The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-21
New York Governor Favors
and Will Help Legislation
Chance at Liquor Question
HIS REELECTION SHOWS
TEMPERANCE GAINS
Many Voters in Empire State
Heretofore Have Been De-
prived of Right to Express
Themselves on Saloon Issue

New York, Nov, 20-William II.
Anderson. superintendent OF the Anti
Saloon League Of New York, today
made the following statement:
The Anti-Saloon League announ-
ces that the passage of advance tenn
perance legislation In New York next
winter seems assured. Governor Whit =
man has said that he will help secure
legislation that will give the people
of every community the right to vote
on the liquor question. Such legisla-
ton would give relief to the nearly
eight million people living IN the
cities who are disfranchised on the
liquor question by the present excise
law
Governor Whitman's reelection
BY an overwhelming majority was a
decisive victory over the liquor inter
ests which opposed him because of
his public statement in favor OF the
right OF every community TO settle
one other Governor ever took this
position, and he was not reelected.
This does not mean that Prohibl-
ton was an issue in the New York
guhernatortai contest or that the
Anti Saloon League claims II elected
Governor Whitman, But the Anti
Saloon League in three years of pa
tient Reorganization work 80 shaped
the issue involved in its optional pro-
hibition bill as to compel the liquor
traffic to fight from an untenable posi-
ton. 1t then merely told the Chris
tan temperance people OF the State
about the liquor opposition to the
Governor and made clear that the
lot AoP no
State was not prohibition. but the
peoples right to settle the prohibi-
ton question for themselves by their
own vote in their own localities. and
the people responded as a balance OF
power in q way that beat the liquor
traffic at its own game.
This case proves conclusively that
the time has come when even In New
York, which still passes as liquor
stronghold. q Governor who meets
this issue OF self government in a
courageous but sane way. in the or
binary course of business, not only
does not weaken himself. but actual
~ strengthens himself before the pub
lie.
The sweeping prohibition victory
in the nation, four new States voting
dry and two others elocting dry Gov
ernors and dry Legislatures that will
enact dry statutes, making a total OF
twenty-five dry States. majority OF
the Union. will strengthen the already
general feeling among the Upstate
Republican politicians who are not
tied to the liquor traffic that some
concession must be made TO growing
temperance sentiment In this State,
Only one-hfth OF the citizens of this
State-those living in rural towns
may have right to vote on the IL
cense issue Yet on October ] CT this
year there went out of business, In
nearly 100 towns over coo liquor
selling places This is two-thirds as
many as were closed by Nebraska s
vote for Statewide prohibition this
week. nearly as manv as went out OF
business in the entire State OF Fir-
Einia on November I. and about three
hines es many as were closed in the
entire State OF South Dakota by It's
vote on Tuesday That this has been
almost overlooked IN the -yastness Of
the problems of New York does not
obscure the fact that New York Is In
proportion to conditions and dificul-
ties. making as rapid temperance
gains as any other State, and that the
demand for the opportunity for eff
fective expression on the liquor ques-
ton on the part OF those now depriv-
ed OF II IL beginning to reach over
whelming proportions"