The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-12
THE LOYAL. LEGION.


for the General Assembly by Mr., s L. Ledman,
acting for number OF citizens, In which be
andeavors to ascertain the position Of said can
didates upon the question Of submitting the is.
sue of State wide prohibition the voters, and
also In reference to their position concerning
legislation forbidding the shipment of liquor
into dry territory. Several replies have been
received and they indicate opposition to the
proposed measures
There is refreshing unaniruity IN the an
svers of these gentlemen, They stand solidly
tor the principles Of Democracy. The party
need apprehend no treachery if these gentlemen
should be fortunate enough to be selected to up
hold Its policies In the halls of legislation So
Jealous are'they Of her platform and SO reverent
Of her traditions. that the fear OF boiling the
party lends precipitate haste to their assurances
of answering loyalty, Frankly and fearessly
they say TO the tempter. We Will have none
Of your enabling acts. nor will stand for
any curtaiIment OF the privilege of flooding dry
territory with liquor"
Most of the replies received point the fact
that local option is party principle incorpor-
ated In the party platform. Hence these gen
nemen shrink from any assertion that might
place them in the embarrassing position of bolt
ing the party.
We well aware that this is true, We are
equally well of the fact that not SO
long ago the party would have nothing to do
With the question of temperance reform. Neither
threat plea could the party to any
assertion that seemed favorable to the temper
ance cranks
Loud and long were the protests Of party
platforms against "sumptuary laws" Later the
politicians began TO realize that the sentiment
against the saloon Was not confined to a few
fanatics. They began to do calculating
Their discoveries led TO the appearance in the
platform Of d declaration in favor Of local OPP
for as the proper method of solving the liquor
question. II the politicians will do bit more
calculating at this time suspect they viii
find that there Ii a considerable sentiment in
favor nf Statewide prohibition, We suspect
that If the voters Of Virginia were given the
opportunity Of expressing their views ma
iority of them would be found favoring State
wide prohibition We have a sneaking notion
that the politicians are fearful Of this very
tact Al my rate We can soc nothing undem-
oeratic in giving citizens an opportunity Of
registering their wills at the polls The con.
nary position seems TO us utterly subversive
Of tho Democratic spirit aud principles Fear
Ing 10 bolt the party platform, these gentlemen
h&@e fallen into the Inconsistency. of. violating
the party spirit. Of which loud boast has many
times been made
So far voting for enabling act consti-
tntng bolt is concerned rather do think
that such a plea is all bosh. How can Their.
be- bolt in Democratic primary? The can
didates all Democrats 1t is we'll known
that whoever Is selected as the party candidates
Al this primary will be Democrats 1t is just
certain that these nominees of the primary
win be elected to the General Assembly su
perfciai must have been the consideration of
the question, when men can spring hastily 10
the plea that they dare not bolt the party, A
moments thought would have assured them
that. under prevailing conditions, the possibility
Of boiling the party does not appear. Gentle
tneas the opportunity was given p1u. candi-
dates In Democratic primary OF av0wiug your
position upon certain matter with which the
party majority In the next General Assembly
sill have 10 deal 1t is your right to announce
without fear favor your views that voters
may know where you stand. But for heavens
sake spare this party loyalty business. where
there is nothing at issue to inject the qnes
zion.
These gentlemen further Announce tlTaf theys
viii not vote 10 forbid the shipment Of liquor
INTO dry territory This position is easily
shown be utterly Inconsistent with the par
tvs declaration for local option. Local option
gives to each community the privilege and right
o determine by fair election whether the
lority Of citizens desire the sale Of liquors un-
der license in that community or whether 1t
shall he prohibited We submit that, when a
community has decided under its legal rights
that 1t. does not desire liquor sold within its
borders, every other community. true to Dem
ocratic spirit and principles, should seek to
guarantee and safeguard its right OF self-gov-
eminent The position CT the candidates Is
amazing, In view OF their earnest profession Of
7. the Democratic spirit They are in effect say
n ing: You have the right 10 prohibit the sale
nj OF liquor In your community, but we will do
nothing to forbid prevent other communi-
ties from overriding your rights aud overthrow
tng your vii. The grand old doctrine Of local