The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-04
The Temperance Issue.

Early In the year the Tmes-Dspatch
was chided for dragging the temper
ence question into the campaign. our
reply was that we had no purpose or
&c sire 10 do so, but that we did not
SEQ how that question could be kept
cut And 1t was not kept out.
II Is live issue and II has been
made 50 both by the temperance pco-
pie and the liquor sellers. In yester-
DAVIS paper we published a circular let
ter which the Liquor Dealers Associa-
ton Is alleged to have sent out urging
all persons Interested in the liquor traf-
hc TO contribute money to aid the as
sc ciation in It's work, to be sure to pay
r their poll-taXcs and qualify themselves
to vote and declaring that concerted
action was the only hope Of prevent
ing the Antl-saloon League from making
the entire State prohibltory.'
The copy Of the letter which we saw
and If so. it shows that the Liquor
I I,ealers' Association is making an ac-
tive canvass to offset the work Of the
Ahti-Saloon League. There is nothing
in this letter to Indicate that the assoc
citation Is supporting any particular can
ddate for governor, but it is clearly
hand In the election of members OF
the legislature. So much for that side
CT the case. The work of the Anti
Saloon League Is manifest. 1t has called
upon all the candidates for senator and
the candidates for governor to express
their views and declare their attitude
toward temperance legislation and We
take 1t that tho organization Will pre-
ferably give Its support, all things else
Icing equal. to the candidates who have
given the most satisfactory reply to It.
questions.
Indeed Rev James Cannon, prcsIdcn
Of the league and editor of the Rich
niond Christian Advocate, leaves n,
room for doubt, so far as he is con
concerned. for in an editorial article (,
the Advocate Of August Sd. nc says:
METHODIsM AND THE BEVERAGE
LIQUOR TRAFFIC..
We gave last week an open letter sen
ont by the Anti-Saloon League, statinl
tho position OF the candidates for United
States Senator and Governor on IN,
liquor question. That letter is sent gu
by the League without comment, it be
Ing left 10 the citizens of the Stat
10 take the facts presented Ny fh'
League, discuss them, and to form
their own conclusions.
II should not be necessary for tn
editor to state that the Advocate doc
not have anything to say concerning
persons or parties as such. 1t Is onl,
when persons or parties represent Ger
tain opinions on moral issues that the,
come within the range Of the Legitimate
criticism of this paper Sut whcnevc
Il moral issue Is involved, the position
taken by candidates for public office upo
that moral Issue becomes u subject 70
legitimate criticism; aye, indeed, It be
comes the duty OF the paper to stat
clearly the exact position of the grea
Methods; Church upon the principle II
volved,
And upon this question there can !
no doubt where the Methodist Churc
stands. For many years The Discip,
of the Church has contained the 70
lowing paragraph: Let all our pieacl
ers and members abstain from II
manufacture or sale OF intoxicating
auors TO be used az n beverage. fro
signing petitions for such sale. from b
coming bondsmen for any person as
condition for obtaining license, al
from renting property 10 be used for SUI
sale. If any member shall violate al
of the provisions of this paragraph,
shall be deemed guilty of an immortality
1t is easy 10 see, by careful examin
ton of this paragraph, that, were
the people in the ,wcrld Methodists a
all Methodists pbeyed the Church la
there could be no beverage traffic in
toxicat.ng liquors and IT follows furth
more from the same paragraph y
the Methodist law implies that eYe
Methodist shall do everything possible
extirpate the beverage liquor traffic.
is, therefore matter Of decided int
est 10 compare the position of me Ct
didate on che Aauor question With
position Of the Methodist Church. !