The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-03

Z or INC Sccond time IN lib long and
honorable history tho Senate of yir-
giniu was cSlcd upon. yesterday to
pass upon the wisdom and constitu-
tionaiity OF submitting to popular
referendum the question OF Statewide
prohibition. aud for tho second time.
speaking through it's majority, ic
answered. No" Like the nesr two that
fell to the lot of tho STROBE bill IN
1910. the one yesterday was in no
uncertain terms. OF the thirty-ciShS
Senator's voting, twcnty-three went on
record as oposing the Jordan bill and
the legislative innovation that follow
cd I'm it's wake, while fifteen registered
their votes in favor of its cnactmenS
into law.
Long In Ccntre OF Stnsc.
There were not wanting clements
and issues which will cause tho parlia-
mcntary strugglayStsst brought to so
decisive o. close, forever to loom large
in the annals Of Virginia legislation.
Forced to the front by a. largo fol-
lowing convinced of It's vital relation
to great neral issues. the prohibition
question assumed the centre of The
stage within Two weeks after the Gem
erai Assembly took Its OATH OF office.
and continued TO tower head and
shoulders above every other issue until
laid low BY the vote ut 2:05 o'clock
yesterday afternoon.
Arraycd upon opposite sides OF tho
question appeared the ablest students
of Law in the Senate Lawyers OF
equally high atanding read by the
ream from authorities in support oc
their contention that tho bill was con.
sututional. and rom the same authori-
ties 20 the effect that referendum such
ua the measure proposed violated every
principle of rcpr esentativo governments
over the whole controversy hovered
the nimbuS OF sentiment and sentl-
mentality, bccloudinG the real issue
and rendering sane consideration dif4
icult.
Crowds Gnthcr Early.
.Attssting the general interest In the
drama to be enacted on tho Sonata
floor. was the crowded gallery and tina
overflow in tho lobhics. Although det
hate was not scheduled to begin be4
fore 1915 O'Clock, every scat available
Tor visitors was taken fully an hour
before that time. AS early as fiya
minutes past o'clock a party of i've
climbed tho stairs TO the gallery and
stakcd out its claim 70 the choicest
seats. From that hour until the door
keepers began turning them away. the
crowd came and unable 10 Ind seata
within hearing distance. camped in the
corridors to catch stray messages from
the scurryng pages.
Prominent in the front rows OF the
gallery sat members of the ANTI
saloon League and other organizations
taking notes on the speeches and per-
hitting none of the proceedings To
escape them. In the centre of tho 'front.'
row directly over the clock, sat DIR.
James Cannon. leader OF the prohibits
ton forces, notebook In hand and phys
ing busy pencil. In course OF the des
bate illusions were frequent TO the
silent figure watching the naIoeuvrea
of the opposing factions. Some lauded
him to the skies the foremost man
OF his generation. others were less
complimentary. Throughout tho whole.
debate he was the centre Of interest,
both Senate and gallery scanning his
face for sign OF emotion as one
well-turned point after another fol-
lowed each other In the baltic OF words
on the hoor. :,
Vote Wns 40 Surprise.
The vote as Anaily recorded was sub.
stantially what IL was expected to be-
as long ago as the first Of last month.
Despite the intime lions OF dry" Leads
erS tina tho eleventh hour would bring
surprises, nothing of the nature de-
veloped. Tho sentiment OF every man
was known In advance. everybody con
ceding that no amount OF debate or ex.
hcrtation would be ahie 10 swing q,
hating vote to one sida or the other
Compared with the tenpsstuous
language which marked the two hear
inss before the committee on
Privileges and Elections. the entire d.
bate OF more than three nours was
reulaE kably sane and moderate. Only
on rare occasions was appeal made To
sentiment or feeling. practically every
speaker addressing himself to the
legal aspect of the question. The reel
night OF the debate centred between
Senator walker. and Senator Wenden-
burg. both of whom resorted to Cooley
and other toxt-writers to prove diame-
trically opposed contentious. 8
Throughout the whole maze of ffYeA
spun technlcal!ties and legal opiniofs9
the lay audience listened patientiyl!
with only partial Understandings. w non
every now and then a speaker, broke
away from the law, and spoke, warInlyt
In terms OF human emotion. natriotig1rs,f
or duty. tue audience proved it's h,in,a :,
.irodileotion for the oratorical and
sonorous by applause which stopnea
only ut tho persistent banging off "a q
fsaVel. /. b 49, a Il
\ Flood OF STctcgrutns. * II. s,
That citizens OF tho State In +, o,,..y
fidera ola number still had taitt 10 5tss J.