The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-23

of the Municipality who had sue
cumbed 10 the insidious attacks of
the drink evil. Roanoke. said ne, was
with the temperance move now and
forever.,
Hough's Practical Talk.
One OF the best speeches OF the con-
vention was made by that reoouptaoie
Norfolk real estate man, j. w. Hough
"a man WI ose worst enemy wouldn't
accuse him OF flights OF oratory or
any other sort of flights. He brought
down the horse and created more
genuine, who le-nearted fun, whiie
driving home the truth In his own
quiet fashion, than any other man who
spoke. MIR. Hough says there are
three rulers now III Norfolk. There
were two until week or two ago,
when the city annexed another ward
and increased its quota Of leaders.
These rulers, he said were Prince,
Joyner and Lesner, through whom the
city wah absolutely under the control
of the liquor interests. We don't IL
cense the saloons over in Norfolk,
said Mr.. Hough. The saloons license
us. We do business by grace of the
saloons" He described registration
conditions In Norfolk saying that
there were an immense number of
names on the registration books
names OF men who hadn't lived in the
city for years--~--"and they vote them
quietly explained the Norfolk man,
Celebrating DIR. Caunon's Retire
IHent.
Some weeks ago he had noticed an
unusually large number Of callers at
saloon across the street from his
office. AS ii wasn't Christmas or
holiday. he was curious to learn the
reason for the unusual increase OF
trade. On Inquiry he learned that the
Ealoonkeeper vas setting EN- up to
the boys. '''Rah, boys, Cannon>s going
to North Carolina" being the way in
which the saloon man had explained
his sudden desire to stand treats.
1t is not fair TO Judge local option
by the standard of Statewide prohtbi-
ton, nor Statewide prohibition by the
standard of national prohibition. It is
no dishonor to the star to say IL does
not shine as brightly as does the moon.
| IL serves the purpose for which II was
created. and ii is no diehonor to the
moon to say il does not shine as luni-
/ inously as doec the sun. 1t performs
the work for which it was created. l4o-
| cal option is the star light, and state
/ wide prohibition is the moonlight or
the temperance regime. and 1t Is
through the starlight of local option
| and the moonlight of Statewide pro-
| hibition that we expect to reach ma
| tional prohibition of the manufacture
and sale and Importation of strong
| drink. That some men violate the law
| and are not arrested and punished
does not prove that local option is
failure. II the law against selling
/ whiskey is failure and ought to
! be repealed, then the law against
! arson and theft and murder Is
failure and ought to be repealed be-
cause some fire fiends and thieves
and murderers escape the law. But
7 If there should be some places in
4 which local option has not been
success from n monetary standpoint
does that prove that local option Is
/ failure? Are there no better things
than houses and lands and stocks
| and bonds and bank accounts? Are
not truth and honesty and upright
ness and morality OF Infinitely greater
value to the welfare of the State than
all the above mentioned things? II
/ more and better dwellings, increased
and legitimate business, larger and
better schools, fewer criminals and
paupers. sane and innocent childhood.
glorious and happy womanhood.
strong and noble manhood, morality
and religion constitute failure then
local option is a failure. Let no tenn
perance worker he discouraged. One
rift of the cloud through which shines
the clear blue sunlight sky In the
revelation of a fact which all the fogs
of winter and all the mists OF sum
mer cannot counteract. One red flower
OF the trilIiun1, one pink bud of the
arbutus is an indication of spring
which all the watersoaked fields and
all the leafiess trees cannot deny, one
call of the hluebrd in March is y
prophecy or summer, however deep
the snow and however cold the wind
may blow. All the signs of the times
on, give on. vote on in the sweethrdlu
point 70 statewide prohibition