The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-23

ed In November, 1918: Meesrs s. H.
Love. Peter Winston, A. j. Terrell, re-
ported as favorable to enabling act,
and w. A. Land. against.
In addition to the above. It IL in
teresting to note that in the Twenty
sixth district, composed of Franklin
and Floyd. represented by Senator
SoNader. the delegate from Franklin,
Mr.. Kinsey, and the delegates from
Floyd, Mr.. Franklin, are reported as
favorable. to the enabling act. 1t is
also exceedingly interesting to note
that in the Tnirty-first district,
composed of Norfolk city. represent
ed by Senator Lesner, one delegate.
Mr.. Cousins, Is reported as openly
committed to the enabling act 1t
Is also reported that it is possible that
one of the delegates from Norfolk
county will vote for the BILL
The statement above OF the position
OF members OF the house of dele
gates has been compiled carefully, and
we think II to be approximately cor
rect; certainly there has been no in
OF any member of the house. II
this statement Is correct. then we have
the following summary:
Summary.
The districts represented by Sena-
tors Catron. Hart, Parr, Paul, Echoisy
Fletcher. Moncure. Early. Massie aDd
Hobbs have sent solid delegatipnS
to the house of delegates in IT,
vor of the enabling act. The
districts represented by Senator'S Bow
ers and Brock have each sent three
delegates favorable to. and one OPP
posed to the enabling act The dis
trict represented by Senator Watkins
has sent two delegates favorable to,
and-one delegate opposed to the enab-
ling act. while the districts represent
ed by Senators Iesner and Montague
have each sent one delegate favorable
to, and one opposed to the enabling
act. so that of the twenty-four sepac
tors voting against the enabling aSN
in 1912 Messrs. Catron. Hart. Parr,<
Paul, Echols. Fletcher. Moncure. Sow
der. Bowers, Watkins. Early. Massie.
Hobbs and Brock--fourteen- from
districts which have declared by their
votes that these senators did not prop
erly interpret their wishes by their
votes on the enabling act in 1912.
Is II not evident that the Anti-Sa-
loon league has accom- plished it's pur-
pose. and hasindicated 10 these sena,-
tors the wishes of their people in
regard to the passage OF this bill,
commonly known as the enabling act?
"Our Enemies Themselves Being
Judges
Were there the slightest doubt as
to this fact. that doubt would be dis
PEELED by the declaration in the edi-
torial columns of the Times Dispatch
OF January II. 1914. that
"Of the enabling act we shall not
speak. Upon this issue a vast ma
tority have expressed their opinion
In practical Instructions to their rep
reeentativeH That iasue 10 precipi-
tated; It's outcome fs perhaps already
determined Argument and eUorta-
ton, criticism or encouragement will
not affect the result, yet as theyt
cast their votes we trust the MEM
bers of the assembly will not forget
that the passage of the enabling act
itation, and q general assault upon the
maintenance Of law. Surely every
man must walk carefully as he seeks
To determine the answer OF Virginia
to this question:
In this utterance the Tfmes-Dis-
patch. for many years the acknowl-
edged leader OF the liquor forces OF
Virginia, which has bitterly opposed
the efforts OF the Anti-Saloon league
ever since Its establishment, and es-
pecially at every successive session of
the general assembly at which the en-
abling act has been introduced: even
this defender and advocate OF the
destructive traffic admits that the
people by a vast majority have ex-
pressed their opinion In" practical
instructions to their representatives.
When the Times Dispatch admits this
fact, who will stand up and defend
the senate should 1t refuse to grant
the wishes of the people? In pre-
senting these facts. your committee
LIS neither Announcing, nor making
war upon the senator's who voted
against the hill at the session OF 1912.
We grant that some Of them may
have been in doubt as to the wishes
Of their constituents, but surely. now
that these senators know the wishes
Of the people, they Will not assume
so fearful responsibility as to de-
feat this measure. Is there a single
senator who will deliberately ignore
the plainly expressed will OF the peo-
Pile OF the State. and take upon hts
own head the responsibility of re-
tusal to give to the people of the
State the opportunity to decide for
themselves whether the State shall
continue to legalize a public nuisance.
a breeder Of crime and insanity. a
destroyer of virtue. Of the home, OF
human Hfe and OF character itself?
Is there any body Of forty men with
shoulders broad enough to bear che
burden of decision which the people
themselves have expressed desire
to assume?
Your committee IL slow to believe
that the senate OF Virginia will re-
fuse to grant to the people the right
to settle this question in view OF the
Information which We now have con-
corning the wishes of the people.
Protection Of Registration List.
Some of the opponents OF the en-
Aiding act have declared, and that
va Icy {v~ u ia