The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-23

The Williams enabling act. providing
for an election In Virginia on the oues-
ton of Statewide prohibition, under
certain conditions and for the procla-
NATION or the result of that election
py the Governor, was adopted by the
house of Delegates late yesterday ar
te; noon by vote OF 10 to 10 Ii will
De communicated to the Senate to-day;
Tor reference to the appropriate COM
-mittee of that body. '.l1
Inc vote followed two long sessions
OF debate, at which littIe.that was new
was brought out. Practically every
member i was already pledged. The fact
.hat the House would pass the bill had
oeen known since before the session
convened and there was n general dis
position to shorten debate and place
the measure on it's final passage.
White Votes for bill.
iugh "A. White, who bitterly fouvbt
the bill In the last session, voted FOR
II. He explained that he had not
1nangeu ,,n MS views as to its constitu-
tiohaity, but since the House Mad for
TWO sessions disagreed with him. he
could not further deny to the people
OF the State an opportunity to express
themselves on the issue. He appealed
10 the members to support his pro-
poseo initiative and referendum amend
ments to the Constitution which If in
effect would give authority to the vo.
ters OF the State, as a matter of right
ana without any specific enabling act
10 vote on this or any other Issue
me House met at noon with prac-
tically the entire membership of tbe
Anti an saloon League convention pres
cut IL TOOK the officers OF the House
hiteeh minutes to clear the floor that
business might proceed. The enabling
act came up on its third reading and
passage. Judge Martin Williams, pa-
iron or the bill. briefly opened the de-
bate. Captain w. NJ. Myers. of Rich
ihohd' was the first speaker for the
opposition, his remarks being inter
rupted by the special order at o,clocl,
Wet Cities Support Dry Counties.
Mr Myers referred rather pointedlv
10 the fact that the taxes OF the So
called wet cities support the seven
ty-one counties OF the State which
oraw from the State Treasury more
nor.i rerenue than they pay in. besides sup
porting the general expenses of tho
government. The operations of n nro-
nlDltion act he contended, would drive
from the bdnks OF Richmond alone de
posts aggregating S1O,O00.OOO a wear
which would hereafter go to Baltimore
or other cities In nearby States, where
such restrictions do not apply If tha
cities were deprived of their sources
OF revenue he warned the representa-.
tiVeS OF the SeVenty-one countie.
Which are burden on the State. thar
.hey would have to increase their
taxes and decrease rather than Increase
thelr school appropriations
All OF this" continued Mr.. Myers.
is to be done to satisfy the fanuti
cism of a few people who have gone
up and down the state and infamed
IA" mind OF the public in violation OF
the principle OF local self government
MT myers gave personal experiences
OIL visits TO the so-called dry States OF
North Carolina and Tennessee." Ho
mad seen full-hedged barrooms, of a
character so disreputable that they
would not be tolerated In Richmond.
IN Asheviile, Chattanooga. Salisbury
and Knoxville, and In the dining
rooms or some of the best hotels in
these dry towns had found the waters
serving liquors in coffee cups.
Oratnrs Address Gallery.
arter the dinner recess the House re
convened at $3.50 o'clock. Mr.. oliver
proposed that the chair be vacated nj
4:3t o'clock. that there be session
from S to 10 O'Clock. and that a final
vote be reached on Friday afternoon
az 40 o'clock. AS n substitute, Mr.
houston moved that the House remain
in session, and that the vote be takem
mt 8 o'clock. There wus a debate Of
nearly half hour before the FIouston
substitute was adopted Delegatos
Baker. supporting the oliver motion.
suggested that members not interest. X
eel In the oratory need not remain e
These who had speeches to deliver
might address the gallery and HouscS
members could come back mt the ho,ir.s
agreed upon and cast their balIatass 81
q clock. large number OF pnember,ss
-. Al -. %, i =,