Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-14

the road say 81 is hard to be had In
most cases."
IT WILL REMOVE TEMPTATION FROM
THE YOUNG.
Friend John Bacon Crenshsw: Ger
tainly intend to vote for local option.
As to the best time Of holding the cleo
tion the friends Of the cause are now
consulting. shall advise an election
this year. think the law against the
sale Of liquor will be as efectual rs the
law against murder, theft, &c. While
II will not entirely stop drinking, it will
greatly diminish ii aud take temptation
from the path of the young. The ex-
perience Of the localities where such
laws have been in force is that crime is
greatly diminished, jails almost emp
tied, and inmates OF poorhouses very
much reduced in number.
Atfirst there will be some check to busi-
ness, but soon there will come healthful
and permanent improvement. The loss
in revenue by the law will, in my judg-
ment, be more than made up by the
saving in the support Of the poor and
from the cost of prosecuting criminals.
My observations from frequent visits to
our prisons, hospitals. poorhouses, &C.,
for the last forty years has led me to
believe that nine tenths Of all crime and
poverty comes from the use Of ardent
spirits.
Nv information is that real estate ad-
yances in value that the general good
order is more firmly established; edu-
cation advances, and especially are the
deadly effects OF alcohol on the human
frame diminished.
One Of our speakers in the State Of
Maine, in addressing large gathering
of Sunday. school children on the sub
ject Of drunkenness, remarked to 8 gen.
tleman near him "These children do
not seem to understand anything about
drunkenness. He replied: "They
do not. Ask them if they ever saw q
drunken man." The answer showed
that not one ofthem had ever seen such
q pitiable object.
have been surprised since the CON-
mencement OF the contest before the
Legislature at the large number of our
citizens who have voluntarily said to
me, Go on, ire piH rOte for local option
and since its passage, at the large
amount Of expression in the community
OF purpose to so vote.
The colored ministers Of the city are
largely, if not entirely, for it, and seem
confident Of carrying their people with
them.
TAKE AWAY THE LIQUOR AND THE
COUNTRY WILL PROSPER.
Grand worthy- Secretary George W.
MAYO: Yes, shall vote for local op-
ton, because ! believe that it will be
for the general benefit Of the commu-
nifty. 1t has not yet been determine
when an election will be petitioned for
in Richmond. The question is now
under deliberatlon.
The prohibition Of the sale Of intoxi.
eating liquors viii be as ehectual in
preventing the sale as the laws are
against other vices and crimes. There
will no doubt be liquor sold, but SC
secretly and the sales made with such
caution that but small amount can be
disposed Of. Some persons will man
age to supply themselves from these
secret resorts, but the sellers them.
selves to avoid the penalties Of the law
will use extreme care to prevent thelr
customers from excess, as the drunken.
ness of any individual might lead to
exposure. The sales Of liquor being SO
circumscribed and concealed, it itrequires
no argument to show that drunkenness
and the crimes consequent to 1t will not
be nearly so prevalent.
The closing Of the bar-rooms, gro
ceries, and liquor-saloons will unques-
tionably remove the temptations from
our boys and from many who desire to
abstain but cannot resist the invitations
Of drinking acquaintances and the
constant temptations offered by the
Numerous bar-roofns in the city.
The statement that local option
will and that the prospect Of its
enforcement does now injure the
general business Of the city, is, in my
opinion, incorrect, for the liquor is a
separate and distinct business, not sup
plying any Of the necessaries Of life
nor adding in any way to the wealth oi
the city or State except by the increased
taxable wealth of the individual deal
ers, which wealth would be more gene
rally circulated and OF more benefit to
the community were it retained in the
hands of the customers. But, in addi.
ton to that, the consumption Of the
liquor which produces the wealth Of the
distiller and dealer, incspitates the val
liable productive capacity Of each con-
sumer. and the loss OF this individual
productive capacity depriyes the State
Of far greater revenue from the results
Of permanent, industrious, productive
labor than can be derived from the
taxes on the sales and licenses OF
liquor dealers. The great decrease in
the State Of criminal trials, principally =
the effects Of liquor-drinking, also BY
decreasing State expenses add to its
net income. But the question Of az
fecting the State revenue is not pro-.
per one to be considered, for were it
demonstrable that millions could be
obtained by liquor-licenses whereas |
think have above shown the reverse
TO be true it would not Justify the
granting Of licenses to tempt our citi-
zens into the indulgence Of the baser
passions, immortality, and degradation,
followed by misery, poverty, and crime.
Were the argument Of any political
worth it would be equally strong in
favor Of gambling and every other spe-
cies Of dissoluteness, for it is known
by experience that human nature is so
weak against temptation that persons
will and can afford to pay immense
sums for legslized authority to pander
TO the worst appetites aud passions Of
the body and mind. Ny information
as to the good accomplished in other
States by local option and prohibition
has been the lessening Of crime, the in
crease of State influence, prosperity,
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