The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-26

tail. as at the present time.
The prohHition!sts declare trat the
saloon Is the means by which the earn
ings of vast number Of tire laoorinS
classes and pcopip OF moderate means
| squandcr their earnings, and that the
| presence Of saloons in certain sections
depresses property values, and that
| thus there Is less revenue coming Into
tho pubic treasures.
| The other side points 10 tho nearly
100000 OF revenue paid each year into
the state treasury, besides what goes
| into the measures of counties and
cities from licenses alone, besides the
taxes upon the real estate of saloons,
brewerics, distillcrics, etc, most of
which would &c lost If these proper
ties could not De used for their present
purposes.
The referendum advocates say that
undsr prohibition crime imbecility, In
sanity and pauperism would be dimin-
ished anu that the saving In the crlmi-
nal expenses and the cost OF caring
for the unfortunates would moro than
make up what would be lost In the
way Of revenue. The others again as
sert that the lllicl, use of liquor would
cause as much crime. imbeciiity, insan
ity ana pauperisIu AS the open saloon.
and that, even il II did not. IL would
still be- necessary 70 maintain all OF
the police officers, courts, attorneys for
the Commonwealth, as we'll as all OF
tho present institutions for the unfor-
tunate which are now maintained, and
I that the direct loss OF the States rev.
enue would not be counterbalanced by
any appreciable saving.
Some OF tho arden, friends of pro.
hlbition have threatened that If Dem
ocratic Legislature refuses to give the
people or tho state as a whols the
right to vote upon this question. II
VIII be taken IN by the Republicans
and made party issue in such a
manner as 70 jeopardize the contiau-
| ancc of Democratic supremacy
The antiprohioitlonists declare that
the worst thing that could happen to
disturb party harmony would be to
| precipitate a State-'wide fight upon the
| LIQUOR question, which would necessar-
| lily be wagnd with great bitterness.
| arousing fierce antagonisms and dis
| tracing the minds OF the people from
the purely roitticnl problems.
Thus tina battle is wagcd pro and
con One might have difficulty in de-
Gliding which side prevails from q
forensic poin, OF view, but from u
strategic viewpoint the advantage is
all With the Observation-Disclosures In
peHN ES'TS iiit enemies OF lRe saloon
| nave been nctive In the nominntiui;
primaries Last TALL their activities
were ny no means 50 apparcnt
Heretofore the persons most inter
ested IN the continuance OF tho liquor
license policy OF the State have not
| been especially viyilant In the prt-
maries. Last fall they appeared to act
in concert. and il many cases, nc
doubt. learned the ~ ba1Ie attitude
Of ths candidates whom they sup.
ported. These things. OF course. ar,
not written on the wall, and. like the
direoiion of the wind, must he judge
b!I} straws
The plain truth ar ii appears :,
those who were not IN the contidcny,
of either side, is that this particular
FISH, was decided when the noniua,
lions Were made, and that no amount
OF talk Is likel! 20 change the situa
ton. which, as heretofore stated. /.
that tho referendum measure Will pas.
the House, but fail in the senate.