The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-24
hension and punishment OF these 1851 saloon
made criminals was $452,543.O0.
Paunariaun.

Paupsrisr,.
There were, in our amshouses and the |
outdoor lists, dependent the taxpayers of
Virginia, 1878 persons
Forty seven out OF each hundred made |
dependent by the saloon The saloon made pau !
pers were $40
The expense to the taxpayers of Virginia for
the support Of these 4.s4o saloon-made paupers |
was 3166,94900
We have four great hospitals for the insane in
Virginia. Their inmates number 4,o76
Thirtyfve per hundred of. these were made
insane by the saloon The saloon -made insane
1875.
The cost to the taxpayers for the
support of the products OF the
saloon In our asylurns is ........,.s 179.2s2 90
Total expense to the taxpayers of
the saloon made criminals. pau
Total revenue from the saloons. 5 scores 90
Balance due the taxpayers for direct
expense of the saloon in criminal
charges paupersm and nsau-
Now. If add to these direct expenses of
the saloon TO the State, the indirect costs of
the institution, the figures become appalling
For example. the number OF persons. mostly
able bodied men. composing this body OF human
derelicts, wrecked and swamped i'll body and
mind by the saloon is nine thousand, nine hun
dred and seventeen, OSLO Virginia citizens
II we estimate their earning capacity at a
dollar day for 300 working days, We have an
annual actual loss to the State Of s2915,10 5000
plus the s7ss,744.oo of actual cost
BY modest estimate. the liquor business is
'ostiHs ' iEsiiHd an annual sum OF 3Slfo-Sf40u
When you add to this the sums spent for
private charity. and the out OF
the State for the imported drinks. and the
enormous amount spent by people for intox-
icants. have some idea of the actual ex-
pense of the saloon to the people of Virginia
The saloon is a financial, well moral
parasite, financial bloodsucker. 1t suhsists
the life Of our people and is run in the interests
Of handful of our own citizens. and for the
benefit of vast corporations, beer and whiskey
trusts outside our State.
1t holds the cudgei over our politicians and
throttles our press.
1t is time for Virginia to free herself of the
incubus
The Causes Booming tho Liquor Traffic
The Philadelphia North American has the
following TO say concerning the of the
eVer-growng sentiment against the saloon and
the liquor traffic in general:
NO one thing is responsible. 1t is the gath
ering of many rivulets into flood 1t is the
expression Of cumulative sentiment 1t is the
elimination Of ideas observations. experiences
and practical teachings, that have been aeeumu-
lating throughout past generations.
1T Is the combination of materiaiism and
sentiment, long divergent but blended,
And the first Of these truths is that
sentiment for all the wrongs that have been
done to millions by INSCRIPTIONS men in the
past and the present is coming to a focus and
is being crystallized into indiscrimnating oppo-
sition to the entire class TO which the wrong
doors belonged.
by parental influence and by admoniton in
babyhood suffering women. made martyrs by
a husbands habit have put obhorrence into
the minds of children who men.
Men who draw small wages now look back 10
childhood whose opportunities We're restricted
remember home that was not happy recall
times when children who had advantages they
did not. shamed them. and have tolerant
feeling toward the thing that made their father u
hindrance and not help in their life progress
Men with no such mental legacy have seen
the brightest and best of their schoomates
sloughed Of all that good in them by
form of sef-indulgence And each time they
look upon wreck OF manhood they grow bit
ter against the vice that killed what might have
been.
Too many have seen old estates dis
appear in dissipation. too many gently
born and reared have been reduced to hard and
/ wearyng and sometimes mental toll: too many
children have been buried in uncovered collins
for those whose hearts stung by per.
sonal share in such happenings to be free from
prejudice against the thing that caused 1t ALL
/ The Issue.
A Needless Sacrifice
/ 1t is too frequently left for the fervid orator on
public occasions the youthful coilegian in
sophomore fashion to magnify and eulosize the
sacrifice Of human life that invention and pro-
gress exact We regard too inevitable that
complex mechanisms composed of parts of deli
cate ordination must levy heavily upon those
engaged in adjusting and utilizing them for
public service Scientists. yielding life through
experiments. have given the world OF Its
most wonderful and most essential discoveries
In the way OF chemicals or mechanical inven-
tions. Their sacrifice is counted necessary toli
which must be paid to attainment Such Is the
! history Of the progress Of the human race and
not otherwise will 1t ever be But it is highly
probable that the general estimate OF the value
| of life has been lowered and cheapened throu gh
| the all too frequent deaths now being demanded
| by the instruments OF our advancement
| In a casual. somewhat careless indefinite way,
make mental note OF the accidental death
/ of this aviator that from day day one
! falling to death from his machine pleasure
! squirt, another while giving an exhibition at
some public event and yet another while en-
| gagged In demonstrating the machine prac-
| tical vehicle of conveyance.
| 1t Is not seriously regarded that when young
Dixon fell to his death few days ago. the ninety
eighth victim of this sport science. II You
please, claimed Such loss is too tremen-
dous and such a sacrifice too needless for an in
| vention that is yet in its youth. AS spor..
| aviation is altogether too perous to be tolerated
! likely to become too jubilant its practical
/ possibilities.
/ The value of the aeroplane to civilization is
purely problematical 1t is yet to be demon
strated that within the period of many years IT
| can successfully rival the present methods and
means of conveyance. AS military factor in
national life. 1t may find its destiny and to thu
| extent that this probability is regarded with
| serious thought Is the gradual development and
| perfection Of the flying machine justified. But
/ the wanton, useless sacrifice of human life mere
| ly to serve as a satisfaction to personal con-
| ceptions of daring nordnate passion for speed
| 10 altogether needless and should be suppressed
| by popular disapproval. 1t Is tending not so
much to lend dignity to the sciences and glory to
! the genius OF mentality az It IL to cheaper and
minimize the value OF human life.--Charlotte