The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-20
Must CentreF Fight There
to Secure Passage of
Enabling Act.
POLICY is VOICED
BY j. d. M'ALISTER
Denial Made That Anti-Saloon
League Is in Partisan Politics.
but Is Engaged in Molding
Sentiment-Mann Assailed
for His Noncommittal
Attitude.

NonnOke, Ne.s February 10.-J. ID.
McA1ister, in nm address 90 the Anti
Saloon League convention here to-
night, voiced the future policy Of the
league In regard TO the enabling net,
when he closed HIS address by saying
that every effort should go towards
creating sentiment which would bring
nhout "a change in tho Senate OF Nir-
pinin before 1914. I'm order TO secure
the passage OF tho hill.
1t In believed that the Ienguc will
hcnd Its every nergy and concentrate
its entire force I'm STRENGTHENING both
branches OF the Lcl,lsInturc. Mr. Me-
Aiister, who spoke following the OPEN
ing devotional exercises, ducit mt
length upon the action of tho Senate
la the defeat of the enabling net.
Denies The Charge.
He denied the charge that had
the league had engaged in poll
tics. lie said that the organization
had adhered to it's original platform,
and that IL had never as an organi
Zatlon brought out or worked for any
candidate. Mr.. McAlister then read his
annual report which gave detailed
statement OF tho work done. including
An itemizcd account OF subscriptions
and cash raised by the field secretaries.
The report says In part:
This gives us grand total OF Co.
$40 miles Travelled. 622 addresses made,
3ii,S55 in subscriptions taken, sl,1s5.S7
caFh returned from field day labors,
total cash and subscriptions s1s,o40.ST.
plus S2.s2l paid on special fund raised
by Mr.. Richardson
"A comparison OF the reports of our
field men with the reports OF last year
show that they have Travelled more
miles, made more addresses. attended
more conferences had larger access to
the public and more cordial reccp-
iion than possibly in any other year Of
tho al I'm ,i,,i,
any part OF the field has been left un-
covered and any territory not reached.
IL is because Of the lack of mon and the
means with which to reach them.
"Ifowever. the sentiment for the pas
sage OF the enabling act and State
wide prohibition has been growing
throughout the year. There has been a
tremendous influence in our favor, re-
sultinE from the nctioi, of the Legisla-
lure OF 1912 in refusing to pass the
enabling act. The day will soon be at
hand when no power OF the liquor traf-
nc will be able TO thwart tho great
moral sentiment and the onward move
ment of the patriotic and Christian
peoplc TO destroy the leSaliZcd liquor
traffic"
Mr. McAlstcr was followed by the
Rev T.. A. Baker. general superinten-
annt NJ the National Anti-Saloon
Ie,euc who closed the program for
the evening session. Tonight scs-
.;o, u.as presided uTcd by the Rev. i.
Guyernor Mann Assaulted.
The most striking feature of to-days
cssion Of the convention occurred
when Governor William Hodges Mann
was subjected to fire by MI. Jordan or
stanton. when the resolution was Fcad
irdorsing Legislators VINO voted lor
and condemning those who voted
against the enabling act. Mr.. Jordan,s
criticism was because OF the Governors
noncommittal attitude toward the en-
;blinC act. Mr.. Jordan said
we havo thanked and critlcizcd one
branch OF the government. What about
tho other? Are we to make no men
ton OF the executive? Are we TO
thank him for his part or refuse TO
thank him? Governor Mann found
time to write "A message to the General
Assembly on taxation on the lime
srinding bill and on other measures
hut he did not find time to mention the
enabling act.
we are asked in this report to sup
port those candidates for Governor who
will work for an enabling act want
to know If we can say that our last
Governor worked for 1t. we want 10
know how he stood.
Thomas Whitehead, of Amherst. took
the floor in opposition to the motion
of Mr.. Jordan. I'VE have no right to
insin,iate that the Governor was
an i1npassiond appeal to the convention
to take no action. william Hodges
Mann was battling for the cause OF
temperance for ten years before tho
Anti Saloon League was born. Every
ono knows the history of the fight to
rid Virginia of the saloon knows what
Judge Mann has done. They know
wherc stands-thc unwaverinG foe OF
the saloon. Let's sto.. this business Of
saying that because one man is not as
red-hot for ~ measure as you are or
think you are, that ho is not a good
temperance man."
Committees Named.
Ine matter was dropped when Mr..
Jordan was dechlred out of order. At
the morning session the following
committees were namod
Resolutions-R. H. Bennett. T. A. Pill
cher, r. A Mcfarland j. w. TIouglc w.
C. Campbell, DIR. Williams, a. II. 1incoln.
i. e. Hedd. E Il. Johnson. T. r. Anderson
j. =. Johnston, p v. D. Conway, j. D.
McAllister and ]. w. Cammack
AuditinE-R, b. Ingram and the Row
Frank Wells.
Cooper, George p. Adams. G. d. Lame
IT. T. Crowley, J. a. Taylor y. 6 Peters
ana e. J. Richardson.
The convention then took up dis
cussions OF the resolutions presented
last night from the Legislative commit
zoe, l'HrItihS spcdhcrS 10 i've minutes.
The resolutions were read i'm order and
discussion and action on each had
separately, after which tho report of
tho Legislative committee and tho rcso.
lutions wore adopted as whole.
Somo fiery talks were made during
this discussion from those in favor OF
and opposed to the league placing IT.
self in the position OF a political or.
ganiDation.
The reading of the first resolution
started the controversy for and against