Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-20
FIFTEENTH ANNUAL
SESSION CONVENES HERE
Legislative Report Deals at
Length With Question of
Antishipping Bill.
LICENSE FOR DRUG STORES
Would Eliminate Brewcries and
Wineries and Bar Drink
ing Clubs.

General Assembly Of n Commissioner Of
Moral Welfare 10 enforce the prohi-
hilton statutes. the report OF the lcSis
lnti"c committee Of the uti-Sa loon
League OF Virginia was submitted a.
tho opening OF the fifteenth annual con-
Tention OF the league IN BROAD :, ct.i
Methodist Church last night Th"
recon mendation is in contrast - The
message of Governor Stuart, who urged
that the Chief Executive OF the State
n" given authority to enforce the dry
laws.
The reason assigned for the election
OF tho commissioner By the General
Assembly, in the report read by Rev.
James Cannon! .ir.. last night, Is that
the official should no, be under the
Governor ANY more than Is the .Attor-
evGcncral ,hc Commissio7cr os
Agriculture. tn. Auditor or Public Ac-
counts and other officials who are
charged with duties pertaining 10 the
entire State
WOULD REMOVE OFFICIALS
WHO EAII TO ENFORCE LAWS
The Anti-Saloon League report agrees
with III. recommendations Of the Gov
erncr that suitable statutes bc enacted
designed 10 remove from Office any OFF
n
force the prohibition laws OF tho state
The report deals N some length with
i the question of antishipuicnt statute
I II recommends that. for the present at
least any citizen be allowed 20 ilnpor.
for personal use reasonable amour,
OF whisky. The Anti-Saloou League.
while favoring national prohibition
. does not believe the time has como en-
tirely 20 prohibit the personal use OF
intcAicants bJ individuals, but does
propose to bar the traffic. Later leg
. isiation. i j. stated. may he asked
af,cr The courts have passed on the
cons,!tutionaiiiy OF the antsshippinE
laws now before the Supreme Court OF
tho United States.
The report is published in fun In
this ISSUE. and vii. h" made the subject
OF discussion al the afternoon session
/ to-day.
7 LARGE AUDIENCE
ATTENDS OPENING MEETING
The meeting convened in The Broad
|. street Methodist Church promptly At
| $50 o'clock. with the auditorium COM
| plcteiy filled. There were many mem
bers OF the General Assembly present
and considerable number of delegates
10 the convention. Visitors from the
/
! state completed the audience. and prac-
,ically every seat in the church was
! taken
Rev. r. II. Pitt -. r.. president Of
the league. presided, and introduced the
various speakers of the evening Dr
| Pitt presented his annual report fol-
1 lowing the Invocation and tho exercises
| incident to the formal opening OF tho
| convention.
Dr. pitt in his address dwclt for the
most part with the early history of tho
temperance movement. liz first told of
the habit OF drinking In Colonial days
when, he declared. every man had his
| whisky and when every one could sell
4 IL at his store or blacksmith shop. lie
spoke of tho early leaders in the ngh,
against the saloon and the sale of
whisky generally. mentioning Abner
w. Clopton. OF near Kcysville: J. B.
Jetcr. Or. Crawford and others.
SHOW HOW TEMPERANCE
MOVEMENT HAS GROWN
He showed how little by little the
idea Of temperance has grown in the
State. At first he declared that the
man who believed in temperance was
frowned upon even by the ministers of
tho gospel, and all others beside.
He told Of tho Good Templars
Lodge" and how as an organized body
it started the movement. which finally
resulted in local option legislation. The
work Of this organization, he declared
was particularly strong among the
country people.
lie then turned to tho work of the
Anti-Saloon Lcngue, showing how at
first IL was very timid and weak
| body. hut how 1t had grown stronger
and stronger until to-day it was pre-
scnting 10 the General Assembly the
laws II desired with the full assurance
that such laws will be enacted.
DR. Pitt declared that the State had
been allied with the saloons through
the political leaders, who were afraid
to array themselves against the strong
organization. The league was first
formed he stated, TO fight tho saloon
but gradually its power grew until 1t
had come TO mean an organization
against all forms OF drinking.
lie closed the report by paying tribute
to all those who have laborcd before
and passed away or gone to other
fields. and In welcoming to the conven-
lion everyone present.
DR. LEWIS ALBERT BANKS
SPEAKS on REFORMATION
The closing address OF the evening
was delivered by DR.. Lewis Albert
Banks. OF New York. Hc had for his
subject Reformation" lie treated 1t
from the standpoint OF temperance
!. DR. Ranks spoke of how the habit OF
Z drinking had been prevalent several
years ago. and how the big corporations
1iy Continued on Third Page.)