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


the introduction of the referendum
would merely multiply elections. said
II. b. Roberts. OF Mecklenburg He in
CURED. II the State goes dry. where
Will the prohibitionists get their
liquor for family use?" Should they
include ali the country the '.drys"
would speedily vote liquor back so
mat they could get it. If prohibition
is TO come. he wanted TO see is brought
about in a Democratic primary.
Ignorant or Deceptive.
There was GREATNESS attention when
Hugh y. White arose. lie desired To
state again that the Anti saloon
League had either wroagfully or ignu-
rantly Inislcd the people. and had
dumped upon the House an editorial in
the i;ichmond Virginian directly con
tfaryl TO tho contents OF the bill. This
iact was now admitted In an editorial
Of yesterdays issue. But that express
sion had been taken back. and the
paper now says that the bill puts into
the hands OF the people the law-Tnak:.
ing power,
1T says it is not the organ OF the
Anu-Saloon League he said, yet
when brick LANDED in the backyard
OF the paper the Anti Saloon League
howled. 1t would have been as little
as that paper could have done to say
mat II mad been mistaken"
The liberties of tre'peoplc. he said
are being swept away from under
their feet
lie then read carefully from the de-
bates OF the Constitutional Convention
proposition OF DR.. Thomas S. Dun
away, OF Lancaster. that In 1905 the
people should vote on a law legalizing
the sale Of liquor In packages and do
ing away with open saloons. had been
defeated by a vote OF Is TO 30. Then.
after recess. Judge Walter a. Watson.
who had voted for the Dunaway prop
osition said 1t would destroy the right
of community to regulate its own
affairs and would be far worse than
local option laws. This he determined
after research.
Wanted Express Right.
IF the Legislature were to have a
right under section GO. then already
adopted. to refer the liquor question
to vote OF the people" inquired Mr..
Write, why should DR. Runaway have
sought TO give it an express right?"
There was considerable cross-fire be-
tween Mr.. White and Mr.. Weaver, the
latter discussing local option laws.
Mr.. White said that was not an Issue,
since the right Of local option in many
matters came down in charter rights
from tho laws OF England.
He said ne would prove his propo-
sition to any court, but did not expect
to convince some of those who We're
questioning him.
This proposal before the convcn-
tion." he continued. was TO refer the
matter only once. and yet 1t refused
to do that because 1t would interfere
with the rights OF localities.
The tea in Boston harbor did not
cause the Revolution. 1t was only an
incident In chain of events. 1t Is
the entering wedges which In time
sweep away the superstructure build
ed by e people"
Warning of Danger.
Referring to ths sarcastic remarks
about constitutional lawyers. Mr..
White spoke OF Patrick Henry. George
Mason. John Marshall. constitutional
lawyers" who had helped to make the
building of representative government
The league Is trying" he said. &c
tie tho people of Virginia to wheels
OF n Juggernaut This Is n cloud or
the horizon no bigger now than q
mans hand, but which will develop
into a flood which will destroy the
foundations OF our government.
"All that Is within mo appeals to
me that I am as honest as the mem
bers Of the Anti-Saloon League.
stand mere 10 defend the CONSTITUTION
The liquor question is as nothing COM
pared to this danger. Let us try thi'
caso free irom passion and prejudice
There arc remedies for evils without
doing violence to constitutional rights
and statute laws"
Edwin p. Cox said there was a moral
side to this questionable matter OF
Observance Of the oaths of office
the members
He began to read extracts from
Cooley on constitutional Limlta-
lions" which said that Legislatures
have no power to refer the adoption
or rejection Of general law to tht
people OF state.
He was Interrupted by the motioI
to adjourn. Mr.. Cox said he desire
to consume only about ten minutes
longer, but a majority Of the Hous,
wished to end the session.