The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-14
VOTE
-
In Virginia On Wet And Dry
Question
To Occur Next MOnth-.-OthGr
States To Vote

the present local option features OF
the State government prevail? This
is the question paramount in Virginia
and the nearby sister States of North
Carolina, South Carolina Tennessee,
West Virginia and Ohio at the present
time. In fact, every State in the
Union has it's eyes upon the Vir-
ginia fight, and the result of the cam
paign which will end with the elec-
ton of September % will have a
strong bearing on the nationwide
prohibition movement.
Workers for prohibition in Virginia
are undaunted by the news from
Texas that local option won out over
the prohibition ballot. The Virginia
Anti-Saloon League is waging a war
in the strongholds of the liquor inter-
ests.
Because of the interest in the ques-
tion 1t is predicted that there will be
at least 100000 votes cast at the COM
ing State election. This will be the
largest vote cast in this State in q
number of campaigns the total vote
cast in the last State election being
$4,000.
The question was "put up to the
voters of the State by an act passed
by the general assembly last March,
which authorized the Governor to
call an election on the question of
prohibiting the manufacture for sale
and the sale of intoxicating liquors
In Virginia, upon petition of one
fourth of the number of votes cast at
the previous November election, each
petitioner to be a qualified voter.
These petitions, were delivered to
the Secretary of State on July 10, and
contained the signatures of 69,936
voters, while belated petitions
brought the total signatures up to
1857. They were all attested to by
the clerks of the counties.
Both sides express confidence that
they will win in the coming election.
Claims made by the "wets" are i'm
mediately the subject of counter
claims on the part of the "drys,'
while the"wets" at once declare that
claims in the fight that shows that
the people are taking part-the Re
publicans and Democrats are working
side and side, according to their in.
clinations. The "drys" are declaring
that the petitions reflect generally
the concensus of opinion on the sub
| ject and declare that the State will
give anywhere from 10000 to 10000
against liquor. The liquor men with
equal emphasis are certain that the
State will vote for the retention OF
liquor by a safe majority. However
the claims may be, there is no ques
tion that the chances for the success
of the "drys" are regarded with favor
by the sportively inclined, and they
are offering two to one that when the
returns come in the "drys" will be
shown to have prevailed.
The Prohibitionists are making
their hardest fights In the districts
containing the cities of Alexandria
Petersburg, Newport News, Norfolk
Portsmouth and Richmond, and IL
each city, rooms on prominent streets
have been rented wherein literature
Is displayed and distributed touch
ing every phase Of the liquor ques
ton, The results of the campaign fol
signers of petitions, and the securing
os many more names than was re
workers hope that they will sweep tn,
State.
The opponents of Statewide prohi
bition are not sleeping, however. Th'
liquor interests are active. Will,
business and professional men not ai
filiated with the liquor interests. whit
believe that local option is the bes
for the State. have formed what il
known as the Local Self.governmen
League" which is filling the mails
with its literature.
Benjamin p Owen, Jr., secretary t
former Governor William II. Mann, il
the secretary of the Virginia Associa
tion for Local Self-Government, ant
predicts that Statewide prohibition
will fail. Secretary owen declares
that many persons signed the peti
tions to rid themselves of the solici
tors, but that they will vote for loca
option when they so to the polls mex
month.
While the ballots will read "Fo
Prohibition" and Against Prohibi
I tion" the result of the election If Pre-
hibition fails. will he to continue tn
present Byrd law, which gives Il
each locality the privilege OF calllnl
an election ON the question of prohI
| biting the sale of liquor in that tow
oi county.