The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-25
HEARING IS HELD
ON ENABLING ACT
Jordan Prohibition Bill Consider.
ed by House Elections
Committee.
MANY ARG U M ENTs MADE
Thomas Whitehead, as Ring"
Democrat, Asks for Vote
on Subject.

on SuD)eCt.
For tho second time during the pres.
eht session tho hall OF the House OF
delegates was on yesterday afternoon
crowded with attendants upon public
nearing This time the question under
consideration was the Jordan bill to
permit an election upon petition on
tho subject OF Statewide prohibition.
me body hearing tho arguments pre-
scented was. as when woman suffrage
was the program, the House Committee
on Privileges and Elections
There was some preliminary discus
Sion as 10 procedure. Samuel l.. KEEL
ley, for tho opposition, said nc had
speakers who would like TO be heard
later. and that he supposed the ses-
sions of yesterday would be given to
the affirmative. The committee decided
upon this, with the understandable that
It future hearing would be had for the
negative, and that the Antisaloon
League will have ono speech to close
tho debate While this discussion was
on there was considera bio applause in
tho shape Of shouts and yclIs. which,
Chairman Williams seid must not hap
pen again.
Many Speeches Nude.
j. Il. Jordan, the patron of the bill,
spoke briefly In opening the discussion.
Rev. james Cannon, D. D., Introduced
the speakers, some of whom made NOV
Ing talks on tho subject Of temperance.
while others said this was rot the is
sue, the question being to give the peo-
pie the right to vote.
Mrs. Fl. NJ. Hoge epoke for the NYo-
mans Christian Temperance Union and
Mrs. G. Tyler Jobson for the Woman
temperance League of America Rev
j. II. Light. editor of publications for
the Virginia Anusaloon League quoted
figures which he said showed that in
the wet counties in the State one In
thlrty-one of the population were last
year rut in jail. and that in the sixty
SIN dry counties (not entirely dry. he
added, that being a condition which
could not be expected to EXIST the
average was one in i91 of the popula-
tion. He knew that centres of popu-
iauon had something to do with this.
Dir. Stuart Speaks.
t,eS. George Il. stuart. the evangelist
VI SleFeianu, Tenn, maze an eiuuuent
ADDRESS, detailing the eviIs OF the H.
quor frame. RE suIu ~ per ce.t OF
tue divorces are Cn~rSeapie TO IL He
arsuea tnat legisia.ors arc to MAKE
laws on three suuJects-to protect
l.Nes. happlness anu property
Rev; !. 81. Pitcher. ur phoebus,
thousht II would be better If no liquor
licenses were Issueu. anu wnIsKey could
be sold 5 freely as hour. por, SO rar
as nc could see, there was no hope
tnat te"eraI liquor licenses would ever
De abandoned. Inc growing needs Of
inc national government lor money
would prevent change az long as
that government lusts.
ReH. q. w. Pcrryinan. OF Norfolk,
stressed the Individual Responsibilities
OF the legislator. and told or inc mise
RES OF the drunkards home.
Makes Teiing Address.
Rev. Edwin T. WelIforh, of Newport
News, TOOK different view from those
expressed by Mr.. Stuart and MIR. Per-
ryman. He SAID temperance was not
an issue at all. the proposition being
one or the right of tile people 10
decide the question. Democratic doe
trlne, he SAID, was that States rights
must be preserved. and that centrallza-
tlon OF power must be checked and
controlled in the interest OF the whole
people. The ciIes. he continued. have
no right TO dominate Virginia. Mem
Ders who voted against the enabling
that they are afraid OF the intelli-
gcncc OF the people. or are AFRAID chat
the question Will be decided right His
address was regarded as perhaps the
noon.
a recess was taken for dinner, and
the committee reasseInbled at o'clock.
The hrst speaker ut night was Rev.
7. c. Schiller, OF Nashville, Tenn, who
said this was his hrst visit to Rich
mond, and who paid tribute to the
city and State. He urged the passage
OF an enabling act. which he said was
asked by the best citizenship of the
State.
Mr.. Schiller said there could be but
enue and that prohibition does not
prohibit" To the former. he said that
the liquor Licensed are paid by the
trade of the people. To the second
a hnf hn In Il.
would make such a claim. and that II
would be put forth by manufacturers
elsewhere.
Every vlrtuous woman in Virginia, .
he asserted, lis teaching her boys 10
vote against the liquor traffic"
Discuss Next Hearing.
When he concluded there was Il de-
bate over the date OF the next hearing.
Mr.. Oliver, after consulting the dates
, of the committees engagements moved
to make It Friday. February 9. DR..
might injure the chances OF the bill.
Mr.. Oliver resented n suggestion that
this was his purpose.
the chair, moved that the date BIO made
Tuesday next at 10 o'clock. saying that
an early day should be given, In JUS
tice to the advocates of TIP PROPOSE
ton. There was great applause and
Mr.. Cox asked that the deliberations
of the committee be not interrupted in
this way. The sldience laughed and
Jeered MIR. COX until requested by Dr..
Cannon to desist. The Williams mo-
ton was agreed to-
j. w. Hough, of Norfolk. the next
speaker. said he represented no great
body in his section. He spoke Of the
undesirable side OF Broad Street being
the saloon side.
1t was not matter OF whether one
Steele. of Campbell county. 1t was not
II representatives business, he thought,
how the people would decide the uues-