The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-18
RESULT Of POLL
A D|SAPP0|NT MENT
ONLY ONE LEGISLATIVE CANDI-
DATE OPPOSED TO LOCAL
OPTION.
A TEMPERANCE
LEDMAN LETTERS NOT INSTI-
GATED by ANTI-SALOON LEAGUE
nut SEEKING INFORMATION
FOR VOTERS.

bisappointnent prevails among
those who signed the petition sent
out by s. l.. Ledman, asking the leg
is}atiye candidates how they would
vote in the next General Assembly on
State wide prohibition and on a meas
ure having for its object the prevent
ing of shipments of liquor from wet
to dry localities.
1t was fully expected that at least
four or five of the candidates would
favor these two measures. but when
the returns came in from the Ledman
poll it was found that only one can
didate was favorable to the temper
ance end of the proposition. and he
was by no means enthusiastic, As a
matter of fact. this candidate. who
was NJ y. Campbell, of Washington
Ward, only favored one of the meas
ures, declaring emphatically that un-
less Congress took initial action in
the matter he would vote against any
bill seeking to prohibit the shipping Of
liquor into dry. territory.
Campbell Went Half Way.
ON the question of an enabling act.
Atr Campbell said
Il have been a Democrat all of my
life. not a political prohibitionist nor
q prohibition politician and / am Il
candidate for NOMINATION subject to the
Democratic primary and as a Demo-
crat / recognize the right of the ma
lority To be heard on any public ques-
lion Of large Importance. Therefore,
II elected, | would vote for such It
measure SO that the people OF the
State may have the privilege 81 de-
-G.4la<-taiS -4uGStian- themselves
ard in order that this vexed question
may be decided independent of party
consideration and without inyois ing
ordinary political or party align
ments.
While the candidates were given
about two weeks IN which To make
reply 10 Mr.. t.edman queries, they
all answered promptly, and eleven or
the twelve aspirants for seats in the
next General Assembly made Il per
feegly plain that they favored local
option and not Statewide prohibition.
aad that from a business standpoint
il would lie un@ise and useless for
Virginia 10 pass a Law prohibiting the
shipment of liquor into dry territory
so long as the interstate law allowed
the iutoxicaHts to be shipped from
other States.
Was Temperance Movement
The promoters Of the plan 10 get
the poll ~ the candidates say they
had no special object IN view In seek
ing this Information, further than 10
enliehten about 500 voters who are
largely interested in temperance. The
movement. they SAY, was not fustered
hy the Anti-Saloou League or any
church orgA ni1ation. but was absu-
lutely an independent affair looking
IL the enlightenment If the voters on
what they considered two very vital
questions
Greatly Disappointed.
They were greatly disappointed al
the replies received, and had expected
that certainly one-t third Of the can
didates would favor the two meas
ures II Is very likely thar the mat
ter VIE be carried no further Had
there have been a larger number fav-
cradle IA the movement IL is very
likely that some sort Of endorsement
81 thesc men would have been made
an appeal would have been made for
the support OF such candidates b. the
temperance people of the city.
No Temperance Organization,
II is understood that there is no
organized temperance body Ia Rich
mend and that had there been the PEE
tltion would have come from that or
ganizaiion rather than from MIR. Led
man, who vas representing the sign
trs or the paper.
Mr. Ledman says that tho result
q the poll would leave no antagonis-
tie bitterness among the signers or
lhe petition each Of whom would
vote In the coming primary accordn g
t. the dictates nj his own conscience
and personal regard Tor the candi-
date.