The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-24
STARTLING FIGURES AND SERIOUS
FACTS

naii-order business IL liquors They estimate
thar approximately 10000 600 gallons OF iutoxi-
eating liquors are shipped from mail-order
houses to consumers III prohibition territory.
Iacksonsiae. ria. gets the blue ribbon the
largest market for the dispensing OF booze with
total yearly shipment Of about l,5o0.oQo gal
Ions Chattanooga wins the second prize by
ger g. rld u 7Sb.o0o gallons, and Richmond &C
eupies third place 10 setting loose a stream Of
iatoxicants Of 54b.74e gallons These conditions
are indeed startling and the magnitude Of the
business charming 10 those who believe in the
abolition OF the trade and traffic in strong
drink.
The Commission finds that the remarkable
growth Of the majl-order business is the natural
and logical result Of the spread Of prohibition
AS the customer Of the saloon found his local
dealer closed up and the consumer of iii
auors found MS local source Of supply cut off
ne must seek other fields and other friends that
his faneied needs might be satisfied and his in
sstent appetite might be gratfed. The liquor
interests soon saw the opportunity and speedily
rushed to the rescue The result has been the
multiplication Of mail-order houses and the ire
mendous business they have enjoyed
The situation has been complicated and the
hands Of the prohibitonist absolutely tied by
decision Of the Supreme Court that tie traffic
was interstate and hence free from the inter
ference Of State authorities The men. who had
by their sovereign viii declared that Their com
munity or State should be delivered from the
curse and shame of the licensed saloon we're
(.v WITH
watch outsiders whose only interest was in
VOWED IN the opportunity Of gain, override the
will Of the majority and flood the locality with
liquor such a situation violated every princi-
pie OF justice and transgressed against every
standard of morals We submit that no com
munity has the right in justice or ethics to
force upon another community that which has
been excluded by majority OF its citizens.
What is not good morals can never be good law
These conditions the prohibition community
has heen forced 10 endure, aud these conditions
have initiated against the largest success Of
the movement Bat we hope for early relief
Bills are pending in Congress forbidding the
shipment Of liquor into dry territory. With the
expected passage Of this law-to the support OF
which every Virginia candidate for the Senate
ia pledged-the situation viii be remedied and
prohibition viii have its first fair chance to
prove lis real value 10 the community
The Commission emphasizes the evil effects Of
the Jug trade upon the negro. race. and hence
The race problem, in the South and a morning
contemporary says that this Introduces an en-
tire, new feature of the whiskpy question
Indeed. Since when did the effect OF the liquor
question upon the negro become new issue?
We acknowledge indebtedness to the Com
mission and contemporary for calling atten-
tion to this fact. but We, who have not been
wrapped in the slumbers of Rip Van Wrinkle,
have long since urged that one of the supreme
reasons for the overthrow Of the saloons was its
disastrous effects upon the uuintelligent and al
most irresponsible, part of the negro popula-
ton, For years the foe OF the saloon has been
falling attention to the danger to society in
voved IN inaaIning the passions and dethrouing
the reason Of the negro with mean liquor. The
result Is the same, whether the liquor come
from the bar Of the open saloon or be unloaded
from the trucks Of the express companies But
In all seriousness. il is worthy Of repetition
That the liquor traffic Is the one most serious
menace TO any satisfactory handling of the
race question; and thank our contemporary
for the prospect he INDUCES that this will go
long way towards Federal legislation upon the
subject, which viii make IT criminal offense
for express companies and other public carriers
to receive or transport Or deliver packages con
tanning ntoxicants TO any purchasers"
In view of the obstacles and handicaps
against which prohibition has had to contend
the measure Of success it has achieved is moth.
ing short Of remarkable Arrayed against II
has been the influence OF the respectable mod
crate drinkers Of the community; the open hos
tility and determination override It's provi-
sions of the iawless elements the right SO de-
clared by court, Of outsiders to food prohibition
territory with liquors; the openly avowed oppo-
sition Of the majority of the SECULAR newsya-
pers, and the oftentimes neglect or at best
!, haif-hearted support, of officials In enforcing
the Law. la spite Of all this. wherever prohibit.
DRY legislation has exiIed the saloon the police
records and the municipal statistics and the
social life Of the community have Invariably In
Dictated Improvement in general conditions This
We assert without fear of refutaton
NOXIOTS AND OBNOXIOUS N0STRt Ms
Ar the result 6f widespread campaign al