The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-08

1t is fashion at the present time to de-
nounce the primary plan in operation In Viz
ginia. A good word is rarely heard Of it, While
it is "cussed OUT from onancock TO Cumber-
land Gap. The Norfolk Nrginian-Pilot which
has said great many true things in dehounc-
ing the system. takes another shot at ii in COM
mentng on editorial from the lndex-Ap-
peal;
The Nirginfan-Pilot: Let us says the Pc
tersburg lndex-Appeal. give everybody square
deal In this senatorial fight
So say We. But our concern in this respect Is
more for the people than for the aspirants for
the office. Under the present nakeshirt of n
primary plan by courtesy called q system. what
reasonable guarantee Is there that the Demo
cratic voters VIII get square dear when II
comes to casting. counting and returning the
ballots? IL any exists, what and where IS it?
OF course there is no connection betty en-
square deal for the candidates and square
deal for the people, Treating candidates fairly
would not prevent the treating of the coters
| fairly and vice versa
We do not brighten the prospects OF fair
treatment by denouncng the primary system.
We have defense to ofcr tor that system.
We arc not responsible for It's creation. Those
who should he blamed for not having done
better work Representative Jones is recognized
as having been one of the chief artihcers of
the plan. We have not Il word Of eriti-
oism Of him for failure To provide all ideal sys-
tenn All blame for the shortcomings OF
primary plan has been placed upon the Demo
cratic organization in Virginia. Maybe It should
bear a large proportion Of this blame but that
responsibility at least is diVided.--Index-App
A tcrs Usual Beginning
| on the first day reopening the saloons in
| Lynchhurg fourteen drunks were in the lock
up before midnight. How many others were
/ taken iii charge by friends before the police
got the fourteen is not reported, OF course 1t
| is to be hoped that some of the citizens of that
city who voted in favor Of saloons may he dis
satisfied with the condition they thereby helped
| TO create, The claim made during the
campaign in that city that after saloons were
voted out there was more liquor sold by blind
tigers than BY licensed saloons. That Is part
| of the argument generally used by liquor adyo-
Gates in every campaign for the extinction of
the saloon, but statistics of the police courts
show just the contrary We venture the pre-
dction that in the year from the reopening
/ of the saloons in Lynchburg there Will be three
times "a many arrests for drunkenness In that
| city there We're during the year preceding
/ We further predict that the costs Of crime orgi-
mating from the OF liquor in the first wet
year will double the criminal expenses resulting
from the drinking Of liquor In. the, last praead~
ing year, And We further predict that the yot-
| ers of that city viii at the fret opportunity
vote out tho saloons.
+ The question OF saloon or no saloon Is not
political question but is, strictly speaking a
question OF morality. II the people of Lynch
burg who appreciate good order and city
government free from the disorders invariably
! resulting from the open saloon. and jealousy
good order, make proper effect. they can again
close the saloon. And when closed proper
and determined effort keep them closed
and keep out the blind tiger also. This latter
evil exists in the presence Of the saloon almost
! as actively III dry community, One chief
reason is that the penalties against II are not
sufficiently severe, and there people
in official life who ready 10 wink at it.
| rather than seek to destroy 1t.
! The saloon advocates ever ready to de-
4 claim against effort to vote them out, an
invasion OF personal rights No has in
herent right TO sell strong drink The law
seeks check il by imposing restrictions that
pertain to other business II does this TO
protect the community against the periIs that
+, accompany it's use. IL is "A known poison under
many conditions; II makes brntes of men. It
dethrones reason and causes than half
the crimes committed IN the country. Why
should sensible men he willing sap their
strength DESTROY their moral and de-
grade themselves by its habitual nseo--Roanoke
| Evening World.