Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28
E.nIn 10 1sr. IIi,son.

IN attempting 10 answer Mr.. j. Tay'
lcr Ellyson's article in your paper o.
March Dist ] wish to make several
preliminary observations. One is that
long acquaintance has produced in my
mind a high personal respect for him
and / wish all that may write to be
read in the light Of this statement.
desire also to remind the people that
Mr.. Ellyson is politician-one Of the
very best Of that class, but still poll.
ticisr-snd we all know that il is very
difficult for politicians to emancipate
themselves from certain habits Of
thought when they come TO deal with
public questions. Another predatory
remark is that in the Senate he finally
voted for the local-option bill including
cities-an act for which ], as one Of his
constituents. give him heartiest praise
but now be seems to be recoiling from
the consequences OF his own vote-an
act for which |, as one Of his consti-
tuents, feel deep regret.
Now, 10 Mr.. Ellyson's argument 4:
lie SAYS, 81 confess ! belong to that
class who believe that you cannot by
legal enactment abolish the sale Of
liquor in large towns or cities Mr..
Ellyson might have written with just
as much truth and pertinence that sou
cannot by legal enactment abolish bur-
glary in large towns or cities, or that
YOU cannot by legal enactment abolish
gambling. To all three Of these state
ments there will be unanimous assent.
What is the use Of making them In
them no issue whatever is joined. The
question is whether the laws against
burglary and gambling materially lessen
these offences sgaiust society. And 80
the question Is whether prohibition un-
der local option will materially lessen
the sale Of intoxicating liquors and
Us diIeful results. IL Mr.. Ellyson
says prohibitory enaclments can
have 10 such effect il large towns and
cities, then be lays down a proposition
that raises an issue between as. lie
says, d" We tried il in Richmond during
he war" Tried what: Certainly not
what we are proposing now 10 Try. Not
prohibition by public sentiment IN
corporated into Law at the polls. after
canvass that will educate the iudg-
ment and conscience OF the people; bat
prohibition by military order, emana-
ting from q single Will. And We are
told that during war times The sale Of
liquor and drunkenness were very
prevalent. So were some other pests
that many can easily recall, naneles>
here foTcvermore but it would
lie very grave reflection eyeo
20 hint that We can have no
better control over them now than VT
had then. Mr.. Ellyson proceeds to
mention Maine, Kansas, and Iowa.
loosl-op'ionists do not feel called upon
10 show that prohibition IN these States
is everywhere effective. Their method
of dealing with the rum curse IS very
different from ours. la each OF thsse
States liquor has been put under ban
by constitutional amendment, which,
though adopted by majority Of ths
whole people, may have little or 10
sanction IN certain localities. Conse-
quently in some places Tie Law may be
disIegarded, since It's enactment vas
State affair. bile Its enforcement must
always be local affair. How different
The plan proposed for Richmond. Ii IS
plan which does not permit prOhibl-
lion TO be adopted until the people in
this particular community are in favor
of il; it makes the enactment OF
the law local, as its enforcement
must be local it no sooner calls
the law into existence than it
wakes into life 4 public sentiment to be
its defence and executive. Now, ask,
what can hinder the enforcement in
Richmond or anywhere Of Law that
has sn sc;iye public opinion at the back
Of IL; What Is so powerful save Om-
impotence itself? Sull | 90 not mean
10 admit that prohibition is a failure in
Maine, Kansas, and Iowa, even in the
cities. In the last-named State, which
adopted its prohibitory amendment but
recently, the operations Of the Law have
been embarrassed by adverse decisions
Of the courts. As 10 Kansas: An sd-
dress Of the Baptist churches in To.
reka 10 the Baptists Of America, dated
November II, 1885, says; la four
years we have driven the saloon out OF
nearly 500 towns and cities OF our
State. We have IS counties without
saloon. There are but three cities in
our State that openly violate the law
Christias Adeoeafe. In
Maine prohibition has been 10 existence
for about thirty years. 1t is ineredi-
bic that the law should have
remained so long on the statute
book If 1t had proved the failure that
some allege. In this period the .qaes-
lion has been voted upon over aud over
again, with . largo majority always