The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-04-10
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.

| pono gnu, we Ieel pound TO say that the
present laws are Intellectual to restrain the
evil OF drunkenness. Many of our Judges
interpret the present law simply as a rev
enue measure. They claim that If is in
cumbent on them to license any applicant
who can produce witnesses to prove his
character and that his place is convenient
LOT drinking purposes They hold that be-
LlLlOnS from the cOmmunity cannot Ia
considered by the court. '''sV'
Under these decisions thepeople have no
rights, no matter how dire n destruction
the traffic may wage against their dearest
interests. Our warfare is not against par
Ocular persons or places, bat against the
oar room, which as an institution has in
our Judgment become nuisance to So
clety. While no doubt private drinking
has its evils, any law which would close
the bars, or public drinking places. wonId
IN our opinion Danish at least three-fourths
OF the evils resulting from intoxicatiOn.
we urge upon you the passage of a law
similar to the one which passed the last
house of Delegates fer the following
reasons
First. 1t has been successfully carried
out i'll several localities of this State to
their great advantage. South Carolina
and Georgia have adopted Local Option as
the policy of those States.
~ -. NJ II AotCe OVER One-nal1 or the
West Virginia.
While it has been the policy of the tenn
perance people OF the North and West to
move by states for prohibition. we have
Thought 1t more feasible and in accordance
with our traditional policy to move nv
counties and districts, by towns and cities.
leaving to each community the right 10
control their own affairs in their own way.
Second The Local Option plan possesses
those features OF Democratic and Repub-
ilcan principles that all parties profess to
be guided by. 1t allows the peopie to rule.
The people who must suffer from the
curse are the ones to determine whether
1t shall continue or cease. In this connec-
ton we protest against any scheme for
allowing the minority to rule in this inn
portant matter. Such is the practical
effect OF requiring majority of the regis
tered vote, which scheme would count in
favor OF the bar-room, every voter who
through sickness or accident or business.
or for other reason was unable to be at the
polls. All we ask is that the majority
shall rule. We ask nothing more and will
not rest satisfied with anything less.
Third. The Local Option plan does not
interfere with the existing party organiza-
lions, or need not do so, if the right of the
people to govern their own local affairs is
recognized. The friends of temperance
have been counseled and urged during the
past two years not to bring temperance
l.oo poliClcs, DIS an issue between prohibit
IIoil anu an1l-prohlDltlon. The political
i u 1g u Dotn partleS deprecate this and
70 tnem we respectfully submit that this
sleae question oe Telegated to the arblsris-
ties, and thus he etfectually removed from
Gne pohtlcal arena. The friends Of Local
O1pCion nave waited patiently for another
- ~ 9lolaCule 70 asSeihDie, confident that
sH ieI i iss Ieques5 could not be de-
nleu, DuS SLouia the people be again de-
r " conCIoiling thelr own local af-
teils ., Cn5io remains nuC one method, viz
20 w Wtlpee ~ 20 tNe people.
We tnlllh IllaG provisions should he
n lat uhder proper Limitations for the sale
~ o1I a,,d ineuicina, mechanlcal house
f A. ON purposes. we thlnk
- my NY Sltiin1te S.le Is TO De stopped 1t
10 atnp1a s"lS tiiaI us legltlmate sale be
ploeeoeeu' we also suggest that at proper
he ~ o,y oioe III IMo years, provisions
~ i.so Iol aS"in oeStiHg the VIII OF the
poopio' ples! .a! IL Is called Ior by proper
n lunip p VI clOizeis. we urge that special
Usa Ge isshe ~ ~ framing the law, with
mont NOM W ''' '"oiousii ana erlclent enforce
W. do ,,o+ o,.,,oo+ 4,.4..
that is now ottroot;nl IT, neo ouuJeoV
t;o ,s o Is mom deG,aGeillg the earnest aIten-
e Olol VI eneiy owned government OF the
S strouco se4u mnltn llVolVes one OF the
9nane;aI f ;i,te.e oe the race ana the
,noaIth So s., ~ aitlosC unlimited
NC Me" - cseI, pe SetGled Dy simple Act OF
flaT t'9n nf asse,npy. we know the Oft
nra1 oo ~ vt.olcis station Ior the gen
I'D I'D 5oou i VIII 10 lllterIeTeS with private
fbo neo,a iu,e1ests puG we peileve
~ st pooP H. e9rl else an EFFORT 6e made
W Ny Sllo sril4ss vi 1llls glanG evil
W. ash loI Inc passage OF this law not
o De ol oeIlall OF Ine temperance citizens
I tiie &c th pliG sun more ON be-
M 20 ,,I'o MY dte slaves Oh appetlte;