The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-27
Prohibition in Danville.

Prohibition in Danville.
we have a private letter from Rev.
Or. j. Cleveland Hall, rector OF the Epls-
copal Church In Danvile, in which he
complains that the reports in the Rich
nond newspapers of his recent sermon
on the operation of the prohibition law
In Danville did not fairly represent his
position.
Our remarks were based upon synop'
sis Of the sermon printed In the Dan
VILE Bee, Since then we have seen the
full text Of the sermon and we think
that Or. Halls complaint is well founded.
We have read the sermon IN full with
interest and it inapresses us as oelnS
the delverance of a fair.mlnded man
whose honest purpose was to present
10th sides Of the case without preoudlce.
on the one hand he conceded all the
surface benefits from prohibition that
its advocates claim for It, He admits
that it has not injured. but rather helped
| the general business Of the city, ana
| showed that while there has been
considerable decrease In the revenue from
license taxes, this had been more than
offset by an Increase on real and per
sonal property. He admitted also that
there had been fewer arrests for drunk
cnness and for offenses usually charge
able to intemperance, and he admitted
that the general order Of the city mad
been materially improved
| = thoso re
public and patent side, and he then went
on to show that there was q secret slde
4 and that the secret evils OF prohibition
we're most dcplorable. From his investl-
cations he was satisfied that more wh1s-
key was being consumed In DanVille
homes under prohibition that when the
saloons were in full blast, He contend
ell that liquor was being sold In large
quantities In defiance Of the law; that
many Of those who had voted for prohl'
bition kept full supplies of spirits IN their
homes; that many others who had been
In the habit of taking drink occasional
" at the saloons and indulgng In q
periodical spree now kept jug III the
cupboard, and kept themselves soaked
With whiskey MI the time re said that
there were q dozen clubs composed or
t. young men who meet regularly at their
! chosen resorts to drink In secret; to play
! cards for money, and to indulge in other
G vices which are worse than either ntoXi-
I cation or gambling. Ie commended that
y the law encouraged lnwlessness; encour'
aged secret sins and hypocrisy, and nc
y was convinced that. morally speaking
. prohibition had been failure.
It is unfair to him, however. to say
J that he advocated tho open saloon, Or
: tho contrary, he denounced the saloon
! and said that It was not help. but {
hindrance to the material and mora
: welfare Of the community. He made {
strong and eloquent appeal to tho PEG
y pie Of Danve to enforce the prohib
ton law; to stop the illegal sale Of In
= toxcants, and no urged parents and busl
ness men and all citizens. who were IL
- any way responsible for the conduct Q
young men. to use every honest en-
deavor and every legitimate means t.
= break up the vicious social clubs that tn
= young men had formed IN secret and t.
stop them from their demorallzing In
. tulsences But he was bold enough t
=. say, on the other hand, II after an hon
). est and faithful endeavor they found tina
\. they could not stop the illegal traffic il
80 intoxicants ana break UP the secret In
:. dulgences described; II, In a word, the
could not make prohibition prohibit, the
:. lc see TO it that the sale Of ntoXicant
y. be put where it could he under survei
h. lance and control. MAKE Its sale legal.
90 said he, If you are powlerless to chez
an the debaucheIy Of outlaWry now broad
-. cast in the city and daily becoming MGR
Nv and more curse. Turn your minds frol
sr the contemplation of the mercantile al:
ey trict; turn from the business floor {
IA. the downtown stores to an eXam!natio
in OF, the rooms upstairs over them. Fin
,p out so that you will know that you kno
where your boys are al night where 20,
clerks and bookkespers are"
In short, the whole discourse may
nr thus SUMMED UP in phrase: DR.. Ha
expressed himself as being In favor
srs prohib!,lon. that will prohibit But
Ice was frank enough and brave enough
,ds saw that he preferred the legal sale
in,oxicants to the illegal sale. ne pr
ing TERED the old condition In panville
are the new, because he believed tnat T.
i've last state was worse than the first; b
Ing cause the prohibition law OF panville h
en-, proven to 90 more demoralislng than !.