The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-03

1 for the Mann law and after hsh'
the Mann law YVES passed by the Gen
erAi Assembly.
Then we realised that was not
enough. The people were ready TO &c
| further, ana we thought the fine nao
come for statutory prohabiticn IN var
rinia. 1t was big step. IL was .
change from local option which the
state had been following to new
nylnnirle. EVERY community that had
less than nve hundred population
came under the law that we asked for.
We believed in Statewide prohibition
then. We wanted IL. but we did not
believe that we could get 1t, and We
ala not believe that the people OF the
state were ripe for II at that time, so
we secured at that time the passage ct
the Byrd law. that Is to say, VIC leo
the fight OF course, the Anti-Saloon
League does not represent all the tenn
nerance people of Virginia We SIM
ply happen TO be the outstanding
organization. upon which ! may say
has been put the burden OF the ilgnt.
Then the question came. could we
go still further, and in 1910 Senator
Strobe introduced the first enabling
act in the General Assembly OF Vir-
gtnia. We believe that the people
were ripe AAtotv bhN t'iNN
act did not enact prohibition. The
ena bling act simply put 1t up to the
people to decide. and we came to the
General Assembly and said, Gentle
men, we have the right, give us the
opportunity to exercise our right
The General Assembly refused. and
then we went right out to the people
on that issue, and we spent thousands
of dollars of the money of the people
OF the churches of Virginia to inform
the people of the exact SITUATION, by
speakers BY circulars. by newspapers
and every other way We could. When
the General Assembly met in 1912 We
had a large majority in the House or
Delegates The Jordan bill passed the
House, but the Senate defeated IT, IL
absolutely refused to represent the
people of Virginia on that question.
Again we went 10 the people of viz
ginia on the question OF the enabling
act, and the people of Virginia re-
sponded with q more overwhelming
majority than before. The House of
Delegates passed the Williams bill
by a great majority. and after long
and strenuous conflict 1t was passed
by the Senate
THE league has gone on with that
policy of asking, when they believed
the people were ready, and when 1t
came TO the ballot box. IL was evident
that the people OF Virginia were ready.
and they voted by a. majority, as you
know. Of about 10000 that in the fu-
ture there should not be sold any
ardent spirits in this state, except for
scientific, medicinal pharmaceutical.
sacramental and mechanical purposes,
and that the succeeding General AS
sembly should frame the law which
should put into effect the bill Of the
people. We are now here asking for
Statewide prohibition by statutory en-
actment
I'VE do not think that anybody has
ever dared, since September %, to say
that Virginia did not vote for state
wide prohibition. The only question
was as to the form the legislation
should take; what the bill should be
that should be passed. We recognize.
! however, that 1t would not be wise
| for US to take It. for granted that
| just such a ball would Be passed as
would meet the needs, 50 the Anti
| Saloon league an 1915 at Norfolk
adopted sweeping declarations as to
the sort of bill we believed would
meet the situation. Ths league came
out ten months before the meeting
OF the. General Assembly. and four
months before the primary elections
| and emphasized the things that We
thought were absolutely fundamental
and essential. That was not done In =
corner. IL was done in n large church
and 1t was scattered broadcas
throughout the Commonwealth. that
we believed there should be com.
missioner to enforce this law, and
there should be an custer law, which
would, II passed by the General AS.
sembly. compel men to enforce the
law. or retire. And If they did no
retire the law should remove them.
Has Been No Surprise.
Now, ] say that was last March
] Nothing was Rpruug upon the PEG,
pie Of this State. and the whole mat.
ter was fought out in primary cleo.
ton after primary election last Au.
| gust. . At the last 3conventiar
of the league. held at Broad Stree
Church a couple OF weeks ago. the
legislative committee did not change
in principle at all from the repor,
that was made in March, 1915, but
emphasized ana amplified the decla.
rations made last March. because this
time was approaching when 1t was
| necessary for the enforcement of the
law.
want to say to you, gentlemen
tHat tHis DILL Is not any nasty pEOduc-
non. There are q great many defects
in II. of necessity; things have been
proposed since the bill was printed
valuable suggestions which we are
| hopeful win be put into the bill. But
the prohibitory laws OF every State
In this country have been considered
thoroughly. and the working of those
laws and the results therefrom have
been carefully studied,
Now. we come to you and ask
that you pass this bill, /. e. its gen
eral principles, We are not welded
to the form OF words contained In
any section of this bill , If any mem
Der OF this committee can improve n
am sure that the patron or the CO.
patrons OF the bill, and ell others. AZ
though we have worked night after
night 10 try 10 bring II into shane
VIII gladly receive any helpful sup
We have asked the General AS
sembiy for bill which we are will
ing to stand behind. and to say that
bill Ia the best we can suggest with
the Information we possess. We are
not here to dictate to the General AS
eembiy that the General Assembly
shall do what the Anti-Saloon League
wants, but the league must meet its
responsibility. The convention that
met here few days ago to consider
the legislative report was BODY of
thoughtful and earnest men from Diff
ferent parts of this Commonwealth