The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-22

| criminal cost per capita as any CONT
IN the State. The Republican party
ne continued. has never decla.cd 10
iE poiicy on the liquor question thai
mat OF local option. Now the Gen ara
| Assembly is asked 10 lcgislate temp
.ation OF the earth. He rend figure.
10 snow that there are more arrest:
IN portland. Maine Il prohibition State
10 tha 1000 Of population than in New
York or Chicago.
nopert y. Norris, Jr., of Lancaster
followed. He contcnucd that whistle,
is an evil within Itself. i member n,
the Constitutional Convention had told
MIN that 1t was the Intent of that body
70 ieaNe these matters to the I,eeis-
ltturc as TO referendum Mr. Whit.
porduced the debates in stenographts
FORM, which showed that the conven-
'inn refused 10 allow STATE option.
continuing. Mr.. Norris said that the
next Legislature could repeal tho Jor-
uah act He would not contend TINT
Lancaster county was free from liuuor
selling. nor would he contend thnt
liquor would not be sold I'm Virginia
under prohibition. but this was a..mat.
Ter OF referring it to the people, and
not OF the liquor problem.
wants More Sentiment
The time has not come for urohibi-
ZION. said Hill Montague, of Richmond
nor will it come until sentiment is al
most unanimous behind II. Local on
ton is written in tn statutes and in
me platforms of the Democratic party.
ana The people have not spoken sum.
GENTLY TO warrant a change
u know that some people in my city
viii criticize me- he said But no:
body has right to think for me. i
do not think it right to force a vote
ut this tima. and | would not vot to;
the bill even If II were fair in it's
terms The bill does not square with
the petitions. Those who arc behind
inns measure and are sending in their
petitions are asking for n different
election-one which is backed by thu
signatures OF % per cent: of the quail
flied voters. instead of % per cent. Of
those who voted in the last election
for Governor. Be- fair first, and then
come and ask for your sumptuary laws.
You are asking that 27.5o0 voters may
can an election. The people are asking
that 10000 shall be required. or % per
cent. of the qualified vote"
prohibition Will nevar prohibit. pur-
sued Mr.. Montague. until so to 90 p"r
cent. of the people want 1t from con
srientious reasons. 4, He read from j
report of the National Conference on
Charities and Correction to show that
prohibitory laws cannot b. enforced
in large cities.
tcsent LcnEue's Charge.
The Virginia Issue. the organ of
the Anti-Saloon League OF Virginia
ne said, . has said i the city repre1
sentatvas on this floor arc dominate {,
b! the liquor interests rerudiatc
This. The AntiSaloon League will
never win by charging that men who
think they have character have been
bought and sold"
He concluded by saying that the
craftsman OF the bill must have known
that the Legislature must pass pro-
hibitory law. and not the people. or
he would not have postponed its talk
ing effect until May |. 1919.
w. y. Willeroy. of King William.
said he would vote his convictions
thought differently. so he would vote
for the bill He did not think the op-
ponents Of the measure had touched
tbs real question. He said SIR. White
should itivc known shat the Hous,
would not be misled by the editorial
in the Richmond Nirginian He doubt
ed tho sincerity of the other side when
minority rule for this bill! requires
majority vote. If unconstitutional.
ii could easily be defeated in the
courts.
~ vote for the measure. said Daniel
Coleman. of Norfolk. would he the
preparation Of IL violent act against
the Constitution and against the oaths
or the members. 1t was an old maxim
In law. he argued, that delegated au-
thority cannot be again delegated.
Peculiar Bill.
This bill. he proceeded. was drawn
by man either who does not know
the law or else designedly left loop
ROLES for its violation. For instance.
II said that II false signatures 10 The
petition are knowingly" secured there
shall be penalty. The intent can
never be shown. he contended. IRE
sponsible people could go about and
get signatures TO the petition for an
election, genuine or false, and could
not be punished for violation of the
law since It could not be proven they
did ii knowingly. THE lawyer who
got up the BILL" nc said, was either
ignorant or shrcwd and cunning. An
oNcaT; could be driven through it,
And Vet It's hackers are coming here"
he exclaimed. crying unclean' to
those who Will not sgree with them.