The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-16
A SUPREMELY
PROFAlNE PENITENTs ~

the state whose editor does not favor
state Wide prohibition. but II applies
70 those papers to whom IL does apply
ana whose conduct II described ir,.the
report. II applies to the papers which
nave misrepresented. slandered and
vilined the work and the workers
" tne League. and such newspapers
saloon. s'aS
The report then declares that Tho
wrner ana the signers. and later TIA
10 any difference in the sirhf ~ 49,
IN the action of owners OF newsns mar.
VINO are paid so much per inch FOR
auser.islng the brands OF LIQUOR ana
the places OF sale and thar Of thn
white-aproned bartender. who il rssS
definite price for pouring our tn
iquor for the customers. who has
ueen brought to the place OF sale nv
the call OF the travelling street ana
nome drummer, the wet" Newspaper.
Ing report declares that both ara
OF the souls OF their fellow-men.
Nobody has attempted to show tho,
TINS reasoning Is incorrect. and that
snere - any difference in the sight or
200 between the action of the owner
OF the newspaper and that of the bar
tender. oAt
me report continues. and declares
that some OF these wet" newspa pers
represent the views OF large element
~ fashionable society and club life,
when mas no sympathy with the WORT
of those who are striving far tha -.
terment OF conditions by the removal
OF the saloon. and. therefore. that
THESE papers represent the coyetous-
ness OF the drunkard-makers and the
hppetite OF the dram-drinkers, and are
therefore selfish to the core.
NOBODY has attempted to prove that
inns declaration Is not in accordance
with ST. Paul. who said. TT is good
neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine.
nor awning whereby thy brother
stumbieth or is offended or Ia msds
weak" The report holds that the
Law or Love brands drunkard- mak,nr
and dram drinking as evidence of coy
etousness and appetite. and therefore
as selfish.
The report declares that statements
made by these papers. notably by the
supreme" have been proven to be
sianderous, and yet they have been
repeated. Nobody has attempted to
prove this statement to be false. and tr
certainly is true concerning the .su-
preme. as witness Grove Avenue
church and the Methodist Conferences.
The report declared that these wet
newspapers have been the right arm
OF power to the liquor traffic Nobody
can deny this. for IL Is well known
that the chief defense of the LIQUOR
traffic in Richmond has come from
the Supreme" and the evening paper
owned by the same interests. the News
Leader.
The report declares that these WEI
ina nay t,nx
facts concerning the good effects OF
Prohibition in Virginia cities. as taken
from the officials records, and taat
the supreme" refused to publish fig
ures sent by prominent DanviIIe Of
ficial and yet publishes continually
statements concerning conditions in
distant places.
Nobody has denied the truth OF
these statements as TO the refusal to
publish facts favorable to Prohibition
and the emphasizing OF statements ia
yorable TO License.
These extracts from the report show
what the Anti-Saioon League Conven-
ton meant by wet" newspapers, and
what judgment they pronounced upon
them. And so far nobody has taken
up the definite statements made In the
report and proven their faisity.
The report has had a tremendous
effect upon the Supreme" II has
penetrated beneath the supercilious
arrogance and sneerinx conceit OF
even this ridicuier and scorner OF
prohibition work and workers. II
has brought 1t To its knees, blasphem-
ing and profane. snarling and snap
ping at one moment, but pleading
repentance and posing conversion the
next. Such an exhibition of profane
rage. Joined with hypocritical pro-
fession of penitence. has never been
seen before in Virginia Journalism.
Another crack of the whip of that
legislative committee would either
kill entirely or cure completely.
On Saturday. February rs. the lead.
Ing editorial OF the Times Dispatch
was entitled Keep Your Heads,
Brethren" and is given below In full:
Keep Your Heads. Brethren.
Brethren of the Press. Let not your
hearts be troubled about the lying
accusations made against you In the
report of the legislative committee
OF the .Anu-Saloon League ut its con-
vention in Newport News, which was
written by tho Rev. James Cannon.
p. y. The charges made against the
newspapers Of the State are utterly
false; the newspapers know they are
false, the people believe they are
false. and DIR. Cannon knew they were
false when he wrote them Why dig
nifty him with denunciation? He
isn't worth II. Why characterize him
as base sianderer? That II the
estimate In which he In held by many
persons OF good moral character and
Of sound and disposing mind. Why
handy words with him or about him?
One would never think Of ENGAGING
In such controversy with any other
blackguard. Believe US, brethren.
nothing 10 to be gained for the cause
of temperance, for decent living, for
true religion. for good citizenship, for
clean methods In politics BY answer
ing this fool according to his folly.
There Is not the least doubt that he
and all others whose mouths arc
given to OWL and whose tongues frame
ieceit shall have their reward. We
need not worry about that: Il u a
certain as the Lord God Almighty Him.
self. In describing q citizen OF ZION.
the Royal Psaimist asking tho cues.
ton, Lord. who shall dwell in thy
holy HIM" answered. "He that back
biteth not with his tongue, nor doeth
evil to his neighbor. nor taksth up
. reproach against his neighbor." In
describing those who may not aen-
Ter in through the gates into the
rity." writes st. John the Divine II
the last revelation OF God to men.
For without ara dogs, and sDrcerern,
and whoremongers, and murderern
and idolstera. and (brethren, regard
he climateric OF the sacred writer's