The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-14


wears was received with great In
terest and applause by the large
audience attending the session OF the
Anti-saloon league convention here
this week. Victory after victory
was recounted with appropriate
statement of attendant circum-
stances by the chairman, DIR. sJames
cannon, 1r.. and then the work for
the future was outlined.
The report is here given in full,
The past year has been one
Of unparalleled progress on the
battlefield of social reform. both
in the state and In the nation. From
The dav of the assembling of congress
IN December. 1916. until the last ball
lot was cast in New Mexico on Tues
day, November 6. victory has follow
cd upon victory, Until here is hope
that the irrepressible war to make
our whole country cafe from the greed
and ccvetousuess OF the lega lized
saloon and the tolerated" red light
district viii be won within a very rev
wsArs
Immediately upon the assem- bling
ef congress in Decem Der, 1915. tho
legislative committee Of the An;i-Sa-
inon League of America pressed Tor ac-
ION upon the District OF Columbia pro.
Aibition bill end the resolution to sub
nit national constitutional prohibit
ion TO the several states Pledges
had been made the previous session
b. LEADERS, in congress tnat action
would be taken The senate commit
Tee reported the district bill promptly.
and true to form, the opponents Of
prohibition in the senate. led by Mr.
Underwood of Alabama. adopted
diIatory tactics and threatened n pro-
IorEed filibuster. After 2 tic vote on
= major. proposition. thinking that
they could c8opt 2 substitute.
the opponents of tho bill agreed
TO ftx q date after the Christmas holt
days for the snai vote.
On January-s. tie DAY before the
vote was 10 he taken, the supreme
court or the United States rendered
its now fam Gus decision .the West
Virginia liouor cases. in which drci-
sion The court declared III substance
that, owing 10 the dangerous and de-
mora Lying nature OF the liquor traffic
aud the ds mage whi,h resulted from
the frs'fic 20 both the material ard
moral weifare of ths nation. the states
IA the exercise ~ tho police power
could enact any legislation they might
deena necessary to protect the people
rrep1 this public nuisance. The thanks
os our psoule are due to Mr. Piue,
the prohIhi,ion conan issioner of West
Virgin 1t and 10 Atr Wheeler, the uA-
tfou@l attorney of thn Autf-S&l0on lea
vue. Yor the HE work they did In
srguinS the - So before thc court.
This great decision 90 the court Was
Rmph. sized hy The decision rendered
on We .srtiaX morning in the Idaho
c.an ip which the supreme court de
ciarsd the states entire control over
the tr.'ftic
wth he echoes OF this great deci-
sion s-Al Numbering in the halls OF
the Casi,of the' senate ON the next day
took up ne district urohilttioa bill,
and. after a memorable dav Of spirit
ed deNste. defeated the Underwood
substitute by tie vote and passed
the Sheppard hjit
Then followed several weeks ~ de
lay. -'he house OF representatives.
was favorable Ia the bill but q ma5o-
rltv cf the district committee in
charge Of the bill we're friends of the
open saloon Hearings on the bin
were AF++~ln eet until the friends Of
tire bill stated they weuld valve
aas right or privilege ofs herring
March was close N hand.
and the determination Of the
@.~get" minority 70 prevent g vote on
the bill was evident. The legislative
committee OF the league had been
promised by the house leaders that,
In the event OF dilatory tactics by tho
vets special rule would be erant-
I'd which would set apart q day for
debate ana fix the hour for the vote.
True 10 the promise made months
before, on February Is. only four days
before the adjournment of congress.
a apecial rule was brought in adopt
ed hy the house. and. after an ex-
ceedingly bitter fight the bin was
passed without amendment in single
session OF the house and. not
withsta ndtng predictions TO the con-
.rarv= was signed by the president.
and the beverage traffic in intoxicat-
ing liquors in the capital city OF the
greatest nation OF the world was
branded as criminal after November
I, 1917. and today we meet in city
free from the curse ioF that public
nuisance. the licensed saloon. which
we believe has been iabated in this
beautiful city forever.
Notwithstanding the indisputa BILE
act that both In the. senate and in
the house. the advocates of the liq-
t,or traffic were absolutely respon-
sible for the delay In the passage OF
the bill, and the additional fact that
in the house OF representatives only
one single Legislative day was taken
4 FOR the consideration and the pas
age OF the bin. on last Friday, Dec.
7. a lengthy two-page, typewriter
letter was ssnt to the members OF
congress by. the agents OF the liquor
trafsic. which declared that The
Anti Saloon League OF America has
retarded the nations preparedness for
more than year. and produced un-
heard OF disorgauization In all
branches OF commerce and supply.
And hits letter concludes with . state
rcea that drips with the falsehood
ma verctn OF embittered desperation:
Ever atep toward preparedness was
literally purchased from the Anti-Sa
IGOR leag;,a organization hy yielding
tie privilege Of destroying ny iegisla-
dive ea0ohro the nations resources
and revenues $50 What are the
works OF the |. W W compaksd With
The Vaccinations of the league cor
poration? Prohibition t. war on
American industries and an aid to cur
enemies And this letter is from the
German American brewers led BY c.
!. Hexamer the kaisers representa-
tive In America F,
The flooding of dry" territory with
sdyartising nlatter--not only In news
papers. but also in the form of cir
culars sent Unfortunately to men.