The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-15


for the privilege OF suffrage to pay their own
poll taxes. or who were buns, unable by reason
Of their non-producing character to secure
enough money TO pay the small poll tax la
either event, they were to be marched to the
polls to vote the will OF the liquor seller who
lot by the payment of their taxes Thus does
the saloon negative the ballots Of representative
citizens-the men who bear the burdens of the
city's life and whose intelligence, character and
property interests give them every right To con
troll its policies
What If the barkeeper's testimony should BE-
true? The is not less serious In this
event, find one man able to control the votes
of 80 customers. whose character his business
has ruined. aud who, by reason of their inaul-
gence in his wares, have forfeited their own
sef-respect. He can leer at them over his bar
and, with the generous gift of drink or two,
attach them TO himself as to direct the de
post Of their ballots upon election day OF
course he desires the election of police c0m-
missioner who is strict In his Interpretation Of
the law and rigid in its enforcement, OF
election of a commissioner who will instruct the
force to give quarter to the saloon. Not
very likely, lie wanted a police commission
that would be liberal in its Interpretation os
law and lax In It's enforcement. Hence he goes
to the pains to gather his army of sodden voters
to vote them for the candidate of the saloon
and the dive
If this We're an isolated incident, and limit
cd to far-oG Texas. would scarcely be iast
fed in giving it space. But it is TYPICAL Who
does not know that the most active single a-
terest in Iolitics today is the saloon? Who has
attended the meeting of city councils and not
found them there? Who has not gone away
from his voting precinct disguised with tho
crowd that seemed most conspicuous in the con-
duet of lie election? Who can fail to knew
that, in the time of municipal campaigns Ger
tain saloons are headquarters for certain
class of politicians and certain saloon. keepers
must be constantly consulted concerning The
movement and progress of the campaign?
What does it all moan2 Is the saloon in the
game of politics because of its devotion 70 orr
Institutions, it's interests in righteous and beneh-
cent legislation its care for the welfare Of
the people? The character of the business II
self, the character Of the allies it attracts and
attaches - itself the modus operandi of is at
tlvities, these are Sufficient refutation of rho
idea that the saloon in politics Is patriotic and
/ dsinterested | is In he game for is adj
vantage; and for no other reason. It plays
the game according TO any sort of methods Its
purpose y power. and it not how 1t
achieves that purpose And may rest as
sured that the saloon candidate will always be
+ friendly to the institution that created him,
generally even 10 the dictation of his In the
place 30 which the saloon has elevated him.
The scandal and shame OF most Of our great
cities is the fact that the dominating force in
their political life is the saloon. Richmond. we
venture to assert, is not altogether free from
this influence But a greater shame is that
citizens In their Indifference and inactivity will
permit the lowest elements of the city's life to
show their hands in the determination of
municipal policies and the control Of municipal
government.