Washington sentinel., 1901-04-13
WON THEIR FIGHT.
Leesburg Votes against Local
Option.

tor the advocates Oh Incense al tAaN
precinct There were 800 votes
against license and $50 for license.
AT Goresville Ca district which in
the last Presidential election gave
Mckinley a mai ority OF ~, the
majority for license was only 10,
The result OF thas election dem
onstrates that the people OF north
ern Virginia are disgusted with
hypocrltical cant and Republican
narrow-minded ideas and have re
turned to the fold Of the old Dem.
ocralic party, which always has
advocated personal liberty, broad.
liberal. views and good
government.
The result of the election there
fore means that the people of Lees
burg will now be able to control
the sale OF liquors in legal and
orderly manner, because the peo-
pie will sustain and aid in entorc-
ing a law which is iair and just,
and which is not at variance with
the peoples conception OF right
and justice. 1t means eventually
a reduction In taxation; it means
a continuation OF the street and
other public improvements; it
means prosperity for the city Of
Leesburg. We wish the city sue
cess. The SENTINEL hopes that
licenses will only be granted to
reputable men who stand we'll IN
the community at large and who
will conduct their establishments
properly and with creditnot only to
themselves but also to the city.
The SENTINEL went into this
fight against the Prohibitionlsts
not because It desired to interfere
in local politics as an anonymous,
scurrillous poster which was widely
circulated amonP the voters
charged, but on the contrary it
opposed the Prohibition element
because its editor is a true Demo.
crat and not a hypocrite- He did
not want to see his old State 60
back upon the cardinal principle OF
the Democratic partY-Personal
Liberty. He had more faith in the
people OF Virginia than the two so.
called Democratic papers Of Lees
burg, the WaShiAgt0HiaH and
the Miner, which advocated the
cause Of local option for the reason
that they did not desire to see bar
rooms placed il Leesburg, because
the temptation would be too great
for its citizens.
When the editor OF this circulsr,
headed IAN Address to Voters"
charges that we were employed by
the wholesale liquor dealers OF
Washington to dictate 10 the citi-
zens OF Leesburg how they should
vote, he lies, because the SENTINEL
did not receive one cent from any
liquor dealer or brewer in the
country to enter this contest. The
SENTINEL is the only Personal
Liberty advocate published at the
National Capital, and whether it is
in our own or any other State in
the Union, it will always assist the
advocates Of true temperance and
license to knock out any law which
breeds fanaticism, hypocrisy and
perjury. AS to the charge that
we made a malicious attack upon
the JIiyy0y, this is also untrue, as
everyone knows who read the SEN
In Leesburg during the last six
years that local option has been
in vogue, liquor has been used as
much as ever. Especially whisky,
because it was easier to conceal a
package Of pure alcohol on ac-
count Of its size than keg Of ale
or beer. Men who formerly drank
but little whisky became addicted
to ITS use on account Of the local
option law which prevented easy
access to milder beverages.
The court records also show that
during IS years under the license
law fewer offenses and crimes were
committed than under the six
years rule OF local option, most OF
these crimes and ofenses being due
to excessive use Of alcohol. The
prosperity and growth OF the city !
were also impaired, and even the
population, as the census proves.
has decreased. Things now have
already taken a boom, houses
which have stood idle for years are
rapidly being rented, and it is only |
a question Of time ere the historic
Did town will blossom out and ex.
oand.
AS regards the charge that It is
doubtful whether we are even
American citizen, we
would say in proud dIsdain, ask
,our old Confederate leaders