Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-10-05


Mr.. j. @. Atwood. one of ths
News Leaders correspondent,
twhOse acquaintance we have not
says. In the course OF his letter:
First. in regard to the loca
option laws not being enforced IL
certain localities. that may bs
measurably true, bat will hazard
the prediction that the cases you
mention are both overstated and
that the complaints came from mer
who had voted wet and were not
IN favor of temperance or Local
option. | have information of the
highest crcdibility that Is the case
with your Berryville informant,
who. learn. is rabidIy opposed to
any temperance movement and
sees only evil in local option as
well as every other measure likely
to curtail the sale of liquor.
We are very heartily in favor OF
temperance in all things. but. like
a large number of mortals. among
whom Mr.. Atwood may be counted.
we are not temperate in all things.
About as Incorporate a statement
as the gentleman could make is
that we are "rabidly opposed to
temperance"
Another correspondent of the
News-Leader, FL. J. Richardson.
office secretary of the Virginia
Anti-Saloon League, etc. SAYS. as
a portion of his column letter:
As to Berryville. tits the county
seat of Clarke and has population
of about 900 census 1900. Itnow
contains five bar-rooms. Forever
100 years. with the exception Of a
brief period, it has been a license
town. About twenty years ACC
local option prevailed two wears:
the vets won in the next election.
but 1t may be interesting 10 state
that in this election negroes were
hauled to the polls in Berryville
and voted for license. while we
also know from experience that no
pains were taken to haul them Ia
the polls in any State or national
election. 1t Is true that local op.
ton was a partial failure. but II
was then the opinion Of many GOOD
men that If the law against liquor.
selling was as well enforced a.
other laws local option would have
been more successful. But that
was about twenty years ago. -
far as the CLARKE COURIER Is con
cerned anyone who has read that
paper for the past year. and who
understands local conditions. knows
that the COURIER i no friend of
the temperance cause. For in
stance, not long ago it made a
most contemplate fling at one of
the best and most pious men who
moved from the town largely be-
cause ne felt that Berryville, with
bar-rooms, was not a fit place in
which to rear his children. And
now the COURIER stands for license
higher license" 1t says-when
two murderers. on account of
whiskey, are in Berryville Jail:
one of these a white man who
while drunk shot and killed his
wife near Boyce not many months
ago; the other a negro who shot
and killed another negro in a Ber-
ryviile bar-room. l suppose this
Is the sort of thing the COURIER
and others want TO fasten on our
civilization and let the people pay
the cost in ruined lives and homes.
taxes for criminal expenses, and
also lay the foundation for the pro-
ductiOn Of more murderers.
The statement that negroes were
hauled to the polls to vote for
license, but not for State or national
elections, fails to agree with the
view taken by the majority of the
members of the late Constitutional
Convention, as laws were passed
especially designed to disfranchise
the negro.
The gentleman has evidently not
read the COURIER during the past
year, as he would have discovered
our statements time after time
that we did favor temperance, but
not a prohibition that did not pro-
hibit.
As to the contemplate fling"
regarding a gentleman who moved
away from here, we stated a fact
that had been made public by the
gentleman himself. If he cared to
say that his reason for leaving
Berryville was because he would
not raise his children in a town