The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-06-16
State if only majority Of the voters so


wholeeomefess or liciOu-ness 0i Il
censing the ralc Of liquor cannot be made
TO dep. nd upon wheth'r majority oi
/ the voters can be drummed up against
T il. or in favor OF IL.
Experience hns amply demonstrated
that the consumption OF liquor cannot
be prevented or materially dimlnlshed
by stringent or prohibitOry laws, but
that he almost Uniform effect OF such
legal inhihitinus il 10 debauch the morals
of the people by the practice OF deception
and falsehood. and To inlure their health
by the character Of the contraband hq-
uors claudestinely sold.
We are informed that Maine II the
only state east oi the Mississippi ana
with one or two exceptions, at when
Kansas j. the awful example, che only
state in the lnion. which Adhere- Ia
prohibition.
In this prohibition State OF Maine n
commission OF which the present reform
Mayor Of New York. Hon. seth Low
WINS a member. discovered that there
were A. many federal Scire stamps sold
As in the state Of New York. where the
sale of ligunr il licensei-in other words
the citizens nf Maine were tai ing out 10
rense from the nited states To reil ~
nor. which the State forbid them To sell
and we're selling 10 in defiance 81 Inc
state law and the State deriving no in-
come thereirom. ,...
Many states have tried prohibition,
and alter All unhappy and injurious eN-
perience injurious iu morals a. wei ~
in revenues. have resorted To othrr
methods
few months ago Maine had two pro
hibition neighbor-. New Hampshire ana
Vermont. In both of which prohibition
hal long been q notorious failure, pro
moter Of inehriety. hypocrisy ana con
tempt Of law These States have aban-
doned prohibition though they still per
nit local option. which j. in eiisct proh!-
hilton confined 20 locality. Aud % pro
hihition applied to - whole state has
proyei such fraud and dellsiOn. WI!
should il not be cqdg!ly Disappointing
and destructive Of the best Interests OF
ihe local community where 1t II nitro
duced
nder the gui-e OF closing the saloons
ol This city the rea! object l. % prohibit
the lawful sale by merchant. druggist or
any one else Of drop Of wine, liquor or
beer in this city. however urgent may De-
the need of it for medicinal purpose
ii in the election on the Both Of June
those who petitioned for The election suc-
coed the statute of Virginia says that
no win. spirituOns or malt liquor can
be- lawfully sold by anybody in Fr~der-
ickshurg
majority of the sober people ui red
icksburr u-r huuOr in some form ~ mod
GRAFTON. il II prescribed every day by the
pbysician. and with many its daily Use
i a necessify These good peop.e conOt
propose 10 abandon the wholesome Use
II liauor because there is q small minori-
~ in the community who refuse 90 'xer-
else any seli control
Hence the people " ho use liquor ~'eth-
err for medicinal purposes or other"ls-,
must incar the Inconvenience ana nhui-
tional expense 81 sending abroad i"r II,
or else ignore the law and purchase the
contrahand article. which will be surrep-
titionsly sid daily 10 our midst
The law forbidding Sunday traffic IN
der heavy penalties n probably not
strictly enforced 10 any communii! II
this law universally approved by ? pllc
sntiment in Virginia cannot be enio red,
ran We expect "a law forhidcing thi safe
Of ljauor for the six secular days ci the
week 10 be enforced when the le" has
not the sanction % enlightened ? bile
senfiment ana il held by many % our
To-t moral and conservative citize 10
be- an infringement Of personal no ny.
and u mischievOus int, rlereuce by one
man with the dictates Oi the consr nee
II bis neighbor'
II prohibition hall carry, our pr cent
inadeouAte revenues viii be serIOusi! rur-
tailed at time when We a-e comp led
to increase them. the illici, sale of lq Tor
Will suuer--dc the licensed aud rsgu ted
traffic with iis carnival OF dupl ~,
fraud aud deception. travellers ma
strangers will shun city. or only i.i-tr
here a. long a. necessity comp-l-, % sll'
he hardly possible 20 refund the : ~
5000 II seven per cent. bonds oil BIZ
city when they mature, at the pr srAt
low rate OF interest, the trade oi our ny
will be largely reduced II not para, h'l.
our taxes will be heavily Increased, mus
diseouraging the iDcreass 81 our poN "a
ton. the Introduction OF ne" moo t'"-
and the development Ciour "ater ? "er
by capitalists, aud the idrther lmpr Ve-
ment of our streets beyond the six bl. css
under rontraot suspended for AN in'en
nite aud uncertain period in the iu IRE.
and bitterness and turmoil will III the
hearts Of oar people.
These consequences should chall nge
the thoughtful consideration OF our i'eo-
ole before they cast their ballot
Signed:
ED Cole. Geo. ". Wroten W r. brsfley'
". : Emhrey, NJ ;. Chancellor. II l.
Wallece. Lawrence Perry. JP. Rowe
II. George K. Fitzhugh.as City Attorney
The following members OF the Council
were. on their own motion. excused from
signing the above paper. being inter- sted
parties: T. McCracken, Henry Dannehl
and T.. " Mill.
Tesfe-