Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-02-14
SENATE IN DOUBT
ON PROHIBITION
Canvass Reported to Reveal a Tie
of Twenty to Twenty in Highest
Body on Enabling Act.
CONSTITUENTS ARE WRITING.
Jordan Enabling Act Will BECOME
speciai and. Continuous Business
gHouse On Next Thursday.

"
By almost unanimous vote the
House yesterday decided to take UP
the Jordan enabling act as special ana
con,inuous business next Tuesday at
1890 o'clock.
Richmond, Feb. l%.-Members OF
The State Senate are wondering JUST
what will happen when the time
comes to take vote on the StateW'ue
bill. which was yesterday introduced
in that body by Senator's walker
Saunders. West and Mapp.
That the ,emeprance people pro-
nose to force the fighting there Is no
question. and the fact that the MI
nority in the House has hindered ana
STAYED lEe vote on the Jordan bill is
responsible for the introduction OF
The measure in the Senate, and for
the determined fight that Will be
made to have the bill reported ana
submitted TO the vote Of the Senator'S.
That there is very good reason LOT
believing that the vote will be close
much closer than the opponents OIL
The measure have believed--there IS
no longer any question. 4 careful
poll has been made OF the Senate
and the majority OF several votes that
wore claimed 10 be against the
measure has now dwindled TO tie.
with four members noncommlttal.
but with indications that two OF
Them will vote for the enabling act
THE matter is not one which the
Senate will assume responsibility to:i
defeating said Senator G. Walter
Mann of Accomac. That was the
case Two years ago. The Senate mad
TO carry the load. This time 1t Will
he vastly different. 1t will be mat
ter of individual responsibility ana
each man will have 10 answer TO his
constituents for his vote. Not that
alone, but / happen to know that
pressure is now being put on by the
supporters of the Senators in their
districts. Letters are coming TO
Them in such numbers that Senators
have begun to realize that they are
10 be held responsible for what the
Senate will do in the matter.
'.Candidly. believe that the bill
stands an excellent chance OF becom-
ing law. Why should it not? The
people of the State are not asking
us to give them prohibition. Not a
hit of it. They are merely asking
that they be allowed 10 decide this
matter for themselves. That seems
10 me 10 be. reasonable and fair
enough.
In my opinion the people OF the
state will resent refusal to decide
this matter for themselves. What
will be the consequence? AT the very
next election there will be an effort
tn elect members Of the General AS
emily who are friendly 10 The tenn
nerance view. and they will come
down here and make such 4 clean
sweep of every department that the
marty in power would have trouble
in meeting old friends when they
oome 70 the State departments. |
believe that the part of wisdom is 10
LOT the people have their way on mat
,ars nj this kind. Why are they not
entitled to as much consideration rs
anyone else? They send us here TO
ranresent them. and they know our
views on matters regarding iesisla-
,ion. When we vote TO let the peo-
Mo have voice in the management
of their affairs we do not commiI
ourselves 10 casting our lnol'loua'
votes for the measure which We give
them a chance to vote on. we le
serve the right to vote as we
to- be right"
That there is some alarm among
The advocates Of the liquor traoe
there is no question. They claim 'o
have more than enough votes TO de-
feat the Measure. even if the House
shall pass the Jordan bill. and ye'
they are working among the Senators
rs il they had not more than half
dozen votes pledged 10 them. A care
full canvass of the attitude of Senat'
ors has been made by group of five
members and it shows some interest.
ing matters. There are Just twenty
votes that the group has counted
as uleQuvocally committed to de
feat the Statewide bill, while there
are sixteen who are known to be 70,