The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-16
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IF PROHIBITION WERE DEFEATED, WHAT

IF PROHIBITION WERE DEFEATED, WHAT?
by accident or design the prohibition clause
has been stricken out Of the law regulating the
sale Of liquor, and no territory IS dry territory
unless 1t has been voted dry In local option
election. or there is special law making it dry
10 that the issue presented at this election is
prohibition Or license" Statement by Mr. C. b.
Garnett, assistant attorney general of Virginia
n address at City auditorium Monday night.
Mr.. Garrett quoted a decision of the Supreme
Court Of Virginia, than which there is no higher
authority concerning Virginia law. In which It
was held that Pittsylvania county~-dry IL dry
u ali. by the Byrd-Mann liquor LAWS license"
territory because the ByrdMann liquor law has
been practically destroyed on the statute books
Of Virginia The attorney-generaI's Office has
already rendered an ofhcial opinion. holding what
Mr. Garrett has publicly declared to be the law
cf Virginia.
The law OF the land as cited by its highest
authorities L. that there is no dry territory save
y That especially voted dry. There has been no
Hyrd-Mann law since 1910. On these points The
TsrpsnIdn prefers to take the testimony of the
NV Of the State rather than any other authority.
Ins Richmond Netos Leader raves at length
orr - predsliction FOR actual facts. 1t opposes
sts1Ss3ds prob biton. but contends that were
~ 0enG0 Assembly now In session--the neces-
xmendments to the Byrd law could be passed
n AAzy without half dozen votes against them
lnsbpen houses"
Under tho assumption OF the News Leader
TIT Statewide prohibition will be defeated next
Noak, under the consideration that the Byrd
Miami laws (which the Ne,os Leader and the
1smesDtspatch have both admitted arc now
dsad letters on the statute books) are sought
tDtbe further broken down by the liquor interests
~ has already been begun in Pittsyrvania county
who win stand for the re-enactment of the Byrd
Mann laws The Netos Leader is working with
MI Its strength to secure the defeat of the tenn
perance forces which secured the passage of the
laws 1t originally denounced In the strongest
terms If It's effort is successful what will be
the status OF temperance in Virginia? What
standing would the Anti-Saloon League any
temperance leader have before the General AS
eembly in the remote event of the defeat of State
Wide prohibition? The Netes Leader admits that
the Byrd-Mann laws are Ineffective This means.
- Mr. Garnet stated that the only question is
between license or prohibition throughout the
State II the Neaos Leader and its friends are
endorsed by the voters of Virginia which there
Is no prospect OF being done. that means that
I majority of virginians opposed to regula-
ton Of the liquor traffic In any form. In such
situation who will support the Byrd-Mann laws
before the Legislature with any hope OF success?
The leaders OF the temperance will be
there, as they have always been, but If
defeated at the polls what special con-
alteration will they be given by the General
Assembly? The Netos Leaders, temperance party
VIII be there. perhaps. but the Ne1os Leader de-
nounced the Byrd law and the Mann law at the
time Of their introduction and fought them
throughout as fallacious in principle and defec-
tive in practice. The News Leader even declared
that the liquor traffic is not a public nuisance,
and that alcohol and strong drink are all right
urnyided their-use Is limited Ia mature
who know how to make proper use Of them"
Having gone on record positively as opposed
10 every sort of temperance legislation the
Ecps Leaders temperance party cannot, with any
wort OF face. go before the Legislature and ask
Tor the re-enactment of that which IL has de-
Il bounced and opposed throughout Virginia.
The ge,rs Leader is evidently desiring 10 make
tust exactly thai sort Of show of itself however
Il Is witness its utterances:
.The people are satisfied. Their will has found
suppression in mature enaetments" 1.-The com
mon sense OF our Virginia people which will lead
b them to reject prohibition. has convinced them
THAT our present system Is wise and egpedent
& ma must be upheld" with our judges one
8man and with sentiment almost unanimous in
sSanpport Of the present system"
sS 1he Eeus Leader speaks though 1t had
1nns mature enactnents. the Ness Leader