The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-10


believe, at the instance. and with the
entire approval, OF the prohibitionists.
| There was no possible theory on which
the Legislature could have enacted
such law, other than that local op.
| tion provided the sound, Just and
| proper way to deal with the problem
that Is. that it was a problem which
each community had the right to
settle for itself. Now. when the Anti
| Saloon League has used this law to
the fullest and proceeded under 1t as
far as IL conveniently can, 1t comes
| into court again, this time requesting
| the Legislature to legalize the theory
that State prohibition provides the
sound Just and proper way to deal
with the problem: that is, that 1t Is
a problem which no community e. e.,
no community with presumably wet
proclivities) has a right to settle for
itself. In short, the Ant-Saloon
League requests the Legislature to
stultify itself. Fundamental principles
| Of government do not vecr and shift
with every wind. They stand fast, no
matter what the pressure to suspend
or wrench them for special purposes,
and when we break principle to
make a wcathercock, there is no prin-
ciplc left. Local option and state pro-
hibtion are not simply different
methods OF dealing with a problem.
They are exactly antithetical and con-
Trajectory methods of dealing with the
problem. Both of them cannot pos
sihly be sound, just and proper, though
we find the Anti-saloon League in
tvrn indorsing both as best suits its
9 convenience and purposes.
If local option is the right way to
deal with the liquor problem. then
: State prohibition cannot be. and ie
> local option Is not the right way to
deal with the liquor problem, then it
never was, and the assurance that 1t
was. contained in the existing law. was
either legislative disqualification
or a hollow prctense maintained for a
time to cloak an Interior design.
These thoughts are directed toward
our legislators. who are now consid-
cring a bill empowering something
like onc-sixth of the voters to plunge
the State into so-called Statewide
election at any time at their discrc-
ton. To us they seem decidedly ger
name to the question of the reason
ableness of the Anti-Saloon Leagues
petition. Though the league may indis-
5 criminately indorse two diamctrically
e opposed principles Of government, 1t
] does not in the least follow that a
: Democratic Legislature should follow
S suit The AntlSaloon League itself
we have refrained from troubling with
t argument not because we have moth
!, ing TO say, but because we know, un
n happily that we have nothing to say
IL which could possibly have any weight
II with its members. These gentlemen
e conceive themselves to be commits
: stoned by a higher power. and would
n consider, we tcke it, the doing OF
q violence to our institutions and our
;, recognized governmental agencies as
> a light thing compared with the gain
i, ing OF the purpose to which they have
= devoted themselves.
IN one request, indeed, we should like
as to make of them. That is that theo
OF desist from saying over like a liturgy
& Governor Mann's decidedly misleading
G. dlctum that 1.-THE people have a rish
r to settle this question as TO then
"a shall seem best" The Anti-Saloor
~ League must know very we'll that |
~ does not in the least propose to CIV
y, the people the right to decide TIM
.. question as TO them shall seem best
=. 1T proposes only TO give this right I
= the people distinctly qualified Wit
the stipulation and proviso that the
must decide it a certain way or thei
decision Is null and void 1t mish
seem best to the people that the Stat
should be wet. and they might sho'
this By their votes in the most over
:" whelming way, but they would I'm
thar their nominal right TO decide tn
~ as to them should seem best did nc
in the least apply to this KIND OF Of
Il cision. TO us 1t appears decldeal
". unfair and misleading to invoke u
or name and form of a genuine popula
a. verdict 10 cover a process which, upo
he the most casual examination, turns OF
tie TO be nothing of the sort.
~, -=-==z=-====
IN /, should be pointed out that the VI
Ell favorable committee report upon II
GU military bills was entirely witho'