West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1882-03-08
WESTVIRGINIA FREEMAN.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Prohibition not Defeated, but
Simply Postponed.

and absurd as the statement may
appear, am convinced that the re-
cent refusal of the Legislature to
submit the Constitutional Amend
ment to vote of the people has in
sured the success of Prohibition in
this State And, though my sim
cerity or my sense, or both, may be
doubted, | can truly say that | am
glad that the Legislature has taken
the course in this matter that it
has. No one need call out, "sour
grapes" "dry meat, anyhow" &c.
Such remarks will not apply to this
case. have some reasons to sub
NIT to the attention of the friends
of Prohibition, and to the attention
of it's foes too, for that matter,
which will, l think, prove that our
cause has been immensely benefit
ted by this ungodly attempt to
crush it.
In the first place I am quite sat-
isfed that we are not ready for this
question to 60 to the people. Let no
one suppose for a moment that l
think we have not strength to car
nv the measure. We have the
strength, have it in abundance, too,
but it is not in disable shape yet. |
will not do the sober, intelligent,
patriotic, righteous class of our citi-
zens-an element sufficient to carry
this or any other measure it may
support the injustice to doubt that
they will unanimously and forever
sustain Prohibition when it is fully
and fairly brought before them
But while this is so, | think it
would be extremely hazardous, if
not absolutely fatal, to risk this is
sue on the vote Of the people in our
present unorganized state. The
enemy is organized thoroughly, or
will be, and we must be, if we would
hope for success.
The question of Prohibition has
not been agitated long enough yet
in this State. Its necessity is not
felt as it should be, and as it will
be, after sufficient agitation. Its
immense benefits as a social, moral,
economic reformation are not yet
apprehended as they should be, and
as they will certainly be, when our
people have chance to look into
this matter Alright
It's practicability is not realized
vet as it should be- The agitation
that we have had has been grandly
successful. 1t has produced the
most gratifying and encouraging
results. 1t has developed the ex-
istence of such a class of facts as to
give those able to read the signs of
the times the lirmest assurance
that Prohibition will soon be sue
cessfully established.
But the agitation is largely su-
perficial yet. 1t is, comparatively
speaking, only a ripple on the sur
face. Our society must be stirred
to its innermost depths on this sub
iect. We must have the support
of the masses, and they have not
been fully aroused yet. The strug-
gle has not been long enough and
severe enough yet.
Besides, let US remember, now
and always, that Prohibition, to be
of any account, must be defended
after it is gotten. We want, not
only to secure a majority Of the peo-
pie of West Virginia in favor of a
constitutional amendment abolish
ing the liquor traffic in our State,
but to secure also such a state of
public sentiment as will insure the
effective enforcement of all necessa-
ry laws under that amendment.
We want the public eye 50 opened,
the public feeling so aroused, the
public conscience so enlighted,
that yiolators Of prohibitory stat
utes will be brought to justice as
other criminals.
1t has always been my opinion
that the necessary agitation will
never be secured, that the necessary
organization will never be effected,
that the necessary public senti-
ment will never be created, until
the work is put into the hands of a
party pledged to the establishment
and maintenance of prohibition as
the future pride and unalterable
policy of our State. This is, as