Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-24
EllYS0N SAYS HE HAS
ALWAYS VOTED "DRr
Answers Charge ~ John GnriSnd Poll
i"rh ms to His Attitude In Local
option Election in 1850.

l.icutcnant-Governor j. Taylo. Ely
son. candidate for Governor IN tho
August primary. yesterday made pub
lie the following reply 10 a commune
cation sent to the Chase City Progress
by John Garland Pollard. also a can.
didatc for Governor:
Upon my return from New FORK
this morning. find in the News Leader
OF yesterday afternoon communica-
ton from Hon. John Garland Pollard.
introducing letter written By me
and published in the Richmond Dig.
patch Of March 81. 1856 The occasion
Of the reproduction Of this letter Is
known to the citizens Of Mecklenburs.
who we're presen, at Boydton on June
Il. when Mr.. Pollard and spoke In
the course Of my statement OF my po-
iiticai views, ! said on the question OF
prohibition: My record upon this cues
ton is An open book. More than thirty
years az" when in the State Senate.
| voted for the FIRST local option law
ever passed in this State. and since
that time | have stood shoulder to
shoulder with the temperance forces.
advancing step by step as rapidly as We
deemed Tor the best interests of the
cause aud tho state Mr.. Pollard,
speaking later. challenged my state
m"mt mat had supported local option
since that date. aud said that l had
worked and voted against prohibition
in the election in Richmond in 1886
asked the privilege, which he granted
o. interruptinC him for a moment and
thtr. said distinctly and emphatically:
! have never voted against local option
In my life. voted with the drys I'm
h,. tf.htr al
MIR. Pollard now reproduccs thi.
letter. apparently with the notion that
II contradiCts my statement
he docs not state what is important
In the whole connection. The local
option election which was held on April
&c. 1856. was called by the frie nds OF
tho liquor traffic. The election was not
on petition OF the drys. but of the vets.
The liquor people thought that it would
he a good policy TO take the temperance
FORCES unawarcs before they had time
to organize. The friends OF license
were confident OF victory in the city.
and believed that an overwhelmins Vic
tory in Richmond would depress and
discourage the temperance cause ali
over the state. Many of the wisest nd
best of the temperance leaders deplored
and discouraged the idea of bringing
the matter 10 an issue at that time.
My letter was written on March 90.
two days before the petition calling for
the election had been presented. and
was Intended TO do whutevcr lay in
my power 10 discourage and prevent
the election. was doubtful Of the
efficiency of a prohibitory law for
Richmond at that time and so oex
pressed myself The petition was pre
scnte,l on the I'D of March. the election
was ordered on the 9th OF March and
was held on the 10Th OF April When
lie a
whatever questions had been in my
own mind and cast my vote for CLOSING
inc Sai oons. That was thirty -one years
ago and my course on this matter since
that time has been consistent with my
action on April %. 1886 80
In other words. when the temper
ancc leaders wanted n local option hill
! voted for 1t. When they felt that
1t was better To except the cities for
the time being from its operation. I
voted with them. Wnen they depre-
Gated and discouraged an early cleo
tion IN Richmond. | shared their senti-
mentS and expressed them in this let
ter. When the vets finally forced the
issue on us and the election came off.
! voted with the drys at the polls.
In the latter stages OF the progress Of
the reform. | have been in full SYM
pathy with every judicious measure
which tended toward -he curtailment
and iinal destruction of the power OF
the saloon. and when at length the ef-
Forts or the temperance people culmi-
mated in the passage of the enabling
act. 1t was my proud privilege to cast
the vote that broke the tide and led
the way to final settlement OF the
matter. In the interval between the
passage OF the enabling act and cleo
ton in September. 1914. as all the tenn
perance workers will. am sure. free
~ TESTIFY. | put .Hysclf unreservcdfy
~ their disposal TO do anything in nv
power 10 further this cause.
In the election on April IS, 1885.
s.94l votes were cast for license, and
$3.50 against license. That wet ma.
Jnrity OF 1851 secured in the election.
which deprecated. and against
which | protested. served TO depress
and discourage the temperance forces
In our city and in the State. 'e.n
MI that remains OF Mr.. PoIlard's
attempt to diScredt me In the eyes
OF prohibitonists is the fact that
expressed in that letter doubt as to
the feasibility of downright prohibit
ton In Richmond at that time a doubt
shared then by tens Of thousands of
ardent temperance people. and this
doubt. * have already said. was. set
aside when voted with the drts in
that election
The statements made in my pub
lished address and the statements made