Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-03-31

The most excilHHg cam paiSh eNei
osnducted in this city came to close
last Monday when the polls closed IN
tho election held for and against Ii
canse. The city council had ordered the
election an test of public sentiment
nm the question Of license or no license
and the result was SO decisive that
members of the city council have
,,ithout hesitation declared that there
will be no applications for liquor IL
censes entertained and there will not
be.
The community WAS never SO thor
oughIy aroused as by the agitation Of
this matter during this campaign. The
leaders of both sides did their best in
every way and especially in the matter
of public speaking. Both sides secured
the best the country could afford. The
dry forces led off with Miss Lillian
I Phelps, followed by former Governor
| Hanly, Of Indiana, Hon. Seaporn
Wright of Rome Georgia. and during
the last few days Captain Richmond
Pierson Hobson and Clinton n. How
ard, the last named from Rochester,
". The vets got the best for their
side the country contained and that
was former Mayor Rose, of Milwaukee
Wisconsin.
These orators together with the ex
celleut newspaper campaign stirred the
people as they were never stirred be-
fore. The people would pour out to
the meeting and at each of the meet
ings at the opera house, which would
hold more than thousand people,
there would be nearly as many turned
away as would get in.
The man who above all others, per-
haps, who stirred the people was the
inimitable Hobson. Captain Hobson is
wonder He is strong, logical. force
full and especially eloquent. 1t was
no unusual thing to hear people re-
mark that his addresses were the
Sleatcst tuCy ONOi hOhiu SFSu otaOA
hearing the eloquent Hanly and the
convincing Wright. There were more
people turned away at each of his lec-
lures than could possibly get into the
building and when he had spoken for
two hours and more the audience urged
him to 90 on.
The Rose meeting was great fiasco.
Persons who were present say that the
only speech that was made was that OF
Col. s. W. Walker. Rose was heralded
as the only only and there were great
| flocks of people who went to hear him
and not few came away dry who
had gone there wet.
There were no votes made oy- the
meeting for the vets. ON the Other
hand it was help to the dry cause
When Monday morning came the
people were ready and they simply de-
luged the polls. The vote was about
the largest ever polled in the town
244S votes were cast and Of that mum
Der there were 1913 wet and 1910 dry a
net majority of 172 for dry.
1t was a great surprise to the wet
people who were thinking that they
would have majority of from $50 to
$40. They had not taken into con.
sldeFalioa the high tension to which
me 7 ppnla haI
Another factor which was surprise
10 the liquor forces was the great mum.
Der of their customers who deal Of
'uelr bars daily who voted dry. There
were numbers of people who were reg
ular drinkers Who'll voted to close the
saloons so that the temptation might
oe taken from their pathway.
Another factor was the i'm possibility
OF communication between the inside
the election officers and ithe workers
On the outside. When vote wal
bought it was impossible to tell wheth.
er the goods were delivered or not and
many of the voters who say they were
PAID for voting wet when they got tG
the booth cast dry votes.
There was little or no disturbance
Uurlpg the day though people were
Aeyed up to the highest tension. The
oay passed off quietly with the excep
"oh Of few little jars which amount
ed to nothing.
When the result was made known
NneTe was great rejoicing by the Cry
People and corresponding blneness
0a The part of the liquor forces. There
was meeting at the dry headquarters
@'onee and resolutions were passed tc
''e elect that the fight has only be
sun and every lone present pledged
''lAself that he would never lay Down
ans arms until "Martinsburg is dry
'"oeed and in truth. The church bells