The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-09
WANT NO LIQUOR
SOLD IN THE TOWN
Delegations from South Boston and
Houston Strongly Oppose Dis
pensary Bills.
DIR. HARMON CAUSES LAUGH
Declares Ferocious Blind Tiger
Has Been Whitfield to De-
INVESTIGATED Cat.
DR.. HARMON CAUSES LAUGH

A large delegation of preachers.
doctors. lawyers, business men and
women from South Boston and Hous-
ton attended the hearing Wednesday
morning on the Edmondson bill pro-
viding that vote be taken on the
question of establishing liquor dis
pensaries in both places.
Judge W. r. Barksdale, of the
Sixth judicial district. spoke against
the bill, He said South Boston and
Houston had made splendid progress.
both morally and financially. since
liquor was voted out in December,
1908, and nothing was to be accom-
piished by the establishment of a dis
pensary.
Mr.. Joseph Stebhins, a member Of
the Constitutional Convention. also
spoke against the bill, saying no man
who compared conditions In South
Boston and Houston to-day with those
OF days when fiquor was sold could
say both places had not made pro-
! gress In the right direction The es-
t adjustment of dtspensary would
bring lot OF money to the county.
but 1t would be at the expense of the
communities moral welfare. Mr..
| Stebbins' remarks were interrupted
repeatedly by strong outbursts of APP
plause.
The Rev. c. w. Maxwell. of the
Methodist church at South Boston; At
terney $. l.. Adams, of the Anti Saloon
I League, and the Rev. John Harmon.
/ pastor of the Methodist church. also
protested against the measure.
Win Debaach and CorruW.
Reference having been made TO the
fact that the dispensaries would be
under county control, DIR. Harmon
said: THE dispensary was tried In
South Carolina and put under the con-
I troll of Governor Tillman and the best
men in the State, but 1t corrupted.
( demoraI'zed and debauched them.
/ You can put the dispensary under the
control of the deacons, the stewards,
preachers and teachers Of classes and
it will debsuch and corrupt them in
time" This remark provoked APP
piause and laughter throughout the
crowded committee room,
! Senator Edmondson explained the
purport of the bill and said IL had
been sent to him to he introduced.
He said he wished To amend the
measure so as not to preeipitate a wet
and dry election until December 2sth
of this year, by which time South
BOSTON and Houston will have had
two years of local option.
Houston's Mayor Wants It..
Mayor Benjamin W. Leigh, OF Hous-
ton, asserted that there Is consider
able whiskey drinking In his town,
! although II Is dry, and he would
rather have the dispensary than TO
see the law violated by pigs ears
! 'speakeasies" and blind tigers"
| fsa rviu ufnn ey-TnuyOr of HOuS-
ton. said: I'VE don't do as much
business as we did in the days we had
liquor and the people don't come TO
Houston in the same numbers"
Isn't it a fact that the tobacco
sales were 100000 pounds greater
last year than at any time you had
license 2" asked Attorney Adams,
I'm not talking about tobacco
sales: I'm talking about the number
OF people who come to town to spend
money" replied Mr., Darlington. We
! have blind tigers and might as wei
have a dispensary to iegaliEe the sale
OF liquor"
Don't you knowNSthat the vigorous
mayor of South Boston whitfield the
ferocious blind tiger down to an or
binary domesticated cat9' asked Dr.
/ Harmon.
MIR. Darlington attempted to reply
hut his words were drowned py the
laughter and handspring.
The committee went Into executive
| session, with the result that the Dill
or rather bills. for separate measures
were introduced for South Boston ana
/ Houston. went to subcommittee
which will make a report to the com
mittee after an investigation.