Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-08-28
THE LIQUOR TRIALS.

sS .~SSns - a"s ~ o~h OVuuey Ooute
of local option violations to encour-
age the law-sbidihg element of the
county, and at the same time to dis
courage the handful of violators,
some of whom. seem to be continuing
busipess at the "same old stand y
though several have been convict
ed more than once. Whether the inn
petus given the execution of our
laws By the trial last week will dis
courage this element sufficient to in
duce them to curtail the nefarious
traffic or not remains to be seen.
Some things are very plain,
however. If there ever was in
the past any ground for the
charge that these offenders could not
be brought ito justice, and that the
tines conld not be collected-(on
this point we hope soon to enlighten
the public by facts and figures)-
lately public opinion has been grow
ing stronger against the open viola
lions, and it is not quite so hard now
"a formerly to get justice done our
laws. The case just passed upon
was battle royal Of two days. Dur
ing it all the Court ruled very firmly
and Justly, and "side passes" fire.
quently made by the able counsel for
the accused were firmly met and
checked. The jury was a represen-
tative one; without such it is futile
to attempt liquor prosecutions. 1t is
painful to acknowledge that we have
some citizens who stand in excel.
lent repute, but'when it comes to IL
quor-jury service they are exceedingly
biased, and while all are satisfied
that there are few men openly and
daily Sundays not excepted) selling
liquor in our county such jurors
twist their consciences to a degree
sufficient to reduce or entirely release
from punishment these offenders.
The views of certain citizens are
so well known that when found
on the jury it is deemed utterly USE
less TO proceed with liquor cases.
Sometimes few such men are found
In the temperance ranks. We know
OF men who go around express
ing end drumming up sympathy for
these breakers of the law when fined,
forgetting the dire trespsss upon the
rights of good citizens that is caused
by pumping men full of liquor and
turning them loose upon the COM
manity. When analysed the de-
pravity of such minds is found
brought to the level of the malefac
tors they sympathize with.
+: White Chapel and Mantua (even
atthe Court House) seem to still have
come speakeasiesu but we know that
White Stone District holds the ring
leaders--Weems, White Stone and
Kilmarnock having places run even
: 90 Sundays. Each of these dens
possesses a revenue license from the
az. s. government. Without this
their ambrosia and other intoxicants
would bring them in judgment to
Uncle Sam, and in his court it is !
not likely they will fall into sympa- |
thetic official hands or before biased |
jury. rC
We believe we speak for the
iaW-respecting element in the county
when We say that no matter what the
cost-fnancialiy or socially-the
prosecutions must proceed. If it
were not so serious a matter-this
never ending law violating -.one
might find amusement in the sinew-
tearing manner that these offenders
carry on and denounce the prosecu-
tors when judgment goes against
them. 1t is an old adage that when
one man does another an injury it is
the doer that entertains hatred most.
Forgetting that they are injaring
quiet citizens, that they are breaking
d,wns the Safeguards to law and or
der and are offensive to social as we'll |
az all business life they pose as the
injured ones. and to some extent get :
sympathy. sympathetic minds '
business nearby of vast proportions q
mast be jeopardizsd rather than they
should be brought to account for il.
iicit doings. On the other hand :
temperance men have no hatred to. :
ward the liquor seller; they pity,
and, msyhap, hold little contempt d
for the person. Butt is his vile traf. a
'ie they despite. If this were not 80 =
temperance people would not 60 n
down in their pockets or spend valu- a
able time in over-turning the trade. :,
Tbe man in it is mere bagatelle u
he amounts to too little to regard SC
o Al