The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-03-14
Local oPrloN INJURY.

LOSHL VI IOIN lNJOhI-
There Is one tnlng connected with
the local option or prohibition move.
ment that trade unlonists cannot con-
sistently or honestly lose sight of and
that is the principle of brotherly love
that is involved in IT. The Journal
deems it duty to emphasize this fact,
even at the risk of tiresome repetition.
The establishment of local option,
which means prohibition. will mean
the loss OF employment to thousands
OF persons and when the army of I'M
employed that is parading the streets
of our cities just now is considered the
question becomes an extremely seri-
GUS one, morally and economically.
The trade unions OF various trades
and callings directly connected with
the licensed liquor business have pass
ed resolutions asking other trade un-
ions as brothers to vote against pro
posed laws that will put out of exist
ence the means that those whose
trades are threatened have Of honestly
earning a living. No plea could be
more humane, nor more likely than
this, and most assuredly nothing could
be more expected to draw forth an
affirmative response. To ignore the
appeal of these brother unionists will
simply mean that there is no cement
ing brotherly love existing in the trade
union movement and that the welfare
or Interest Of one is not the welfare
and interest of ALL"
To answer the above mentioned
pleadings by saying that the capital
employed in the licensed liquor bust
ness can be invested in the production
of more useful things than liquors Is
cruel mockery and bold sophistry.
There are millions of dollars uninvest-
ed to-day, the owners of which would
be only too glad to find anything like
a profitable investment for their mon
icy.
We repeat that this question of local
option or prohibition concerns the eco
nomic welfare of the wage workers
more than It does any other class of
citizens. To uphold the present licens-
ed liquor business as necessity does
not in any sense or form mean that
drunkenness among the working class
es is being defended. Our wage work
ers as class are not drunkards, and
1t is an absolute fact that neither sa-
looms nor wholesale houses have tend
ed to make them drunkards so much
as illegal liquor selling dens have.
Wage workers as n whole have with
stood the temptations of both, but
small percentage have been unfortu-
nately chronically affected by the ex-
istence of speak easies and such like.
The most sober communities among
our Industries are those wherein we'll
conducted licensed saloons exist and
this is fact that can be veried at
any time by sojourn through the VA
rious districts.
So that from n moral standpoint and
also a standpoint OF personal liberty
and equality the wage worker has an
undeniable right to have the opportu-
nifty to purchase a glass of beer when
he wants it under the full and free
permission and protection OF the law.
To deprive him of this right Is tyranny
in view Of the fact that the rich can
afford to keep in their cellars and use
ut leisure that refreshment which the
law prohibits the poor from enjoying.
This prohibition narrows the field OF
employment and outrageously limits
personal liberty. Adv.