The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-15
Temperance Work in the South.

We print in another column address to the
4teoplA Of the Southern States by the representa-
ne leaders of the Anti-Sa1oon League in those
States. This paper is the outcome of conference
IRf men who are in the active work, and who know
fhe conditions in the various States in which they
live They are not theorists ideaists, they are
not ind1lging in guess work or speculation. They
are practical men who deal in facts and they
ire leaders in their respective States their state
ments as to fact, and their Interpretation of the
present situation are worthy of more consideration
than the statements of any other equal number of
men
d The attitude of society toward the liquor traffic
tn the vital point in any discussion of the subject.
The figures presented in the address will astonish
those who have not kept themselves posted. That
a11I6 of the 1926 counties in the Southern States
have no legalized saloon and that there not
1as many saloons IN the entire territory south Of
Mason and Dixon s line as there in the single
yEity of Chicago facts of tremendous Importance
a4o the business social and moral life of the South
Et il not possible laugh such facts out of court
nor to dismiss them by foolish talk about wave
The address properly says that these facts ind-
cate tremendous revolution in public sentiment,
(which now clearly recognizes that the saloon is
~ curse to the individual and menace to society.
The paper goes to the kernel of the present stua-
ZION when it declares that the paramount, the
vital issue to-day in every Southern State is the
matter of Law Enforcement. The liquor traffic
does not hesitate 10 declare that it will not obey
INV and the favorte slogan Of the "wet" news
Spaper is that you cannot enforce the prohibition
3Aws'' Much of the lawlessness on the part of the
6auor trae is directly attributable to those wet
Newspapers which print liquor advertisements,
md which are tied financially to the liquor traffic
s1f the daily press Of the Southern States would
Int loose from the liquor traffic, would cease TO
eApulogize for violations of the law and would no
longer insist that is impossible to enforce it, and
would on the other hand positively demand that
sH speedy bettcrment of conditions in this respect
ID. The creation of a public sentiment against law
slAssness is now the duty Of the hour The liquor
|tfafse Is primarily moral question, and law
reinforcement is also primarily moral question
The address declares that the methods and
sthcg same moral forces which branded the saloon
SAs IA criminal must lead in the fight against law
S3kssnagg aud it further declares that the Chris
Etian church has ben largely responsible for the
skerolnfion Of sentiment against the saloon and
fhat III the Christian church shall lead in the fight
1Rainst lawlessness with equal vieor il must surely
66in the day. This estimate Of the part which the
nreh has played in the battle against the saloon
Aoubtless correct. Certainly in Virginia the
saloon League. people have all been represent
men 1T tie church life and have made their
peaI III the peole largely through church as
p1blies.
1hs Anti Saloon League leaders arc eminently