The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-22
Anti-Saloon League to Adhere
Rigidly to its Nonpartisan
Attitude
PRESS THE WORK
WITH GREAT VIGOR
President Atkins in His An
nual Address Calls Upon
Friends of the Cause
for Increased Zeal
and Activity

NEWPORT NEWS. VA. Feb. ga
President Henry Pearce Atkins an
nual address. the presentation OF
which was the most interesting Tea
ture of the opening session last night
of the State convention OF the Viz
ginia Anti-Saloon League, Is q paper
of far-reaching interest and great i'm
portance. In IL Rev. Mr.. Atkins
sounds the battle cry for a saloon
less Virginia" The report produced
a profound impression. After brief
opening. referring to the reports or
othe officers to he presented the re-
port says,
In January. 1910. our convention
met in Richmond, Va. 1t adjourned.
after most harmonious session. with
out compromise of principle ana
without change of purpose. Not 8
motion, not recommendation, not
a resolution, passed by that body. was
at variance with the policy to which
the league has stood committed for
decade. In ten years of warfora
against the liquor traffic 1t has been
necessary TO make a change of
methods-to pass in conservative way
from the newest of the old to the
oldest Of the new--but 1t has never
been necessary to profess content
nient with less than the absolute an
Inhalation Of the saloon In Virginia.
not has it been necessary to enter
into entangIing alliances or unholy
covenants to hasten needed refor-
nation. Previous to the convention
OF 1910 the league declared for local
option as the best method of dealing
with the problem In hand, and had
conditions In 1919 proved the same
as conditions in 1906 and '97 and 'os
and '09, there would have been no
reason for departure. Ii was not be-
cause the Anti-Saloon League Of vir-
ginia WAS unwilling to wage its war
fare according To its former methods
that It declared for new methods In
the convention of 1910, but because
IL had gone by Its former methods
as far as II could go with profit to
its cause. ana because the liquor in
terests of this Commonwealth had
preoipitated the condition which
made change OF method absolute
~ necessary. The league has never
been fettered by hard -and-fast, iron
bound. Mede and Persian legislation
as to the mere matter of method. IL
has stated its purpose. 1t has decIar-
ed its policy, And year by Year !ts
executive committee has lahored ac-
cording to the Instructions OF the last
convention. These instructions have
been logical, sane and safe; and the
executive committee has never felt
that IL has not been granted all the
liberty IL : Required. - 's@'> +''' y,
Logical and sane Program
The program for 1919. based upon
the report OF the committee ON legis-
la,ion. was the most logical. the sanest
and the safest. ever offered to this
league. 1t is not necessary for me TO
do more than remind you of its pro-
pisiosass Ii contemplated the enab-
ling act (which the Legislature of
1910 refused and which the legisIa-
ture of 1919 will grant and the vote
by the people (which will not be a
matter OF record in 1914 but which
win be q matter of history--God
grant TIN 1919. The executive
committee of this league attempted to
carry out that program. Every hon
orable means OF securing an enabling
act were put forth -hy-nur- workers.
The league went in debt to the amount
OF $4,000 In that campaign alone for
expenses of printing, postage. teie-
phone and telegraph communications.
We lost---no. the STROBE bin simply
failed OF passage. We won-not In
the legislature but In the sentiment of
Virginia. We shall hear more OF this
and from those not identified with
our league-before this convention
has ended.
In the Judgment of your retiring
president a comprehensive program
for the coming year may be found in
these resolutions which I respectfully
submit to this convention:
/. Let 1t be resolved that the
Anti-SaIoon League OF Virginia
adhere absolutely TO that which
has been Its avowed purpose for
he N ia nf
all its efforts--the abolition OF
the saloon.
3. Let 1t be resolved that the
ti-Saloon League of Virginia
commit itself unreservedly for
| another year to the program de-
termined year ago, when its
convention declared for the
enabling act and popular vote
upon the question OF the license
of the saloon.
8. Let It be resolved that the
Anti-Saloon League of Virginia
continue without fear and with
out favor Its nOn-partisan atti-
tude in all political campaigns.
combining, Its activities to the
questioning OF candidates for Of
fees in the gift of the people
as to their past record and o. 60
emit position on all questions of
temperance legislation. publish
ing their replies for the infor-
nation OF voters everywhere
throughout the State.
1. Let 1t be resolved that the
Anti Saloon League Of Virginia,
through its chosen servants. pros
ecute the work with redoubled
energy. usif In this crisis more
money for Its campaign OF edn-
cation and more men fer Its cam
paign of agitation than have ever
been used In all its history.
The Aimv-A SaIoonlcss Virginia.
IT Is not necessary to do more than
state this firat resolution. We are
past the stege when II 10 necessary