The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-14
Victory FOR THE

form OF ballot provided In tho bill
a drawn by the Anti-SAloon league
and adopted by the house II delegates.
Tho committee allowed the eleet 'rate
provided by the senate Hmendm snr 10
remain untouched.
The report of the conference COM
mittee was hercely attacked In both
branches Of the general assembly 1t
was attacked in the house chiefly on
the ground that the bill exempted
cider from its operation. and permit
ted the manufacture Of wine and beer
TO continue in the State. The answer
to these objections are:
First, and foremost, that while the
Anti-Saloon league does not desire
any of these exemptions, yet 1t frank
ly admits that 1t prefers to secure the
opportunity for the people to vote
anon the question Of the manufacture
and sale of intoxicating liquors. even
with these exemptions. rather than
to lose that opportunity altogether
Second. 1t il better to vote out the
saloon and the distilleries and to leave
cider to be sold In the State. and do
mestic wines and beer to be shipped
out of the State to places where they
can be legally sold, than to leave the
saloons and distilleries. as we'll as the
cider mills. the wineries and breweries
all to carry on their operations I'M
disturbed In the borders of the State.
Third. Cider is exempted In all the
prohibition States, and 1t would be
folly to refuse to accept the Dill De-
cause il Is not better bill than any
other state has been able to secure.
Fourth. The wineries and brewer
les will not be allowed to ship their
product into dry territory either in
Virginia or in other States, but only
into wet" territory where intoxicat-
ing liquors can be legally sold.
Fifth These cider. wine and beer
exemptions were bitterly fought and
denounced by practically all the men
in both houses who voted TO prevent
the passage of the enabling act, and
who favor the continuance OF the
saloon. the distillery, the brewery. the
winery and the cider mill IN the
state They are not opposed to the
sale Of cider or wine or beer or gin
or rum or brandy or whiskey They
are opposed to the enabling act ana
seize upon every pretext to becloud the
issue, and 10 prevent the passage OF
"A bill TO give the people the oppor-
t,,nity to vote. The very fact that
they opposed these exemptions sc bit
teriy is almost sufficient reason to
vote for the measure.
Sixth, The Saloon league has
openly declared that 1t will make
these amendments an issue In the
election of members of the next gen
eraI assembly, both Of the house and
Of the senate, and VIII deal with
them by direct legislation.
In the senate the attack upon the
renort OF the conference committee
Was directed chiefly at the form OF
ballot to be used in the election. and
i, was urged that the form proposed
in The senate amendment was the only
fair ballot. Senator Early, or Greene
made his only speech in connecnoh
with the bill, on this one point de-
eIaring that he II a local opfionist ana
that Woodrow Wilson Is a local OPP
ttouist. and that the ballot should give
,ne voter an alternative between
state wide prohibition and local
anton" But this contention Is
thoroughly illogical and In direct CON
tradietion OF the facts. For pie
in the county of Greene itself. where
senator Early lives. the local option
law is not in force. but the county Is
under statutory prohibition me
pxra law absolutely prohibits the
granting of license in Green county
and were all the people In the sena4s
10 petition for local option eiection
II could not be held. How absurd II
would be to put In the HANDS OK tne
waters of Greene county ballot giN-
ing as an alternative State wide pro-
h{hittou or local option, when should
every voter in Greene county vote Tor
LEGAL option, the county would sun
remain under statutory prohiniuon'
that il. the Byrd law. the oniv Is
sue which will be presented TO the
ynters next September viii be whethet
prohihliion shall prevail in only nine
,een-twrntieths Of the State tas IL now
aces, or whether IL shall be extended
IA tyentv-twanttethS or the SNa1e
that is. State wide. If any man pre-
fers that prohibition shall pfesall over
the entire state he viii vote Tor state
wide prohibition. If he prefers that
conditions shall remain as theS are
No will vote against Statewide pro
!. p,ibi.ton. 1t is absolutely Impossible
aaont any form OF ballot Which
viii define the issue more clearly Tor
the action of the voter than the lorin
which has been Incorporated IN the
bin as adopted. -,
es in the senate CHARMED the situa-
ton. and gives n record OF the true
positions Of senators upon this aues-
ton. The vote Of 80 to IL. by which
the senate passed the BILL loaded down
with vicious amendments, furnished no
evidence upon which to base 1udg-
the position of senators upon
. this bill 1t had been empharcally
declared by those in favor of the bin
that il would not be accepted with
these amendments and II was fElIy
understood by senators that the ball
would have to- be returned TO the sem
Ate for ANAL action. Tho testing time
came at last, and when II came II was
found that Messrs. Brock, Catron.
Early, Garrett. Hobbs, Lesner. Massie,
Sowder and Watkins, who had voted
for the bill with it's vicious amend
ments, were not equal to the real test,
but having been weighed in the bal
ance. they were found wanting. and at
the crucial moment deserted and lined
M with the enemy, and In the cases
III Messrs Brock. Catron, Early. Hobbs.
Massie. Sowder ond Watkins again alb
,olutely misrepresented the wishes OF
i majority OF their constituents, as
those wishes were indicated by the
election of members of the house OF
delegates.
The thanks of the temperance peo-
ple arc due in fun measure to SEN
ators Mapp, Walker. West and Saun-
lers. who so faithfully championed the
bill both In the general assembly OF
1879 and during the present session.
and TO Senators Blanks, Crockett. Ed
monson. Teatherston. Gayle. Gravatt,
Rinehart, Royal. Smith and Tavenner,
who remained steadfast to the cause.
senator Paxton, who succeeded SEN
ator Tucker on practically the same
platform. also voted for the bill, and