The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-18
NOT ABLE TO ATTEND
BYRD AND Mann WRITE
Former Speaker of House Tells of De-
vciopmcnt Of Temperance Le-is-
lation I'm Virginia.
PROGRESS GRADUAL. BUT SURE
Growing Sentiment Against Liquor In
Virginia Shown BY Success of
Friends of Temperance in Procur-
ing Legislative Enactments.

Norfolk. Va, March 1.-Two men
whose names are inde.ihly written
upon the history of temperance in Viz
gina were scheduled to speak al the
great Antl-Sa.oon League State Con-
vention, but were compelled by pres
sure OF business to cancel their en-
gagements. They were William II
Mann, former Governor of Virginia
for many years the dry" Judge of
Nottoway County Court, and then
temperance leader in the State SEN
ate. where he fathered the Mann"
law. which was the beginning of the
end of the saloon in Virginia
The other was Richard Evelyn
Byrd. former Speaker of the House
Of Delegates, and father of the Byrd
law, which was the second great blow
to the liquor Interests In Virginia
p These gentlemen, una bic TO be pres
ent, wrote letters to the convention
which were read Yesterday
Mr.. Byrti's Letter.
Mr.. Byrd wrote as follows;
In January. 1908, when the Cen
erai Assembly of Virginia met. The
liquor law on the statute books was
known as the Nann's law. because OF
the great advance made in regulating
the traf1c ,iuc to the initiative OF ex-
Governor Mann. A valuable feature
OF Governor Mann's contribution to
liquor LEGISLATION consisted in the pro-
vision that in country communities
the Judge. before granting a license
must be first assured that a majority
If the qualified voters of the dis
trict or town in which the license was
applied for favored the application.
This was the application OF sort
of Informal local option election upon
every application: the judge adoting
some method satisfactory to himself
for ascertaiuing the popular will Dur
ing the year this law was in force II
demonstrated the great advantage of
no license in country communities
and became the bridge over which
public opinion passed to more drastic
regulation.
Time Ripe For Another Step.
I'm January. 1908. the time was
ripe for another step.
The Ant'Saloon League through its
officials and the body of it's member
ship, became very active A great
number of separate bills were offered
dealing in a reguIative way with the
traffic.
Seeing the situation. ! proposed to
the Anti Saloon League officials that
would take the old law and COM
hine with it the new proposals for
legislation in such a way as TO create
A code of liquor laws which would
deal in q clear and comprehensive
way with the whole subject This Of
Ter was &C septed and in cooperation
with the representatives of the league,
wrote the law which is now known
as the Byrd liquor law, During the
whole period Of the formulation and
passage of the bill. the assistance Of
the officials and the members OF the
league was invaluable.
The main purpose Of the activity
OF the temperance forces at that time
was to provide adequate machinery
for the detection and punishment OF
the offense of selling in dry communi-
ties.
Byrd Law Provisions.
THE Byrd law OF 1903 introduced
a number Of new regulative elements:
"G) Statutory prohibition in all
communities of less than 800 in
t.abitants.
"(2) The destruction OF fake clubs
which has been the result of section
6 of the act.
go Passengers not permitted to
drink on ordinary passenger trains
without consent OF conductor
90 Forbidding public carriers to
deliver In dry communities liquor to
persons other than the boni fide con-
signees.
"(5l Forbidding dispensaries to
ship liquor outside OF tbs city or town
IN which the dispensary is situated.
"t6) Making ii the duty of the
commissioners To analyze alcoholic
mixtures for use as evidence In prose
Cutions.
"(7) Making blind tigers common
nuisances and giving the courts the
right to enioin them.
"{s) Making 1t unlawful to sell TO
an epileptic. hab,tual drupkard or
an intoxicated person.
100 Forbidding the employment of
females in saloons.
"1o) Giving the right of search OF
! places suspected of being blind tigers
I'm 1910 the act was amended and
the following additional provision in
serted:
"t1) That every shipment of ardent
| spirits into a local option or no license
territory the name of consignee must
be plainly wr~ten on the package, and
compelling his shipper to keep a
record.
.l2l Eorhadaing the storage Of in
toxicants in dry communities. except
for the personal use of the owner.
"t3) Forbidding soliciting of orders
for intoxicants in dry territories.
80 Making the possession of an
United States Liquor license prima
tacie evidence of sale.
Section n provides the punish
ment OF fine and imprisonment for
The first offerse and a greater punish
ment for subsequent offenses.
There seems to be no doubt that
/ the law on the whole slas worked ex-
tremely well, and many of its re-
strictive and punitive provisions Will
apply with rs much force after No
vember, 1916. as they do now.
Cider Section Cause of Trouble.
'The cider section. No. "A. however.
has never worked well. and has given
e great deal of trouble. This section
was an amendment offered on the
floor of the House and was opposed
to the limit Of our influence both by
myself ana tae officers of the Anti
Saloon League. 1t seems to me absurd
to prohibit the sale of beer with 1-2
per cent alcohol and permit the sale
of cider with 6 PEI cent alcohol.
The Byrd law was undoubtedly a
great advantage along conservative