The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-26
A MARTYR To COOP CITIZENSHIP.

Mir J. NJ shackleford. one of Gloucester
countys most valuable citizens who was re-
Gently shot from ambush in most cowardly fash
lon-to which attack we called editorial atten-
ton at the time-lies cold In death. Strong
cirsumstantial evidence points to the fact that
he was murdered by miserable social outcast,
fragrant and impudent yiolator of the local
option laws OF the county whom Mr.. shackle-
ford, in the COURAGEOUS and patriotic fulhllment
81 the duties OF citizenship, had caused to be
indicted This wretched parasite the natural
and inevitable product of the parasitic system
that begot him not content with arraying him
self upon the side of anarchisttc disregard OF
law, not satisfied with Haunting the red flag of
defiance in the face of public opinion not happy
in his Ubiquitous endeavors to corrupt public
morals and unsettle the public peace. has joined
the ranks OF assassins, and by method that Is
always the "dernier resort Of conscious guilt
and furious cowardlce has brought TO martyr
dom honorable and useful citizen.
II this were an isolated example of the hatred of
human authority and the indifference to human
life that is directly traceabie and indisputably
ahargeabe. TO the liquor traffic we might be 81
lent But, recognizing. and not fearing to as
sert that the saloon system, in its long and
deadly career, is the cesspoo in which has been
bred the germs of individual degeneration and
debauohery, and from which has been dissent
mated an unthinkable sum of moral diseases
social pollution and political corruption. we
ian not afford to pass 1t by nnnoticed. We men
Iion it to point fact, of which each single in
stance like this la the revelation, that there
are, in the life of this nation, two hostile and
absolutely implacahle forces at work He who
looks far beneath the surface. who is not de-
eeived by the sophstries OF designing men, can
rot fail to discern that the liquor traffic in the
very nature OF the case, is arrayed against the
moral. social and political development and
Mellbeing OF the people, He must understand
that because OF its physiological effect upon the
body. inducing an appetite that not be con
trolled. an appetite that eventually binds the
shackles of irresistible habit upon a man and
results, in the disease OF chronic alcoholism,
because or its moral effects upon character, de
stroying will power. awakening the baser and
Auost uuEoHtIolfdDle phsslOHs, always foDDlHS a
man of his self-respect, which is his strongest
defense against the solicitations of evil, because
Of its effects upon society and the State giving
unholy and unhappy birth to most Of the pow
erty and crime, sorrow and suffering and shame
that men endure; because OF these things it is
the furious and impIacable foe of righteousness
and peace, OF law and order. Of private purity.
and public decency If this were the only
case, might pass it by. but the multiplied
ton OF similar incidents. and their perpetuation
by the continued sufferance of the liquor traffic
demands that call upon good citizenship and
the spirit of patriotism everywhere to unite in
the struggle to Danish it from land The
greatest shame that rests upon the history Of
this republic is that we should have granted for
= monetary consideration this modern monster
Of Crete the privilege of demanding his annual
toll of the blood of our strong young men and
our fair young girls
Shackleford is dead But the martyrdom OF
man never stays the triumphant progress of
a righteous movement. We believe that crimes
like this Will continue to open mems eyes TO the
dangers OF the situation and will serve to re-
cruit many for the ranks OF those who have
fought, and will continue to fight this evil until
its final defeat