Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-05-06
Statewide Prohibition.
Mr.. EDITOR

morsl convection should have place
In political platforms, as well as party
policy" A distinguished United States
Senator once said that there was no
place in politics for the Ten Command
ments or the Sermon on the Mount.
For that saying he was retired to pri-
vate life at the next election. So will
1T be done to any political party or can
didate that ignores moral issues.
For the present, we will waive the
moral issue and look at this subject
from the standpoint Of civil govern
ment and party policy"
You assume that Judge Mann will be
the nominee of the Democratic pri-
mary. l assume that he will not. Mr..
Howard M. Miller. former superinten-
dent Of public schools of Rappahan-
mock, says: at seems that the Anti
Saloon League of Culpepper county is
supporting Mr.. Tucker almost solidly.
Tucker will carry every county
in the Eighth District with possibly one
exception In a town of 1900
or 1000 inhabitants in Piedmont where
fiourishing Anti-Saloon League exists,
only three of its members are for Judge
Mann"
These are few sample statements
taken from many coming up from all
over the State. Hon. J. c. Wysor. of
Pulaski is making a strong fight for
Tucker. l am reliably informed that
the counties of Wythe, Smyth, Pulaski,
Russell and Buchanan will give Tucker
good majorities. l subscribe for and
read three daily virginia papers, beside
a half dozen county papers. am also
in correspondence and daily personal
contact with great many people, with
whom l converse upon this subject; so
l believe have good grounds to assume
that Judge Mann will not be the nomi-
nee for Governor.
While this is none of our funeral.
from a standpoint of party policy, we
cannot afford to put ourselves in a posi-
tion to fight the corpse. Let the Dem
ocratic dead bury its dead. Let us see
to it that we put ourselves on the right
side of this great moral political ques-
ton. at the same time we will not for
felt the opportunity to attack the very
bad record, which the Virginia Democ-
racy has been making for twenty-five
years"
Your ''Home Rule and Individual
Liberty" feature of local option sounds
well, but it does not work. There are
in Virginia seventy-one counties in
which no form of liquor license is grant
ed. There are fourteen other counties
in which there is dispensary or dis
tillery or little town in which liquor
is sold Practically eighty-five out of
the hundred counties in Virginia are
embraced in dry territory. This eighty
five per cent. has as much right to
home rule" as the fifteen per cent.
has; yet the Is per cent. is advocating
Home Rule and Local Option" while
at the same time destroying home rule
IN the eighty-five per cent. under the
hypocritical howl of local self-govern-
ment. If Richmond, Norfolk, Poca-
hontas and other liquor towns are sim
cere in their demand for home rule,
they ought not to distribute their wet
goods in dry territory, thus largely null
hfying home rule in the eighty-five
counties of the State The dry coun-
ties of Lee and Tazewell have as much
right to interfere with the local self
government of these liquor selling cit
les, as the cities have to destroy local
option in the dry territory. Like the
Ephesian cry of Great is Dianna of
the Ephesians, so these centers of dis
tribution of liquor are crying out
Great is Local Option and Self-Gov-
ernment." Like the evil spirits cried
out to Christ to '1et them alone" so
these evil cities say to the prohibition
lists "let US alone" But we are not
going to let them alone and woe betide
the political party that espouses the
cause of these liquor selling local op-
ton people.
Now, Mr.. Editor, propose to raise
just one issue on this question, which is
not only sound political principle, but
is wise party policy. shall ask the
convention of Newport
News to insert plank in the platform
pledging the Republican party of Vir-
ginia, if entrusted with power. to en-
act statute at the next session of the
General Assembly providing for State
election in the Spring of 1910, to take
the sense of the qualified voters on the
question of license or no license for the
and sale of intoxicating
liquors for beverage purposes within
the State.
Just how such a proposition as that
could disrupt any political party, am
unable to see. If we have a political
party in Virginia that is unwilling or