Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-07-26

which he presides, but Of which he is
rot trsember.s
If such condition should arise /
could no more clearly define my po-
.sition than by adopting as my own
the opinion expressed by the Hon.
Henry C. Stuart, our nominee for
Governor, in reply to similar in
curry, in which he declared that he
believe cit to be a fundamental prin-
ciple of popular government that
where the Constitution permits it the
people, where their will is made
known have right to decide by their
vote any question they wish submit
ted to them. I should, therefore, in
case of tie, cast my vote in favor OF
giving the people the right to vote on
this question.
Very traly yours,
J. TAYLOR ELLYSON.
Mr.. Machen's Answer.
]. w. Hough, Esq, President OF the
Virginia Anti-Saloon League,
Norfolk, Va.
Dear Sir:-I have received your
courteous letter requesting my views
on the liquor question and my prob
able action regarding the so called
"enabling act" in the event of my
election as Lieutenant Governor.
l have not heretofore made any
public statement of mty position upon
this measure, because the likelihood
that the presiding officer of the Sen
sought to be applied should rest upon
if in the case of a tie vote is so re-
mote as to make that officials opln-
ion matter of comparatively slight
Importance. However, since you ask
me the question, I must say candid
" that I have never been a prohlbl-
ZIONIST, l have thought that local
option was the most advisable method
of dealing with the liquor question,
so that whatever restriction was
sought to be applied should rest upon
the lrlajority sentiment of the respect
tive Localities.
have recognized that the Mann
law and the Byrd law were measures
of rural prohibition, and that they
have worked well; yet | have been
inclined to believe that the people OF ,
Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk ana
tho other cities could regulate the
,iouor traffic better themselves tsan
NV outside dictation, and that the
temperance people in those commu-
mites could, if they chose, ach!eVe
more satisfactory results by gradual
restriction leading perhaps to ulti-
mate elimination rather than by the
sudden abolition of the legalized sale
of liquor.
However while | have never oeeh
prohibitionist, I have always been
Democrat. Having spent the twenty
one years of my life that have elapsed
since becoming of age in advocating
the placing of greater power in the
hands of the people, cannot hesitate
to apply the principle to the liquor
question any more than to other ques-
tions of similar Importance.
The right of the people to vote as
a whole! upon questions of stath
poIcies, in my opinion, is funda-
mental popular right which think no
true Democrat should deny. There
fore if bill should pass the House OF
Delegates properly submitting the H.
cense question to the people OF the
State, and shouts conle to tie vote
in the Senate, while was the presld-
ing officer of that body, l would un-
doubtedly cast the deciding vote IN
it's favor. Should the question be
submitted by the people of the state,
T would reserve the right to vote upon
It as might seem more expedient at
the time.
lido not know that I can say any
thing else that would be of interest
in this connection, except that per-
sonally I do not use any alcoholic
LIQUOR as beverage.
Respectfully yours
LEWIS H. MACHEN.