The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-22

OF local option. He declared that
two years hence the Antf-SA5oou
League people would be before the
General Assembly asking II to extend
tho provisions Of the Statewide meas.
ure to the remainder OF the United
States and the Dominion OF Canada
The Legislature had, he declared.
been asked TO legislate temptation
of the earth. He declared ironically
that the measure was not sufhciensiy
far-reac ching The men who drew II
had been smoking cigars while they
worked on it. He would rather have
his boy a dram drinker than Gig
arctic fiend. He read figures de-
signed to show that there was more
drunkenness in the city OF Portland.
Me. than In New York, Boston or
j Chicago per thousand population.
/ Norris for Measure.
Mr.. Norris, of Lancaster. then ad-
dressed the House. He declared that
| he had listened to the arguments on
both sides of the case with great
deal Of interest. AS for himself he
expected to vote for the bill. After
all. the sovereign people are the ones
/ to pass on these questions. 1t Ia a
correct principle that the people
should decide the question and II con-
stitutional questions arise later they
! must take care of themselves. Rcfcr-
ring to the Wise measure, having Tor
it's object the making of the present
/ dry" territory wet in case the state
voted wet" he declared that whiskey
was recognized as an evil in itself and
! the people and the law were justified
! in limiting II as far as possible SO TO
do. He declared that he had In con-
versation with member OF the Gen.
! eral Assembly who mad also SAT- as a
member Of the Constitutional Con-
vention been told that II was the in
/ tent of the Constitution to give the
General Assembly ample authority to
take such action as that contemplated
! in the enabling act.
! Mr.. White. of Rockbridge, inter
posed to declare that the debates OF
the convention as shown by the stem
ographic reports did not indicate this
to be true.
| Speaking to the question OF the pox-
er Of the Assembly, MIR. Norris de-
clared that the Assembly two years
hence could do exactly what II had the
right to do, but that he had confident Q
enough in the average legislator to
believe that If a majority of the peo-
pie voted against licensing the sale
of intoxicating liquors the Legislature
would be governed by that decision.
Mr.. Curtis asked II Lancaster paid
in TO the State treasury as much as
It took out and Mr.. Norris with en-
phasis declared that. including the
sums 1t paid through the commits
sioner of fisheries 1t did.
Does Not Claim Prohibition.
Replying TO H. question by Mr.. Coz
he said that his county had been dry
since 1888, although he said he would
not have the nerve to stand up and
say that liquor was sold in the county
nor did he believe that II would he
possible to absolutely prohibit VIC.
iatfons of the law should Virginia vote
dry" The Assembly was not. how.
ever. discussing this question now. The
only question before the House VA.
the passing Of bill to give the PEG.
pie the right TO Noter-H WAS ne m ,rt
than Dem ocratic. in the estimation OIL
the gentleman from Lancaster, 10 or.
der an election when rs p.- cent VI
the voters asked therefor. Sad he
After all and in sipte of the techni
! cal constitutional questions involved
In everything of any momeat there Il
one conception which forces Itself
upon my mind and that IL hat al
; government. all law. all order, every
q. thing must be derived from the SOW
ereign people and 1t will be NJ mis-
take to give them the right to pass o,
. this question.
, Mr.. Montague Opposes.
Mr. Montague, of Richmond. ad
dressed the House in opposition l.
= the measure. He declared that h
. did not believe that the time had We
arrived in Virginia when prohibition
/, was desirable thing. The peopl
: had not spoken with sufficient dis
hnctness upon the subject. He dit
not consider the Jordan measure
fair one as drawn. He declared tina
| under the present measure that
:, petition signed by 27,500 peopi
could call an election, as IL wen
, back to the last gubernatorial cleo
a ton to get the basis on which L
! reckon the rs per cent. There ar
> really, he declared. 100000 qualifle,
:. voters In Virginia. and it should TAX
A 'V,o0o petitioners to call the cleo
- ton. He declared that the peace O
: Richmond should not be interfere,
with by the country districts. II
a deciared that he never had believe
that a state or community shout
have prohibition until so or 90 pc
! cent. of the people favored It, II
denounced as false tho intimatio
o which. he declared. had been mad
g in the Virginia Issue that the rep
'tScitatiNSS lIoil the C1tIeS were On
y der the domination Of the liquor in
i. terests He declared that the Anti
;, Saloon League would never gain an
" Victories by charging men who hav
, | character with being bought and sole
= Inc State was not made up of pea
: pie of one mind. All men did nc
. think alike. He closed by sayin
g that the people were not prepare
4 TO vote at this time on the question
A Has Heard little Argument
n Mr.. Willeroy. of King William, wa
a recognized. He declared that tn
parliamentary situation needed som
clarifying. Bill No. els was undo
. discussion. but few OF the speaker
had touched upon it. In all tn
q arguments that had been made b
i t-kaS1 beard rs S-ssyt1ffs st7vanceT vi
: the House should not pass the bi
n on which ii would soon, or some
: time. vote. The gentlemen fror
, Rockbridge had discussed newspa
= per editorials. but the House wa
considering a measure, not editorial
from newspapers. He referred to tn
] plea OF the wet" speakers that
a | minority was to be permitted to fore
an election. and he spoke OF the man
. ner in which for days a minority .
. the House had thwarted the will O
tie majority on the very ineasur
under consideration. What woul
they have us do? inquired Mr.. Willie
roy. Would they have the petition
for an election signed by ma.
jority Of the voters?