The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-25

the Constitution. but the liquor traf.
fc has not been willing tina, this In
telliSent and patriotic electorate should
settle this question. During the past
year tha agents of the liquor traffic
have, by means best known to them
selves. persuaded the State officials to
TcGiste. q large number of negroes
solely for the purpose Of voting on
the license question.
Ihis seems - be the position of The
Times Dispatch. 1t fatty declares that
no law which is not approved by a
majority of those who have to live
under 1t Will be supported. Following
out this reasoning, The Dispatch
must declare that tho new Constitution
Will not be, supported because II is
not approved "by Il majority dnclud-
Ing negroes) OF those who have to
live under IT," and. furthermore, fol-
must declare that the new Constitu-
ton ought never to have become the
law OF the State, because a majority of
the people living under it dncluding
negroes) would not have voted for 1t.
The Anti-Saloon League. on the con-
trary. believes, and adopted the re-
port of the legislative committee
which declares. that "a majority OF
the intelligent and patriotic citizens
OF the State" should govern the State,
aud there was no reason fer the editor
of The Times-Dtspatch to doubt the
meaning of the report, because later
On the report denounces the effort OF
the liquor sellers to register the negro
vote in order to overcome the ma
jority of the intelligent voters.
Moreover, the Legislative committee
said the majority of the intelligent
and patriotic citizens "of the State"
meaning exactly what it said. 1t did
not mean that a majority OF the PEG.
pie in each separate community must
agree to the law. Certainly it did not
mean that no law ought to be passed
by the General Assembly of Virginia
which Is not approved by the people
me state. The General Assembly OF
virginia has passed a law forbidding
sunday labor. which Law is not en-
1prce c IN the city of Richmond. Shall
fuse to pass such a law because it
will not be enforced in Richmond?
The General Assembly has passed a
law forbidding the existence OF houses
enforced in the city of Richmond.
Shall the General Assembly refuse to
pass such a law because 1t Will not
be enforced In Richmond? According
PASSED by the General Assembly which
VIII not be enforced in every district,
town or city in the State. Each Board
of Supervisors. each Town and City
Council should have the right to set
up Its own code OF laws and decline
to be governed by any other.
Tho report OF the Anti-Saloon
League committee meant exactly what
It said. no more and no less-tiat the
law enacted should be "the Expressed
VIII OF the majority Of the Intelligent.
not intend to say, and it did not say.
"a. majority of those who have to live
under, II" and It did not say a ma
and city. The Times-D Dispatch can md
no support for Its position from any
statement made by the committee OF
the Ant-saloon League. majority
Of the intelligent. patriotic citizens OF
which they think to be for the best
interest Of the State as a whole, and
the Anti-Saloon League demands that
they be given that right.
JAMES CANNON. j r.,
Chairman of Legislative Committee OF
Anti-Saloon League of Virginia.
Richmond, January a.