The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-10
ANDERSON WRITES
OPEN LETTER To
.fs & - s..
WILLIAM BARNES

The following open letter has been
written to Mr.. William Barnes. Jr., of
New York. by Mr.. william II. Ander-
son, superintendent of the New York
State Anti-SaIoon league The letter
explains itself:
LEAGUE OF NEW
YORK
1856 Fifth Avenue. New York City.
September Z, 1914.
An open Letter to Mr. William Barnes,
Jr., Albany. n Y.
Dear Sir,-You have announced
for recollection as Republican State
chairman. but you have not announced
any intention of ceasing 10 exert politi-
cal Influence. nor have you dismissed
the suit against me growing out Of :
my letter to you In connection with
the defeat of the optional local pro-
hihitiun hiil~-a bill which, by the way,
your attorney attacked in his argu-
ment upon my demurrer to your coma
plant,
You employed law firm in New
York CITY You threatened me with
criminal prosecution in New York city.
Yet after the failure Of the, attempt
which / am Informed was made ~
New York 10 secure my indictmen&
you have taken your New York law
yers up to Albany to bring your civil
suit there In view of this Significant
o.. SaI IL iy al "a a a
prudence to utilize every legal right
10 the end that If this case comes to
trial. the verdict Of the jury will he =
minor consideration.
However, to demonstrate that this
caution was not prompted by rear Oh
having the public know the truth, ana
To ascertain Whet her you really want
the whole truth to come out, propoNe
public discussion wnere we viii NJ
he hampered or confined by technical
rules of evidence.
YOU cannot now lain that am NOT
worthy Of your notice, or else why
did YOU bring this suit In an enort
to silu. me up? The State Brewery
association. which was the benenci4s1
of the action OF some OF your political
associates in cooperating with Tam-s
nany legislators in the defeat Of this
bill, IL afraid 10 allow its counsel 70
discuss it. but | am in hopes II Won
have the courage your supporters ax4
SO fond Of ascrihing to you, that yO1
at least xi,i be willing to come out ~
the open.
Z. therefore challenge you to pun
lie discussion of the issues raised BY
the letter upon which your suit q
based On such occasion ! will 80 fux.
Their and not only locate responsibility
for the defeat of the bill in question:
hut will undertake the burden ~
showing that the proposed optional
local prohibition bill Is a fair ana
reasonable provision for the exercise ~
the right OF the people to settle the
liauor question in their various COM
munities I will also disprovc some 80
the misleading statements made iaA
your paper and In your behalf, Tor
example. the statement that / asked
you to pass this bill when the truth
il that ! simply asked that 1t be per-
mitted to come to vote and be passed
or defeated on It's merits,
| propose that we share equally the
expense Of the largest available hall.
each to have tickets for half the house,
equal time. either an hour and quar-
ter or an hour and half on stde,A
land as / have the burden OF proof
INC
rules OF debate, ] be permitted to uae
one-third of my time for rebuttal. ana
that the meeting be held the first or
second week in October, close enough
to election to count r something.
am sufficiently confident Of the ability
of the truth to make its way III the
minds of any audience. and sufHcient1X
anxious for the chance to be willing
to give you every advantage. even ~
the extent of holding the meeting tn
YOUR home city of Albany M
While ! expect to continue to COM
fine my remarks within the limits ~
what a legal right to say about youc
public activity (for ! understand that
the pending suit would not have beer
brought but for the necessity of cOvof-
ing your retreat from the false step
you or your counsel made In the BE-
ginning). still | assume that Il you
meet me you will not yell for thu
police" after the meeting Is over.
Yours very truly. ss
WILLIAM III, ANDERSON.
State Superintendent Anti--Salo0Gl
League of New York. M