towns-woodstock,
l,,,r
have voted to stay dry. The actual
status OF the State MT large Is there's
fore not greatly changed, save from,
the effects OF the educational cnm-
paiEn, which, according to the district
| supcrintcndents, hns stendily advanced
sentiment toward the general cx-
clusion OF licensed liquor from tho
Stntc.
CHANGE BASIS OF OPERATIONS.
While no test vote has ns yet been
i taken, there seems every reason tn
! believe that the convention Is unit
for n change to some Statewide basis
| OF operations. Speakers who suggest
cd the possibility OF the dry sections
of the Piedmont, the Valley ana thu
| Southwest voting out the snloOna Of
lsiclmond ana Norfolk were rcpcatcd-
Is, npplauded. Apparently the guess
| tion before the convention now Is ono
of procedure. Quite number object
! to the platform outlined by the lcEls-
latiye. committee us being neither sur-
ficicntly Drastic nor prompt In taking
4 Its effect. Men have come here from
: many sections Of the State eager for
n fight, and willing to risk everything.
in an Immediate onslaught on the
present General Assembly or Statc~
wide prohtbitory law.
leaders Are Conservative.
Leaders OF the convention who
, ! frankly state that there is no assur-
ance that such an act could be pros
cured, even with the greatest pressure,
Q ore urging conservatism They talk
: as though the mere passage OF the
$ law was the Whole fight, was tho
comment made by Pew r, III. Pitt, D,
t D., last night
. Rev James Cannon. D.. D., superlh-
. tendent of the league, President AZ
Q kins, Governor Elect Mann and 8Secfe-
i tary McAlister have each urged IN re-
3 ports and addresses that no step oe
$ taken until there is reasonable hope OF
| success and when there is both rea-
t son to expect the support of major
t ity of the citizens. and when there
/ will be no unhealthy reaction.
IL The program as outlined yesterday
& / calls for a bill from the present Leg
: islature extending the principle q
local option TO the state as unit Of
election, so that at any time in tha
future one fourth of the qualified yot-
ers may call for a State-wl election,
The rencrt OF the committee has been
made the special order forthls morning
at 10 o'clock, when q test of strength
OF the various factions will be ma1a
and the convention MIL cndeavor "a
act finally on the policy which VIII
/ govern it's work during the Year q
.i come, 4,
Serntor Thomas Forces Fight.
Former State Senator Az r. Thomas oi
! Lynchburg, while approving tho legis'
\ latlye prosram 50 far as II goes, cf'
u fered yesterday a resolution designed e
/ hasten action in the event that th%
> 4 General Assembly enicts the state }op'
l ton hill proposed. HIS is5resulutton sdtt
| reGts the officers aad executive, scflili'
mittee OF the league! to circulate psti.
n tions and plan for an iu,med A. 4. e'ee'
lion. S.
\ ! Reports OF tbs work Of tho leaxstl
| lor the past year too X up he sssat tet
t.H ~,