The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-03
FINAL ARGUMENT
0 N PROHIBITION
Jordan Bill Will Be Considered
by House Committee
on Monday.
LEADERS ARE CONSERVATIVE
McAlistcr Says Men at Head Of
Antisaloon League Hold
Back Followers.
LEADERS ARE CONSERVATIVE

Men who are tho leaders In the Anti
the conservative force, constantly
Keeping In check the radicals, accord
Ing to Rev. ]. u. McAlister, superln-
tendent of the league. In his closing
argument last night in support of the
Jordan prohibition enabling act He
held out the possibility. IL the bill is
not passed. that the men in control
| VIII DO swept off their feet. He there
! fore asked the House Committee on
privileges and Elections to afford an
outlet for public sentiment, and to
save the Democratic party from harm.
TO further show how the leagues
leaders have set themselves against
the current which would have swept
them from the moorings they had
established, Mr.. McAlister specifically
disclaimed that his organization had
anything to do with the lnsurrcction
In Rockingham county during the past
autumn, when tho Republicans carried
the county, and when the wet" people
were supposed to have gained the vic.
tory. He said also that the league
neither invited nor provoked the pro-
test which SO nearly caused the defeat
of the Democratic nominees In Augusta
county. The league. he said. has no
in local fights.
/ Debate Now Ended.
| Both sides on the prohibition Qucs
ton made their concluding arguments
last night, and at IL o'clock. according
to schedule, the case was submitted
for consideration by the committee on
Monday. Samuel l.. Kelley and former
Speaker w. ID. Cardwell were the only
! speakers for the opposition at this
hearing, and Mr., NIcAlister made the
sole argument for the Jordan bill.
| Each quoted statistics. which were
SO much at variance that 1t would be
] evident their publication could not be
cnlighteninE. The figures were pro-
duccd to prove widely varying POSI-
tons.
Mr.. Kelley, referring to remarks
about his representation of the liquor
interest. said that there were possibly
others who got their livelihood from
their advocacy of the bill and It's cause.
He conceded the same sincerity which
he himself felt. He denied that there
Is an Inherent right to vote vested in
any man. showing how women. chill
dren, insane and criminals are not per-
United to vote, and that the franchise
is I; privilege.
i Evils Exaggerated.
The evils of liqucr selling and
drinking, said Mr.. Kelley. have been
tremendously exaggerated. On this
point he quoted statistics rega riding
pauperism. insanity and crime. He en-
deavored to show that Atlanta. in q
prohibition State, had in n certain
period more arrests than Richmond.
Those States which have tried this ex-
pedient haHc, he continued, in the
main abandoned it.
Most of the sediment FOR the bill!
he believed, WIS manufactured, and he
H.
to disbund, sentiment would disappear
within three months. Is petition OF
o5 per cent. OF the voters in tee pre-
cedinG gubernatorinl election, he
pointed out, in securing q liquor cleo.
tion. would represent not more than
; Is per cent. OF the voting population
Says It's Not Constitutional.
Mr.. Cardwelrs remarks were largely
directed at the bill. which he saiu wat
clearly unconstitutional, inasmuch ne
/, the Constitution eonfers on the Gen
eral Assembly the power TO pass law:
on the subject and 1t should not dele.
} gate this power He made Il plea that
, Virginia do not embark into the prnc'
. tice of initiative and referendum bot
OF which were enforced by this bill
: He vastly preferred prohibition &c
such a course, and commended that tn,
, ! Legislature has the sole right to pas!
, a prohibitory law. He stood witt
, Governor Mann, he said, in advocacy
of local option.
On this latter point Mr.. McAiistel
merely replied that the Governor hal
urged an antijug law at the hands o
Z this Legislature. He took UP one b!
: one the men VINO have appeared
e against the Jordan bin, saying tina
they represented places wher' larg
proportion OF the population hat
been Jailed during the past year
I Those cities represented. he said. hat
!. in few cases gone In ADVANCE OF tn
state law, in spite OF their boaste'
regulation.
ConcludinE. Mr. McAlister uttered
| Dol ~