The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-12
CURRENTCOMMENT
Prohibition Fight in Texas.

The Statewide prohibition election held in
prohhittonists and the prohibitonsts that
the result is in doubt. with the advantage
slightly In favor of the antis.
with probable vote OF 5000. the anti
prohibItionists claim majority Of 5000, while
the dry claim fer themselves a similar
majority. However the face OF the returns
show a small majority for the ants.
Wholesale fraud Is charged and each side
has sent out warning to guard closely the
boxes and returns
Significant statements have been given out
by the leaders in the prohibition fight
r. II. Ball chairman Of the Statewide pro-
hihition executive committee, says:
In spite Of wholesale fraud in various
tons Of the State in poll tax payments by liquor
interests, practically solid Mexican vote, and
So per cent. Of the negro vote against the
prohibition amendment, prohibition, IN my best
Judgment, has been carried by not less than
ten thousand majority.
j F. VOTERS chairman of the ant-State-
Wide amendment committee issued this state
nent:
Almost complete returns indicate beyond
question that we have won ~ a good ma Jority.
1t is absolutely necessary however, to guard
closely the boxes ana returns, SO that the
actual result will be protected everywhere.
The nu~prohibioionsts were confident OF
winning sweeping victory they heheVel
their triumph would be complete Governor
Colquitt upon approaching the polls to cast
his ballot against the amendment boastinEly
declared that the antis would carry the State
BY 4 hundred thousand. He had spoken On
the stump against the amendment, injecting
prohibition could not be enforced If II should
larry. In his predictions he missed the mark
Nv about one hundred thousand votes. and we
inragine this will lose him his reputation as
POLITICAL prophet, for 1t he really knows no
more about tho people of Texas than IS IN
dicated Ia his predictions q the result ~
might be slated fer permanent retirement al
the very moment he imagined hlmseH the
whole thing In Texas
Reqardless Of what may be the final deter
tainaton Of the disputed result, it Is a triumph
for prohibition and a stunning blow To the
1eear interest for the cradest and most casual
ANALYSTS Of the vote viii show that an over
. Il1,,},,s- r,a ayit4 or the best people Of Texas
the strength and purity If lis citizenship voted
fas the amendment while a}l the eofrunuhs
Influences OF the liquor pe"er. the soma Mex
am vote and 81 per cent Of the negroes were
arraysd against II. =
Ii Is in TEXAS AS 1t Is IN every other ss "a
ton - this country where the hquof tFaAe
t. itnperliea-au the law-defyfng elements OF
the State are combined IN one mighty force
to prevent the destruction OF the %aiooh~
Nashville Tennessean-
There are law-abiding men In all branches
of the liquor trade They VIII cohauy ~ u 'ra
10 - isy, regulating the traffic whether It hf
high license or low license many saloons o.
I2ut the testimony of the organs and tbs
arguments of the advocates, of the liquor trar'
fe all run la direction: Ihat the traAig ~
self is most profitable where IL Is must Id"
MIR Watterson assumes that lawlessness II
the liquor trade prevails only where prom
hition prevails. The truth OF the mater ~ 1na
the urohibtory laws In Maine ana IN Kansas
arr % Il, 7sg4 enforced tbs laws aGa1li9t muir
der theft and high speeding OF automohlles are
enforced in the city Of Louisville.
| Moreover laws against the sale of liquor n
the prohibition States Tennessee Aitpafha ailN
Georeia-are tust well enforced as the sun
day closing law is enforced in bouisV1lle, JUS
as well enforced as the new law In Indiana Oh
the laws regulating the sale Of liquor In Penn
sylvania in New York or In Ohio
II ne
violated but 1t Is any law. Licenses are evaco~
Hours Of closing are ignored Proninft'or or
Sunday is treated with contempt. The sale Of
uouor to minors and to women goes on In Louis
WILLIE in New Albany. in Cincinnati and In Chi
cage Just as the sale of liquor goes on in pro
hihitiCn territory.
ia establish the failure of prohibition, MFR
Watterson notes tho trail OF blood and cor
ruption wherever prohibition has prevailed ever
/ for IA season
But the argument OF failure IS Just as strons
against the $500 license In l1ouisVilie ana tbs
s 900 license in. Pennsylvania The meanins
Of 1t Is that profit lies In the violation Of thu
law. In the adulteration of liquor, In the falsf
ncation Of labels on beer bottles, In the sur
reptltious sale OF liquor without license, II
the sale of liquor In the early morning hours
| in the sale of liquor on Sunday.
The liquor traders resent any intrusion q
the law, any regulation of the law. Its orators
and organs plead for "hberality' in prohibition
territory but they Just much set agains
the enforcement or the law in liberal terrtor,
as In any other territory. The Brewers Asso
citation is boasting of the fact that 20, 900 GOT
gallons of whiskey are sold annually in pro
hihition territory.
| 1t is not sold by prohibitionists. 1t Ia no
sold by the law ana order men 1t IS not solo
| by tho friends of temperance, II is sold b!
| men who defend "the gentiemanly Vices of thu
race track and the sideboard. Louisville, Ky.
| Post