The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-01
FRIDAY. MARCH i, 1912.
FAIR PLAY FOR JORDAN BILL.

FAIR PLAY FOR JORDAN BILL.
Opponents OF the Jordan Act yesterday made
tNo nearly successful efforts to do in the
Senate exactly what they fought tooth and
nail in the House. Co. to bring about immediate
consideration Of the bill without previous
notice and with a minimum of argument
Because The advocates of the bill success
fully resisted these efforts. the liquor forces
were going about in gee and confidence de
claiming that the temperance people had re-
coded from their position.
Let us examine this claim. for what 1t is
worth
When the Jordan measure introduced in
the ffouse, It was apparent from the beginning
that it was favored by large majority Of its
members what course did It's opponents pur-
sue? Delay In the committee: delay after the
bill took it's place on the calendar, delay and
more delay. through every species of dilatory
tactics A vote finally had In the House,
only because the temperance forces proved
themselves strong enough and wise enough to
enfosce majority rule
Bui, GfSpltG Il GEAR majority, the JORDAN Dill
advocates did not do what the opponents of the
measure are now trying to do in tho Senate
They did not force snap judgment. They did
not attempt TO compel precipitate action. They
did not look either to ambush or surprise for
the carrying of their ends. Instead they de-
manded that date be set for a vote. They
insisted upon an orderly and sufficient hearing
of the question on the floor not only for them
selves but for the Bills opponents, When they
now fight in the Senate for the same privilege
which they accorded the negative sentiment in
the House, they ask only the justice that they
gave.
No. the supporters of the Jordan bin are
not asking for delay. The opponents of the
bill ae not in reality doing otherwise than they
did in the House. Their effort now to compel
snap vote has the same design which ami
mated their effort in the lower House to prevent
any vote at all Now that the liquor people
feel that they have Il majority OF Senators in
their favor. they wish to take no chances.
They are as eager for action they
formerly were for inaction. When they now
agitate for an immediate vote, they are doing
in another way what they did before in the
House: They are seeking to negative, prevent
and peryert what every legislator by this time
must know beyond the shadow of doubt is the
sentiment of clear majority of the people OF
the State. Such sentiment is a dangerous
I thing with hundreds OF ways in which 1t can
be made effective. Those who would perpe
tuate the liquor traffic now desire nothing
better than to keep that sentiment mute.
What the temperance people ask for the Jor-
dan Act is nothing than they insisted
upon in the House: the fixing OF day upon
which 1t may be taken up in orderly course,
argued eomprehensively but al limited length,
and put to a square, fair vote In the Senate.
when every Senator Will OCCUPY 1he-p position
y that he should wish to occupy in such crisis
1.-The position OF standing up and voting his
convictions in, full recognition of his response
biIities and with fun appreciation OF what his
constituents think of his action.
We have heretofore referred TO ugly rumors
concerning an alleged trade between Republic
cans and Democrats wherein the defeat of
Statewide prohibition is said to be made the
price or failure IN redstrict Congressional
districts in the State Naturally, such rumors
have been Indignantly denied. Certainly, the
Senate owes it to itself not 10 lend them further
color by adopting the peculiar procedure OF
forcing vote the Jordan bill ahead Of a
vote on the question which has become the
subject Of such whisper and innuendo.