The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-24

49, 80 = .
should DO licensed in order that men may
drink ito their comfort. That Is the
only aim Of license, that men who want
It may drink "to their comfort" L claltn,
and thousands with me claim, that the
saloon should not be granted license,
because It invudes our personal liberty,
the security Of otir property and life and
that 1t Is licensed grently to OUR PER
soNAL D1sCOMFONT. We claim that
cur personal liberty Is just as sacred IN
the eyes Of tho law as tho liberty OF tho
dram drinkdr. and that II the saloon de-t
much right to demand It's prohibition as
1,he Times Dispatch has to demand that
III be licensed. LET THIS ISSUE BE
CLEAR. a This Is not nn argument from
preachers or n fanatics standpoint. Ihis
Is citizens arguments citizen stand
Ing on his own rights before the law, op--.
posing another man before tho law. one
says: II have right to an open saloon.
that may drink TO my comfort. The
other says II have a right to close that
saloon that my business BIO not hln-
dered, that my property DO not impaired,
that my personal safety be not endan-
gcred. Business. property and safety are
nevertheless. II you and the saloon-keeper
can prove that majority Of the citizens
want him to keep the saloon at this place,
lf he can get q majority OF them 10 sign
petition that he be granted license,
then he will have a legal right to do so,
hut he must prove the fact before ne can
claim any such right Hear the supreme
Court on this very point:
DRINKING PROPER SUBJECT OF s
,is5s 5sl lel r ,TTCIIST ATT ON Is.5
ut Is urged that as tho liquors are
used as q beverage. and the injury roll
lowing them, If taken In excess, Is yolun-
tnrily inflicted and Is confined to the
party offending, their salo should be
without restrictions. the contention being
that what a man shall drink. equally
with what no should eat. Is not properly
matter for legislation.
'.There Is in this position an assump-
ton OF the fact which does not exist that
when the liquors are taken IN excess the
injuries are confined to the party Offend
Ing. Tho njury.lt Is true. first falls upon
him In his health, which the habit under
mines; in his morals, which It weakens
and in reimbursement. which It creates.
But. as 1t leads to neglect of business and
waste of property and general demornliza-
tlon, it affects those who are Immediately
connected with and dependent upon him.
f.'By the general concurrence of opinion
CT every civilized and Christian commu-
nifty, there are few sources Of crime and
misery to society equal to tho dram shop,
where Intoxicating liquors In small guam
titles, to be drunk at the time, are sold
indiscriminately to oil parties applying.
The statistics Of evory State show q
| greater amount Of crime and misery at
tributable to the use Of ardent spirits
obtained at these retail liquor saloons
than to any other source"
In this decision Of tho highest court
of our country. composed OF able law
yers, the opinion itself delivered by Justice
Field, Is the answer to every argument
advanced by Tho Times Dispatch, and
saloon men. WHAT A MAN SHALL
DRINK IS A PROPER SUBJECT OF
| LEGISLATION, EWIIENIJVER II q is
evident THAT THE INJURIES
| + WHICH RESULT FROM DRINKING
ARE NOT CONFINED TO THE PAR
TY DRINKING. 4, i8.5 +
Tho following statement appeared IN
| The Times Dispatch OF March 10th: But
where ono man abuses liquor and makes
| a hog of himself and makes q nuisance
| Of himself, and makes a criminal OF
| himself through its use thousands drink
! 1t in moderation, to their comfort and
without harm either to themselye or
! Others" I try to measure my words
whom write. but 7 do not believe !!
! have ever seen a more extraYagnnt, and
| In my Judgment, misleading statement.
II is made directly in the face or the
| facts of business and social ne me
I insurance companies and railroad COM
panies both deny It by their regulations
on the use Of LIQUOR. "Thousands use !, !.
WITHOUT HARM to themselves Or
| others!!" Tho Times-D Dispatch can
/! never moro accuse the prohibitionists OF
extreme statements. for they have never
gone beyond this, It Is clearly ey va g ~
uuninted with tho awful facts IN, the
4 case. and therefore cannot appreciate
/ how greatly the liquor sellers and liquor
| drinkers have infringed upon the per
| sonal rights of others, and what sterl,
determination there Is to protect OUR
FIGHTS even II we disturb somewhat the
i rights OF some people to drink ito then
comfort" AS i said above, the issue
! Is Joined. It Is the right to drink against
the right to protect property ana IRE
Tho Times Dispatch and us followers
may claim "their comfort for tho lovers
Of Of LIQUOR, but the intelligent, sober SEN
, iment of this State has come to the con-
clusIon that some rights are more I'm
portant than the right to drink to ones
comfort and they are going to MAINTAIN
their rights even II the liquor sellers ans
, liquor drinkers have to lose their com
cIT1zENs' RIGHTS,
. Is the "Mann bill" fair to the commlp
nityY Most assuredly, It leaves tlit
matter upon the conscIences Of the PEG
] pie. They settle tho question every
year, If they have had saloons, or
\ saloon kept by certain parties at certain
7 places, ana they are satisfied, they cal
!, | Sign the petition again, II they do no
like the way in which tho saloon fa!
been conducted or the location. they car
/ refuse to sign. The bill VIII cause SAILOR
i,eepers that do obtain license TO ohserY'
, tho law and to keep orderly houses.
case tho cry Of the liag1r sellers TIA
! s,nrohibition does not prohibit has an,
WEIGHT with the people they can thel
sign the petition and allow the saloon Z
return but n case they belle that
nc thn Virginia Code, likely to- be Violate
!. snmotimes, they Will try to have ollicer,
:. Who viii try TO enforce this law as WeI
! as any others. Z, y, ,,,,s,,,
No law has eyer yet been enacted Whlel
is II not Violated. here is q law Iagal 2
drunkenness and aisoFderly conduct, 2 :