The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-01
q 3, GARDNER.
DlSPENSARY IN VIRGINIA.
From a Moral Stan d point Il Is Dlsma
Failure In Southampton.

How the system has worked IN Virginia
Ia best told by the following from the
editorial columns OF 1.-THE Graphic" pub.
nshcd ut Franklin southampton county:
Tho Graphic fully recognizes tho liquor
question as a delicate and knotty prob
lem. and ordinarily wo prefer to leave the
solution cf this vexed question to each
community and 10 tho Individual hearts,
and oonsclcnoes Of tho people. but when
a bill Is Introduced which we think OF
such Vital concern to tho people OF v{r-
g.nia indisoriminately. We cannot refrain
from expressing our views. Then, too,
tho hrst dispcnsary in Virginia having
been established hero, we deem It duty
which We cannot overlook to state our
views We ore not unmlndful Of the
fact Of tho great diversity OF opinion
hcro and hereabouts upon this question,
and We shall respect their opinions and
their right to hold Thorn to the Same ex-
tent that we INSIST upon their respecting
ours, The dispensary was established here
In May, 1900, and from a standpoint OF
profit and revenue It has been q marked
success That tho order around the place
Of business has been improved we Will
admit.
1s A FArLURH,
Tho cloa1ng OF tho ddspensary at sun.
set has to considerable degree mini
mixed drinking at night. but from mo
raj standpoint tho dispensary Is a dismal
failure Tho buying and handling 81
whlskey has become respectable as COM
pared with the buying md handling when
sold In bar-roons. There were many
people hero who did not believe in local
option, who Joined hands with the pro-
hfbitiontsts In securing the passage OF
tho act to estah.s'y a d.spensary here
thinking that 1t would be solution Of
tho whiskey question preventing local
option elections. to a large degree salts.
Tying the contcneing and opposing ele.
ments and prevent the continuous and
perpetual agitation Of euRjeot which
created discord, strife and Ill feelings be-.
tween neighbors ana friends, but this re-
suit has not been attained and instead
the q, >stlon has baen as much, II not
moro ave than ever before. It has been
asserted on the streets by reputable peo-
pie that the liquor sold was inferior,
short measure and exhorbitant prices
charged Tor the same These charges we
are not prepared to prove or deny. We
believe tho principle wrong and that II
would be dangerous and lanentable
undertaking for the State.
INJURD STATES GOOD NAME
We believe It would control tho politics
OF tevery county On tho State, that /
would become corrupt and unwieldy.
that It would retard hinder undo and
completely paralize the great temperance
work that is being done In tho State and
perhaps worse and Haddest OF all the
dignity and good name OF Virginia and
hcr people would be lowered and be-
Titled in the eyes Of tho civalized world.
and that we would have for our COM
panlon the solitary State OF South Caro-
lima, sharing and possessing the evils
peculiar. to her without receiving a single
blessing save the dollars and cents that
would BIO derived therefrom. There has
been no scandal in connection with the
operation Of the dispensary here and the
ono ut CORTLAND, the county seat, and we
know OF no corruption. but the opportunl-
ties for fraud and corruption are great,
and the only reason that we have not
fallen Is duo to tho fact that the very
best men were selected as the managing
boards. which would not prevail II It
were State law and tho appointments
political ones. Thora Is movement on
foot nero now by many OF the leaders OF
the movement to establish It, to do away
with this ono and we earnestly entreat
tho members of tho Legislature OF Vir-
giLia to think well and wisely before they
make d1spensary law for the State Of
V1Y1r3pgo 4f5