The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-17
PROHIBITION FIGHT
OPENS IN COMMITTEE

prises would be destroyed, he said.
and 500 employees thrown out of work.
Prohibition would do the city no good;
its proximity to Washington will make
liquor easy TO get. he argued.
A. d. Profit. OF Alexandria. vice
president of the Chamber of Commerce
and ex-pSesident of the Virginia T. 2.
a., favored local option. He thought
the people had no more right to legis
late liquor out OF his city than the
Legislature has.
Captain N. 7. Patterson. president of
the Common Council OF Petersburg.
protested vigorously against the bill.
/ I'VE have the brain and capacity to
attendAtof our own affairs" said he.
and we are opposed to this centrali-
| Zation OF power.''
/ POSITION of Labor Unions.
Speaking for the brewery employees,
! James j. dreamer, In their name, de-
| manded the defeat of the Strobe meas
| ure.
! The common people would receive
/ no benefit from its passage he said.
| TT would put 1000 people out OF en-
ployment and make them miserable.
| They know that prohibition does not
prohibit. and they favor local option.
Labor people generally have not re-
/
| They feel that agitation of the question
will stir up strife from one end of the
4! State to the other. Labor unions will
| not meet under the same roof that
/ shelters a bar, but the unions do not
say to man: You can't take drink >
Allen Jones. of Newport News, said
/ that prohibition is not Democratic
doctrine The prohibitionists seem to
have departed from their old policy OF
educating the people slowly and let
|ting time stand as the arbiter. They
seem now to be trying to stampede.
/ the Legislature. Newport News has a
condition that calls for local option.
he held.
/ NIcAlistcr Speaks.
At the afternoon session Secretary J..
ID. 3McAlister. OF the Anti-Saloon League
of Virginia, began the cannonadc on
4 1.-The local optionists. lie pointed out
that a majority Of the scounties are
dry, and claimed that a majority of
the people OF Virginia overwhelmingly
favor Statewide prohibition.
The Anti-Saloon League and it's
method of operation was then eX-
lplained by him. Total abolition of the
ltquor traffic had been the original in
tention of the league, is now, and ever
shall be- he asserted. The Strobe bill,
!,
, of the league. promulgated at the con-
vention in January In Senator
Strode" he said. "the temperance peo.
pie have found man after their owr
heart and they have trusted their cause
to him." Petitions. he continued. hat
come from all corners of the State ask
ing Statewide prohibition.
TT is the policy of the Anti-Salool
League to keep itself out of politics,
he asserted, 'and 1t is desired to Sc
gregate this question from other issues
If it were mingled with other cues
lions, the great Improvements of TIL
State, such as schools and good roads
: would DO overshadowed by it.
Shipment of liquor from wet town
y all over the state and out of it int
o other States make the problem non
d local. 1t is really national and al
international question, II saloons ha'
n restrictive licenses, and could not shil
: out of their own towns. then the ques
: ton might be u local one.
"Roanoke, by a puerile majority O
GO. recently voted wet. and under thu
a guise OF a local business. the llauol
Concerns there flood dry territory OF
: 100000 people With liquor.
Talks OF Political Revolution.
!, AS to the question of detriment e
? commercial interests Mr. McAlliste.
4 said that as a majority OF the people
wished State wide prohibition, they
t would lose most, and II, they We're will,
! Ing to lose, then no further question
need be raised. Showing the Increase
Of negro votes in recent local elections
: he said that no political revolution i
desired, hut if this present matter i
! not take up, some political revolutions
are bound to follow. He painted stir,
, ring pictures of the negro menace. !,
! the venal and corrupt members of tht
race are allowed to register wrong
II 4 y, al M 3
Frank Tolbert, in charge of the city
; utilities of panville, said that Dan
: lville had proceeded all right withou
. Iliquor and that her taxable values
!, had risen, The big corporations II
) his town certainly did not want liuuo
8 IN come hack, he asserted 84