Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-03

disobsdIsncs 70 the law Of our Stats IN
regard to closing Of I'll bar-rooms On
the whole Of Sundays. For the sake
Of impressing the people With Their
grievances, or the threatened pronioi'
ton Of their personal liberties, these
liquormen cali themselves lsw-a'hding
citizens; bat the fact Of the VIOLATION
Of the Sunday law by them is PROOF
against their assumed name. :,
Further, their patriotism is absurd:
Patriotism ia no less than love OF
country, not from personal interests
merely. but from sense Of duty and
common interests. These men now pay
their taxes In money and not in cou-
pons. Whys They would impress upon
as that 1t is patriotism. But the whole
truth is-and they have not covered
it--that this action is for self.interests.
Let our people consider these two posi-
lions OF the so-called law-abiding and
patriotic citizens.
We are confronted with several ques-
tions, which, Of course, are important.
One is, Can the law be enforced?
would say to this, Yes. Mr.. Ellyson
thinks experience teaches that we can
not enforce the law in large towns and
cities. Why not? He puts it on the
ground that the law lacks public senti-
ment in the large towns and cities; but
the fact is the infdelity Of the authors
ties. Give us faithful officers, and this
law will be enforced as well as the
other laws which are also violated. II
our public officers were not recreant to
their trusts our laws would be better
enforced; and, moreover, if our whis-
key.men are law-abidiDg citizens there
will be no trouble.
Another question is presented: Will
this question ever get into politics!
Yes, mos. assuredly, | think, II, when
the people vote no license, our party
1.-THE Democratic) will not see that the
law is enforced, but will place upon us
the necessity of having our own officers
to enforce the law. But if the present
officers of the law do their duty the
question will be kept out Of politics,
where we desire it kept.
But the most important question is,
Is it right? 1t does appear that as
business question, it has its difficulties;
but as a moral question it appears to
me to have no difficulties. If whiskey
is a cause of evil and crime if our
young men are morally ruined, and If
murder, rape, theft, and almost every
crime can be traced back to whiskey as
its cause, surely, as moralists, to say
nothing Of Christians, it is our duty to
remove the cause of so much evil and
crime from our midst, which | think
will be done If our people vote for no
license and our officers enforce the law.
Our businessmen wish to get rid OF
the agitation. am amused at this; for
it does appear from your last Sundays
paper that a majority Of them are OPP
posed to local option. If our party is
defeated will the agitation cease? Nay,
verify. This being moral question,
our ministers and moralists generally
will not rest satisfied until they are vic
torious. 1t will rest, so far as the
election is concerned, for at least two
years; but the pulpits will send forth
the temperance cry; the temperance
people will silently agitate the ques.
ton, and do it until victory is gained.
The best way to stop the agitation is to
vote for local option. | hope this will
be done.
A FORMER RICHMONDER.