Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-05-01


to express myself in regards to its
merits or dement's, ask space
in your columns for just a few lines
on the subject. No truth is molo
plainly established nor more
universally accepted by all classes
than that incompetence is an evil
that Injuries the mind and body;
depraves The moral nature and
leads TO crime; makes homes un
happy and disconso'ate; brings
about degradation and paupcrism
and becomes the foe Of society,
therefore advocate l0cal-optlon
There is nothing else ut present to
which We can resort us u means
of testing the wish Of our people
concerning The liquor traffic, and |
see no reason why some ofour best
citizens should be inclined to favor
u cause, that he world admits to
be injurious to man in nearly all
conditions Of life. There WAS a
time in some sections when intem
rcranca was considered as simply
a misfortune Of the victim, for
which he alone was responsible,
and was regarded as a mere ques-
ton of morals; society relying on
the various churches and other
agencies convincing men OF the
danger into which the Intoxicating
drink was liable to lead them, de-
pended on The argument OF moral
suasion in It's regulation and susie
lianco and Il license law placed in
tho hands of responsible Citizens
was considered an honorable way
Of obtainnp revenue and safe
guard to the unfortunate partakers
OF this bitter cur, bit such is Ito
longer the case. The plea OF TAX
ING away the liberties Of free citi-
zens, which the anti-local optionists
are now making, might have been
considered with some degree OF
prorriety in those days, but the
civil VIII having taken place iii our
land "nG dcmoralizcd our country
to :. great extent, ii change Of cir
cumstances in every portion Of this
great Commonwealth having bcen
brought about and the very laws
which were enacted to proteca our
young men from the evils OF such
Il curse having been so greatly
abused that they protect drunken
ness and crime, the prosperity ofouT
country, the peace of orr homes
and tile cause OF education demand
a change and it must be brought
about by prcliibitory localontiolr
laws. 1t has done good mall 9th
cr states and will do good hero
Many claim that our taxes will be
Increased to ri Use the revenue,
which will be cut off by rejecting
license and therefore object to vo-
ting for ocal.option; this is only an
excuse to protect the traffic for if
there be an increase Of taxes it
will lie so slight our citizens will
scarcely notice it.
But suppose the entire State
goes against license and we the
people of Accomac have TO pay our
part of the necessary increase Of
taxes to run the Government what
will lie The result9 Can we pay it9
Will We pay it? Montgomery,
Giles, Bland and other counties of
the South West have done without
license for number of years and
are now declaring at the polls that
they are satisfied with the result,
will never want license again and
will gladly pay their part of the
revenue.
Now if these counties h:ch are
mountainous, remote from market
and cxtortioned upon by railroad
Co., without competition oppose Ii
cense and prosper without the
liquor traffic why can not Accomac
which is a favored SPOT of the q.
S., and one ofthe finest counties
IL America d. the same7 She can
do it and think will do it.
Having visited ten different
States and been among strangers
ten ycarsI know by experience and
observation something Of the bat
tie Of life,young men have to fight
and the temptation to which they
are exposed, therefore [ advise
every young man who wishes to be
respected through life and become
an ornament to society and a use
ful citizen to the community IN
which he may live, TO think over
this great question in a christian
like manner and then vote his true