Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28


son and Leayenworth. II prohibition
can be enforced in Topeka 1t can in any
other city," And as to Senator Ely
sons admiration and advocacy Of
thigh license" let me give the ex-
rerieuce Of competent observer:
"Hisk license drives some poor
fellows out Of the business, but By
putting the business into the hands Of a
weather. class, the saloons are only
made more alluring TO the young. High
license calling for more revenue, bii.
liards, cards, and other accessories OF
vice are added. Low license says to
the parent, Give me your son. High
license says, 'Give me your daughter
also.' High license only increases the
blood-money Of the State. II does not
decrease drunkenness. Ii has been
weighed in the balance and found utter
ly wanting. DR.. A. T. VOLTS
" Church, Court House. and Saloon"
Pulpit Treasury, page 7Ol.
In your issue OF Thursday, March
25th, "XXX" gives us some state
ments said to be drawn from the re-
ports Of the nal-Revenue Depart
ment OF the United States. IL it be
true that the United States officers IN
dertake to issue liquor-manufacturing
and lquor-selling licenses in States
where the ldws Of the State forbid it,
then assuredly this is an additional
proof Of the shameless usurpations OF
the rights of the States practiced by
the General Government, and ought to
be promptly rebuked and stopped.
The whole " internal-revenue system
as now enforced is nuisance.
Let the truth on this whole subject
be needed as it is summed up in the
following pregnant sentences: " The
saloons represent the most cold-blood-
ed, beartless, gigantic traffic In blood
that the world has ever seen. This
country spends almost twice as much
for intoxicating liquors every year as for
bread. According to the latest statistics
our country paid last year for liquor,
100000, 900; for bread, s505, OO0,-
600: for meat, 1903, 00O,OO for pub
lie education, s96,000,000; for the
preaching of the gospel, sl2,OO0.OOO;
for Christian missions, $500, OOO."
DR.. Wolff, ib., page 700. And again
1.-The statistics of our different State
prisons are almost identical with those
Of European countries, and show that
90 per cent. OF all criminals are in the
habit of drinking 40 per cent. are
confirmed drunkards; 80 per cent.
regular moderate drinkers; and 20 per
cent. occasional drinkers. "-lb., page
700.
In this matter false premises and So
phistical arguments for the ret side
have been used in abundance, and none
more persistently than the stale objec-
ton that a law forbidding the sale of
intoxicants is 8umptuorylaw. Surely
those who use it have never studied the
history of sumptuary laws. If they had
they would not have the impudence to
pretend that law prohibiting the sale
of an article which tends efficiently and
directly to debase the nature, spiritual
and material, to dethrone the reason,
deaden the conscience, brutalize the
affections, destroy the self-respect, and
overthrow the normal health and
strength of the individual man, and to
convert him into a criminal. muir
derer, a debauchee, a brute below the
level Of the lower animals-that such
law is is a Sumptuarylaw Let ush have
no moro of such mingled ignorance and
nonsense.
Several Of the gentlemen lately inter-
viewed by the Dispatch reporters de-
clare their purpose to vote 'cet because
they are opposed to law which for
bids "a man to do as he pleases."
NV, it is certain that every man who
c ,nmits murder, or robbery, or rape,
{ house-burning docs as he pleases"
the moment of committing the act.
) all we, therefore, have no laws for
bidding murder, and robbery, and
rape, and house-burning?
In Virginia reliable facts make 1t
quite certain that as much as serenteen
million Of dollars are spent yearly in
the purchase of Intoxicating liquors
In the face of such fact the lugubrious
outcry about the four hundred thousand
dollars of revenue that will be lost if no
liauor-licenses are issued is simply ri
diculous. One fortieth part of the sum
saved will more than make up the def
cheney. And when we consider the in
creased values and capital and pros
perity certain to result from abstinence
and cheerful labor the objection sinks
beneath contempt.
Thus we sum up this matter. The
facts Of the case prove that the sale of
intoxicating liquors is moral crime of
the deepest dye. Our country is wide
awake now on the subject and demands
that it shall be made legal crime like
wise. This is in the line Of all sound
progress. The African slave-trade was
known to be moral crime long before
it was made an international crime-a
piracy by the laws Of nations.
A technical term has been invented
on this subject Wet or Dry? Let it
be so. We are told the sellers Of in
toxicating liquors are very confident
that Richmond will vote ret in the APP
preaching election. Let us hope and
work for something better for our beau
tiful city. And let every man who in
tends to vote ret remember that he is
voting that Richmond may be ret with
the blood Of all the murders and all the
shootings, Standings, cuttings, and
bloody encounters that shall result from
the sale of intoxicating liquors, and tcet
with the tears of all the mothers and
wives and impoverished children whose
hearts have been broken by this
brutal, heartless, gigantic traffic In
blood" TRUTH.