The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-06

terday afternoon passed the Williams
enabling act in practically the samo
form In which 1t was engrossed by the
same body on Wednesday night. The
vote was % to IL.
Although much remains to be done
before the bill will be ready for the
signature Of Governor Stuart, tho Ser
ate's action yesterday virtually ended
the siN-year siege on the General AS
sembly maintained by the States or
ganized prohibition forces 10 secure
the passage OF All act which will sub
NIT to vote of the people the ques-
ton OF whether not Intoxicating
liquors shall be permitted to be manu-
factured or sold within the borders OF
the State.
twice before the antisaloon forces
carried their fight successfully through
the lower house of the General Assem-
bly,. only to meet defeat I'm the Senate.
The Strobe bill of 1910 and the Jordan
bill of 1912 both received the approval
OF the House of Delegates. but failed
OF passage In the upper house. The
Williams act alone of the three pro-
hibition measures that were introduced
In the General Assembly weathered the
senatorial inquisition. and will. with
amendments not material to the main
issue, become law.
Victory No Surprise.
The Termination OF the long contest
caused no surprise. For the past two
weeks those who were In touch with
the trend OF thought at the Capitol
knew that enough Senators were COM
mitted to an enabling act to insure
the passage OF the Williams bill, the
question or amendments alone remain
ing open. 1t was admitted that no
amount OF debate would alter the situ-
alton. and both factions recognized the
state of affairs yesterday by voting
without discussion
poat-mortem on the recorded vote
reveals little information as to the
causes that converted the antiprohibi-
ton Senate of 1912. which defeated the
enabling act by a vote of "a to l6. in
to the prohibition Senate of iei4.
which passed virtually the same act by
vote OF 30 to IL. The change of
sentiment. IL is apparent from an ex-
animation OF the vote. was less de-
cisive than the figures would Indicate
Thirteen Change Vote.
me retirement of Senators rolkes
and Tucker, and the death OF Senator
Cummings caused no change I'm the
lineup. The successor of each repeat
ed the vote cast by his predecessor In
l9l2. The sixteen votes polled by the
enabling act In 1912 were reinforced
TINS year BY thirteen votes which were
nj the last session registered against
u, ~. Ihese were cast By Senator'S
bowors, Brock, Catron. Early, Echols,
Fletcher, Garrett. Hobbs. Lesner, Mas
sic. Moncure, Sowder and Watkins.
Under the provisions OF the act. as
II now stands. Statewide prohibitIon
Will go into effect In Virginia on May
!, 1917, II tho voto Is that way. The
OH authorizes n special election, upon
the application OF QUE fourth of the
voters who took part in the last gen
eral State election. to be held on the
fourth Tuesday OF September. 1914.
At that election the qualified voters
VIII be asked TO express their prefer
ence for either Statewide prohibition
or local option.
Chief Issues Decided.
While the chief points at issue have
been agreed upon by both houses, sew
eral differences remain still to be ad-
Justed. As passed by the Senate yes
tcrday. the bill carries number oc
amendments added In the course oe
passage and by the Senate COMMITTEES
on Privileges and Elections
House leaders, including Judge Mar
TIN Williams, patron of the measure.
made 1t clea" yesterday that the House
VIII decline to concur In the amend
ments added 10 tha bill by the Senate
The bill Will be reported TO the lower
branch this morning, and, it is expect
ed, VIII be referred to committee OF
conference composed. probably. or
three members from each house
The refusal TO concur in the Senate
the way OF legislative diplomacy than
actual rejection. Prohibition leaders
Will make an effort to secure the elm
ination or change of several OF tho
amendments to further the antlsaloon
cause. but nothing will be done. IL Is
stated, to endanger tho final passage
of the conference bill by beth branches.
Oppose Delay TilI 1917.
The bitterest pill in the whole
amended act. from the viewpoint OF
tho prohibition forces. is the committee
amendment sustained by the Senate,
putting the bill into effect on May j,
1917. a determined effort Ii is expect
ed viii be made to strike the provi-
sion from the bill. and reinsert tho
original provision, which made prohi-
hilton effective May /, 1915.
More or less opposition Is expected
TO the amendments giving special
exemptions to wine, beer and cider.
The one which permits the domestic
manufacture OF beer for export pur-
poses Is regarded by the prohibition
faction as particularly obnoxious, Ia
Is not believed that the opposition
Will succeed in securing the elimlpa-
tion OF the amendments permitting the
manufacture >of vino for shipment OUT
OF the state. or the manufacture or
saIa OF cider Within the States borders.