Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-02-04

'gs which W. ever a,
de-
For sometime past the officers Of
the Anti-Saloon League of Virginit
have considered the question of call
ing meeting of the Anti Saloor
League Convention. They hesitatec
to call it lest in the absence of an,
immediate, absorbing issue the Mt.
tendance would be small and disap.
pointing and might give occasion to
TINT portion of the press which is
unfriendly to the prohibition law To
announce that the organization was
diminishing in Importance, if not dis
lntegrating. AT length, however. it
became necessary to have some sort
OF a gathering for the transaction of
business and for the election of new
officers, certain officers (particularly
the President) having held their po-
6itlons much longer than has been
rrsto larry. HencS, Superintendent
tictDNln. with the approval of his
ssociAte officers, sent out quiet
All for what he described Law En-
torcement Conference of the Anti
Saloon League to be held in Lynch
burg Jan. 20121. We supposed that
we might count on the presence of
possibly as many as rs or 100 repre-
sentative men. We had present, how
ever, not fewer than $50 registered
delegates, and counting those who
attended for only part of the time
and who failed to register there were
at least 400. 1t was remarkable how
thoroughly all sections of the state
we're represented.
1t was not gathering for orator
zeal performances, though we had
great addresses ut the mass meetings
on Thursday and Friday evenings.
The men who came were full of SER
ous purpose and the conferences
which were held Friday morning and
afternoon were of the most practical
character and the spirit of the whole
gathering challenged the attention
Of every thoughtful observer. Any
friend of prohibition who feared, or
any foe who hoped, that the recent
and quiet natural relaxation of cf-
fort on the part of the friends of this
rrnat bpsin SIS beto' ened permanent
disorganization and loss of inter
est would have been compelled to
correct his erroneous judgement in
the atmosphere of such n gathering
as this. No attempt will be made
here to give routine story of the
proceedings. On Thursday evening
the two chief addresses were deliver
cd by Hon. Jno. F.. Kramer, National
Prohibition Commissioner of Wash
ington. and Hon. Wayne B. Wheel
er, National Attorney Anti-Saloon
League of America. Mr. Wheeler
was not a stranger to Virginians
and their expectations of strong in
forming and admirable address were
fully met. 1t was Mr.. Kramer's first
appearance before. our State League
He made no pretcnsions to formal or
elaborate speech, but frankness and
purgency directness and down right
ness, clarity and simplicity, and gebd
sound, common sense so characteriz-
ed his address as to make it epochal
in the experience of those who were
permitted to hear him. He spoke in
the most cheerful, courageous and
confident way of the achievements
in enforcing the Federal Law during
the first year of its trial and gave
facts and figures which we are not
permitted to print, which fully jus
tilted his claim rs to the efficiency
Of his department. and which indeed
we've nothing short # startling in
their full bearing on this question.
In plain, unequivocal, candid fash
ion, he reminded his audience of the
fact that in the adoption of this 18th
Amendment and of the subsequent
legislation to render it practically
effective, the United States Govern
ment had committed itself to the.
most formidable and tremendous
task ever undertaken by any gov
eminent in the history of mankind
He pointed out how foolish and I'M
reasonable itwa in either friends
or foes to expect the full and effec-
tive execution Of law Of this kind
io b ACCOMPLISHED within one year
is cna; t.ient. bit demonstrated be-
yond u question, or doubt, that
the work of enforcing was surely,
steadily and irrestibly increasing in
power, and effectiveness. Through
the foresight of our active and eff
ficent Superintendent, Mr.. Hepburn,
we had stenographer on hand who
tool down his address as it was de-
'jvcrnd md Later this will be prin-
/ distribution. At various time ,
during the Conference we had with
us not only these gentlemen from
Washington, but Mr. Lewis II. Mac
hccn. who succeeds the lamented Mr..
5. R Dcnohoc IS Federal Prohibi-
ton Director for Virginia, Mr.. S. R.
Brame, the Federal Director for Nive
Eastern states, Hon. Harry B. Smith,
Prohibition Commissioner for Vir.
ginia and Mr.. E. B. Dunford his leg
al assistant in that Office. On Friday
evening DR.. Mcdaniel made the prin-
cipal address, strong. fearless and
eloquent deliverencc. We learn that
this address will be printed in full
for free distribution all over the
state. Those who wish copies of it
will write to Rev David Hepburn,