The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-19
large Congregations Hear
Cause Of Prohibition Present.
ed in Many Churches by
Many Strong Speakers.
UPHEAVAL IN STATE
POLITICS IMMINENT
McAlister Declares People of
Virginia viii Not Stand for
Having Their Wishes Flout-
ed. National Leader Baker
Predicts Success.

Predicts Success.
The annual field day of the Anti
Saloon league opened auspiciousiy
yesterday in many churches through
out the city and from a standpoint of
attendance was record breaking.
Strong sermons in the behalf of pro-
addition were preached, and the cause
made great headway The field day
was a forerunuer Of the convention OF
the league. which opens here Wednes-
day. and Sunday the occasion was
augmented by the presence of the ma
,ional officers, and many influential
persons in the cause of temperance.
DIR. r. A. Baker, OF Columbus, Ohio,
national president Of the league, ex-
pressed himself as being highly
pleased with the attendance Of the
congregations. bat declared that the
people of Richmond were not quite
awake tn tho enormous work being
accomplished. and had not responded
a. freely as VAS necessary To the
funds. He stated that Richmond was
somewhat hehind other cities of the
country in this respect bat felt sure
that before the convention had ad-
5eurned, would realize what was need
ed. and donate mote to the great
cause.
Predfcts Iph~asai.
pr. McAiister occupied the pulpit at
the Denny Street Methodist church
last night aud vigorously arraigned
fhe citizens Of the state. the city and
Of Fulton for allowing the saloons to
exist without strenuous opposition
from the church
The speaker closed his remarks with
a vigorous denunciasion of the State
senate. which tNe years ago prevented
the passages Of The enabling act and
whose attitude liz practically an nm
: known quantity this session, although
with few exceptions, the members have
been eent To the general assembly
from dry districts. In part DIR. Me-
Aiister said There is nothing pre-
venting Virginia from becoming dry
this year hut small clan of sena
tors from dry districts who have been
misrepresentation their people.
That this is true Is shown hy the
fact that in each OF these districts the
members elected TO the house Of dele
gates are dry" The matter lis UP
10 the senators. don't know how they
viii decide the issue. baf II that act
is not passed al the present session
ef She Legislature there VIII be one or
the greatest upheavals in Virginia dur
Ing the next two years in the history
cf the State.
Dis-risnipwte Against Fulto~.
Or NrAiister, during the early part
OF his sermon, stressed the need fer
Christians taking an active part IN
) the work OF eliminating the saloons
and declared that unless they did so
they were unfaithful to Christ and
their trust. He said that there was no
way in which the matter might be com
promised that the fight was on to the
~ - 1h. fAE q
the side Of the right and do Its part
regardless of the fact that by doing
30 i; would be drawn into actual war
fAre
s.Whsn the church and the saloon
can exist in the same city or com
munity without protest from the Chris
tians OF the section. there is some
thinH wrong with the church. There
cannot be peace. with the church and
the barroom making bids for patron
age The saloons do not play fair and
IL the peace plan Is adopted the saloon
men despise you for your cowardtce
and wonder 1T your hypocricy-
"Ours IL a quarrel of righteousness,
emphasized the speaker. land no one
1oyai to the church can stay out. The
pAlcons undo all that Christ gave his
life to bring To the world" He de-
clared that no efforts were made 10
open saloons in the West End or the
North End OF the city and that there
was no reason why the people of Full
ton should submit to the great num-
4 ber which were kept In that section.
rs The End In Sight.
That the saloons Of Virginia will be
swept cut az existence by majority
~ nifty thousand votes II the enabling
aoS which now confronts the state
Legislature, Ia passed was the predic-
zion Of DR.. r. A. Baker. Of Columbus.
O., general president of the National
Anti Saloon league, during his talk
last night In Bainbridge-Street Baptis'
church, South Richmond.
DR.. Baker. who IL IN Richmond 70
lend some aid towards securing the
passage OF the bill to give the people
Of virginia the right to vote on State
wide prohibition, told his audience Of
the rlefts that would Be. reaped from
the abolition Of the liquor traific. he
declared ii would better the educa.
tiOnal and social conditions. az well
- to lessen criminality in the State
DR.. Baker asserted that some people
were under the Impression that the
abolition of ) the saloons would not
prove beneficial.
eThis 10 4 mistaken idea. declared
) ne. for It has been proven other
wise BY dry States In the union. 20
fore the abolition, Of the saloons u
Kansas from I'VE to eight Addttlona
teAchers were secured yearly in thu
schools Of that State, but after KAnsai
+ hecame Identified with the dry States
~ America eighteenanew teachers hat
& TO be secured within ninety days afte'
the saloons were swept out OF exist
ence."
This, he said, was due 10 the fac
I. that ak hundred children were talSoI
fsom the factories and sent back Il
school because their fathers had BE-