The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-12-04
[ Editorial No. / ],

WARMING TO THE LIQUOR TRADE.
Although the complete returns of the.
election are not yet at hand, this much we
know that in every state of the union the
Prohibition candidates have received thou
sands of votes, and with one or two ex-
ceptions-due allowance being made-the
vote for the cranky St. John throws into
the shade the self-styled workingmen's or
peoples candidate the irrepressible Benja-
min +. Butler. 1t reaches total of over
200 900 votes. A similar strength Of the
prohibition element was developed by the
votes east for congressional, state, eXecu-
tive and legislative candidates. What of
it9 What is that to the liquor trade? 1t
is exactly what the firing of the first cam
non Of Folt Sumpter, on the 18th of April:
1861, was to the United States government ::
a solemn, f0rcIble, defiant declaration of
war. by the simultaneous opening OF hos
tilities. There is no backing out now for
either side. The prohibiti0nistS have
shown at this election that they now are
enlisted for the war toits bitter end. They
propose to crush the liquor traffic out of
existence, by fair means or foul, and they
have good reasons for being sanguine of
success. Look at their sweeping victories
in Kansas and Iowa, at their progress i'll
Missouri. Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky
and Illinois, where local option and high
license prevail, and at their steadily grow
ing strength in a dozen other states, such
as Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan,
Minnesota and others. Are you blind !?
Are you deaf? Are you the fools of whom
the Latin poet said Qa.eaa Deus perdere
cobalt, aoriats dementdt. Whom God wants
to punish, he first makes mad (crazy). 1t
would seem SO indeed.
The prohibition flood is now sweeping
over every state in the union, threatening
some of them, running others. 1t under
mines the very foundations of every dis
tillery and brewery and shakes like an
earthquake every liquor warehouse and
every saloon in the land. Do you not hear
and feel the prohibition waves beating
against the very walls of your stores, your
business places, your family dwellings.
When the Ohio or Missouri rivers rise
and overflow their banks and cover the
lands on both sides with debris and ruins,
do the riparian inhabitants stand stupidity
by to witness the falling down of their
houses, barns and stables, the carrying off
by the flood of their hens, cattle and
gram? Do they smile, stick their hands
in their breeches pockets and say to one
another well if my neigh bors can stand
| it, can"
| Yet this is exactly the condition of the
| liquor dealers and saloon keepers of almost
every state of the Union to-day-this is eX-
actly how they act, how they speak. They
can't help seeing the wave Of prohibition
rolling onto them, they can't help foresee-
ing the destruction and ruin which will
follow, and yet: They quietly look on
with their hands in their poke IS, cigar
or pipe between their lips, placidly saying
"Well, all we can do won't help us any.
What's the use throwing our money away
for protective associations. If others can
stand it / can" And the like. =. 81
Once more, we call your attention to
your danger. There was mirth, rejoicing
carousing and revelry in the dining hall of
the Babylonian Monarch Belshazzar where
the mysterious hand traced on the wall in
fiery characters the ominous words. Meme,
Tekel, Eupharsin. Neither the king nor
the guests took notice of the warning, and
before moving they were slaughtered, the
royal palaces plundered and given prey to
the flames, and the Babylonian or Assyrlan
Empire Oblterated from the face of the
earth t# q
Saloon keepers, liquor dealers. brewers
distillers, beware The muster of the
Prohibition hosts, at the late election, is
your Meme, Tekel, Eupharsin. Rouse
yourselves from your lethargy form your
protective phalanXes. fight foryour rights.
for your business, for your homes but re-
member that while child can easily break
a single wig or small stick, the most
powerful man cannot break a bunch of
rods tied together. In union there is
strength. United we stand, divided we
fall
[Edstorio, No.I2.l
THE ENDURING ISSUE.
The election is over the smoke of battle is
disappearing; and as the atmosphere clears up,
we can see standing forth in glaring prominence
not or,dd
it becomes the friends of personal liberty to
heed and keep prominently In mind, This
ton party organized in this country. which is
bent upon carrying forward the temperance
agitation on to the bitter end The party which
ness" 1t isensted for the war. and the fiuc-
tuations of presidential campaigns are mere
subsidiary incidents in its grand crusade. 1t
enlisted in its behalf several great religious or
CARNATIONS with their Sunday schools and
their attendant swarm Of fanatics, and while
stand firm against the inroads of frenzied agi-
tation and morbid ZEAL the fanatic at churches
with their powerful discipline constitute a |
great political power. Outside of the Demo- |
cratic and Republican parties, and to a
party of Prohibition looms up like cloud |
in the horizon of personal liberty -
Whether it shall assimilate the Republican |
party to itself, proceed regardless thereof, is
q question for the future to decide; but the |,
principle of Prohibition has a distinctive, or |
forth political entity, which cannot in the |
future be blinked or lodged. |
Let 1T then be understood that the battle for |
freedom and right on the part OF those who e. |
sire TO uphold personal liberty in this land, has
Just fairly opened. The issues are clearly made I
Prescription stands defiant, claiming to WELD |
the sceptre over mems consciences, over their !
thoughts, over their tastes, over their incom-
ings and outgoings--in a word, claiming all |
that and even more than the Roundhead Puri- |
tans of England claimed in that ella of fanati- |
cism whose wave of frenzy swept to destruction !
O republic founded with the best of intentions, |
and left corrupt monarchy In its place.
There can be in this war no middle ground. |
Parties must adapt themselves to the situation, !
and stand or fall as they enlist in the cause of
liberty or oppression. There may or may not |
be a re- justment OF political lines but there
can be no REIMBURSEMENT of the issue.
We counsel our friends to stand firm with
faith In the future; with faith In this great peo-
ple ever ready to do justice: with faith In our |
form of government, and our constitutions, |
statutes and courts. Standing thus firm. ana |
prepared to do all that becomes good citizens to
defend and maintain our rights, we shall not |
fail. But, while you ''trust in God" keep your
power dry.
New DENTAL OFFICE.-Dr. Chas. L. |
Lindsey, skillful and experienced dem
fist, has opened dental Office in the Eff
finger Building, on Frederick street. DIR.
l.. is thorough master of his profession,