The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-26
FEAR D|sSENs|ON
WILL Be RESULT
RICHMOND CHAMBER OF COM
MERGE OPPOSES PASSAGE OF
ENABLING ACT.
THINKS 1T DISASTROUS
COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT RESO-
LuTIONs AND PETITION TO
SENATE COMMITTEE
TONIGHT.

Basing their petition chiefly upor
the fear that discord in the family
and dissenssion among friends will re-
suit, the board Of directors of the
Richmond Chamber OF Commerce Will
ask the State Senate to defeat the
Jordan enabling act. At meeting
Saturday with about four-fifths OF the
membership the board adopted reso-
lutions and framed IA protest they Will
present tonight to the Senate Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections at an
open hearig on the measure.
On the committee are John G. Eas-
ley. James N. Boyd, l.. z. Morris. w
Moncure. John b. Purcell. John @.
Corley.
The resolutions read:
.'lnasmuch as prohibition cannot
prohibit under the rules Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission OF the
United States, and believing 1t to be
wrong for the rural districts OF the
State. without police protection. to de-
eide this question for the cities. with
police protection: and believing that
the moral effect OF such legislation
will be hurtful to both cities and
State:
BE is therefore resolved by the d.
rectors of the Richmond Chamber of
posed to the Jordan bill. to provide
Tor the calling and holding of an cleo
ton upon the question of prohibiting
the manufacture and sale OF intoxi-
eating liquors. and TO declare the ef-
feet Of the result of such election.
The petition that accom- panies the
resolutions Is given;
THE Richmond Chamber of Com
merce Is body primarily organized to
foster and protect the manufacturing
and commercial interests of Rich
mond. but which at the same time 10
profoundly interested In its general
welfare and In that OF the State Mt
large. As rule 1t sudiously avoids
being involved in religious and politi-
cal questions or issues of that char
acter as beyond It's province. but un-
der certain circumstances II feels fully
warranted in considertn~ the evil ef-
fects Of the unwise and misdirected
agitation of those questions.
Consistent with this declaration OF
Its objects. the Richmond Chamber OF
Commerce. through It's board OF d.
rectors. respectfully submits to your
honorable body that the proposition TO
submit by referendum to the people OF
Virginia the question OF Statewide
prohibition of the liquor traffic is
xIAuAnt Win DANGER III tHe Htcss u4s-
astrous consequences.
TT Is not proposed in this petition
70 discuss whether prohibition Is de-
strable or not: whether prohibition
does prohibit. and IL It does not the
disrespect for law which 1t produces,
but II simply proposes to consider the
question OF the referendum.
This chamber believes in the pres
ant representative form Of govern
ment. and therefore is OF the opinion
that should Statewide prohibition In
the State OF Virginia ever become
necessary. tina the duly constituted
representative OF the peop'a in the
General Assembly should decide that
question.
But 1t in now proposed to inject
this question in a political canvass
throughout the entire State. The
chamber does not see the occasion for
this most radical measure; on the
contrary. II sees many reasons OF par
amount Importance against II. The
liquor traffic has never been so well
regulated In the State OF Virginia as
It is at present. and wherever Local
conditions render II desirable the local
option law enables each community 10
prohibit the sale of liquor.
Should the bill providing for the
submission Of this question to vote
Of the people under certain conditions
be enacted into law and should those
conditions be complied with. II bitter
and relentless campaign VIII distrac,
tho people or Virginia to degree
that would he most lamentahle and
disastrous: for against the advocates
and supporters Of this measure there
will be arrayed not only that class OF
citizens Of the State whose property
will be annihiiated BY Statewide pro-
hibit.on, but many Of their sympa-
thixers and people who are conscien-
tiously opposed TO sumptuary legisla-
ton. and also number who would be
bitterly opposed to an increase In
the State tax rate which must in
svttably result from the loss Of state
revenue from the liquor traffic which
prohibition would cause.
ut IL within the memory Of most
Il a. W haw Virginia WAS torn with dis
senSfons ana discord Tor years over
the State debt question: how friends,
relations and families were arrayed
and embittered against each other
how all business was disturbed. pro-
4ress and development checked. and
tho Democratic marty defeated. and
for years the government placed In
the hands Of Republicans.
In the opinion OF the chamber II
II not An .exaggcration to say that a
State campaign on the prohibition
question might result agatnsin ,Irndne,
inE number Of similar evils.
"For those most important consid
Grafton the Richmond Chamber OF
Commerce earnestly petitions the Gen
eral Assembly OF Virginia to reject
House bill No. 2ls. providing for the
calling and holding Of an election
upon the question OF prohibiting the
manufacture and sale Of Intoxicating
liquors. and to declare the effect u
the result Of such election. or any
other bill which has for It's purpose
tho aubmts-.-- hat question to q
,e Of the people
SHOT IN THE SACK,
BUT WILL RECOVER