The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-05-22

single penny out OF tnelr pockets
or if there was any likelihood
that it might do SO. There is a
great deal of human nature in.
manhood, and thisapplies even to
gentlemen who breaches and
practices the word of God. We
say it most charitably, but we be.
lieve that if the personalinterests
of these gentlemen demanded it,
their expressions upon the sub
ject that is 80 vital to this town
and county, would be of a differ
ent nature. If their religious faith
is as strong as their antagonism
to license seems to be, should
they not consider we'll whether
they would not be following the
Lords precepts better by asking
the Court to do unto the business
men here, what they would ask
the Court to do if they were the
business men. 1t would be diff
ferent proposition if it were max
ing the town better, or the people,
but such a proposition in the
light of past experience, and in
the light of every day experience
as it now is, is simply ridiculous.
"From the time that the mems
ory ofman runneth not to the con-
trary," excepting q very, very
brief period, licenses have all
ways been granted here. There
has never at any time been any
question raised, or vote taken as
to whether there should be IL
cense, for every one seemed to
realize that being contiguous to
Ohio, and within easy reach of SO
many places where drinks of all
kinds can be procured, and with
in reach of places where vast
quantities can be shipped in; that
no good could possibly be ac-
complished by not having license,
but that great good could result
by getting the benefit of the Ii
cense tax, to aid in making pub
lie improvements.
Besides, that bitter experience
of prohibition IN the town before
has taught our people, christians
and all, that they want no more
business depressions, no more
snch importations or ardent spir-
its into the town as characterized
that period when we had no Ii
cense. That was a time, too,
when Point Pleasant had not
launched ont as a manutacturin
town, when she did not have the
finest stores along the Ohio river;
her splendidly paved streets, her
large Touring mills, capable of
consuming the entire crops ofthe
farmers in this and adjoining
counties; her three sets of docks.
giving employment to hosts of
skilled mechanics as we'll as COM
mon laborers; her magnificent
hotels, her wholesale grocery,
and that grand structure, the
Malleable Iron Plant, the pride
of the town. 'She did not then
have these industries that furnish
ed work for our unemployed,w with
large pay rolls each week enab-
ling the laborer to pay cash each
week for anything he desired;and
the citizens of our town had not
then invested thousands upon
thousands of dollars in order to
make the town what it should
be, and what it will ultimately
be, unless prevented by those whe
are advocating something simply
to spite those who have been
little more prosperous and sue
cessful than themselves.
Who is 1t that ought to know
what is for the best, the people
who live here or the preacher who
is here one year and away the
next? Who cares more for the
good of the town, the man who
lives here, who has his money in
vested here, and who does his
buying here, or the man who has
nothing at stake, not a dollar in
vested, and who runs to a neigh
boring town for paper ofpins,
and never 30 much as setting his
foot in the town unless necessity
requires it? Is the citizens of