The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-02
Richmond,
Are We Civilized


Sir.-Are the people Of the State and ma
ton crazy or have they never been fully civil
izeda Thomas A. Edison as told In the LIT
erary Digest about two years ago. says that
Americans are not fully civilized; that we are
yet in the dog stage. Among other Things ne
says must stop this liquor business. some
people viii be startled at such statement:
nevertheless. 1t IL partially true. since statis-
tics show that liquor has destroyed more lives
in the United States In one year than all the
wars in all the world have killed in the past
1000 years / know some people will dispute
this but they can get information that will
substantiate this from most any life insurance
company. may consult Hon. Richard p.
Hobson Of Alabama, whose famous anti liquor
speech IL being circulated Now, to the
State of Virginia. feel sure that we have
been losing our share of lives from the drink
habit. and O personal witness TO this fact
will here give brief history OF the liquor
traffic OF Wise county, Va
In 1888 the construction Of railroads in that
county begun. and from that time coal
mining began to develop, and at the present
time there something like forty coal OPP
eeeeeeeeeee ib?-Jnou nMproh. .AhfP avfikajbs
erations In Wise county. The county has now
bonded itself for nearly three-Quarters OF n
million dollars. to be spent public roads, 20
you see that wealth and prosperity exist there
materially. But what about humanity? This
Is the sad sad part OF the history. When
the railroads were constructed and money be-
gar TO circulate. the Wise liquor dealers and
debauchers began to operate. In 1880 there
saloons at every cross road. camp and
hamlet Horrible murders disorder and sui
fering among the women and children prompt
ly began. In 1892 the county was voted d-y
and remeined so for two years. at which time
1t voted vet again and remained 10 for about
twelve years. During that time II were to
say 1000 people lost their lives account OF
liquor In Wise county don't think would
esasserate. During my stay Of about seven
county. remember thirty -four deaths
caused by liquor within radius Of one mile.
and there are many. perhaps. don't remem-
Der. As said. there are many coal operations
and other towns in the county that done their
portion OF killing. several Of them good deal
more than Norton ! only Wish ] had cor
palling calamity caused by liquor I wish that
the present Legislature knew these facts. and.
BY writing or wiring Mr.. Dotson. Common
wealth's attorney, Wise, Va just here wish
to say Wise Is not the only county that has
suffered by the liquor traffic Lee Scott. Rus
sell and Tazeweil has suffered greatly and would
have suffered more had not Judge skeen and
other courts refused licenses wherever they
having voted Wise county dry, we got rid OF
saloons, stillh ouses clubhouses. etc. Since which
time crime has been materially reduced.
will say about three-fourths. but there II yet
great need Of reform, since the city OF Bristol
Il doing large jug trade In Wise and other
counties causing considerable disaster and
bloOdshed among the citizens. Now, what will
the representatives and the Senate do in this
matter? II they posted to the real sit
uatlon they Will certainly give the people q
chance to vote for prohibition. II not. they
should be posted before they act The people
certainly awake this subject and have
gotten out OF the dog stage. Also the lawmak-
ers who passed the Byrd and Mann liquor laws
have shown great Advancement towards civil
fxAxion. 1t In stated that the House Of Dele
gates will favor the prohibition movement.
and that a majority of the Senate will also
favor II. but some newspaper reports cay that
twenty-four Of the senators Will try to defeat
any legislation favorable to prohibition. This
IL hard for me to believe, for the reason that
the best element OF people in the State. the
Governor. the most prominent onicers. ma
jority OF the voters, a substantial portion OF
the Democratic party and all Of tho female
subjects q say subjects. because they seem to
be resting at that point) favor prohibition. Now.
II there are any senator's who block any pro-
hibition they certainly viii tumble, and save
their own political hides and the reputation
OF tho Democratic paTty. y. Z. LT O.s.
sos North Eleventh street.