The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-08
Is the Press Subsidized?

Editor of The virginian
| Why does the press of this country almost
uniformly refrain from exposing evils of the
| liquor traffic? why do we SO often see articles
unfolding the traffic?
| In answering these question: we should re.
member that this is commercial age and
most everything Is run upon the basis OF com.
mercialism. The newspapers space is its stock
the evil uses to which its pages may be nut.
The strong articles portraying the drink evils
OF this country do not appear in the press for
the reason that their best advertisers are those
directly interested In the traffic. Those inter-
ested a In the PAPER Will not publish such arts-
cies for fear OF losing the advertising patron.
age of the liquor dealers.
Inc question naturally arises What ia tn
be done about 1t? AS long as the traffic ia
regarded as legitimate business by our gov.
eminent. 1t is In sense given a show ne
responsibility and is viewed in this CONNER.
ciai age as legitimate means OF acquiring
wealth.
am of the opinion that the only way to
stop this perversion of the legitimate uses If
.he newspaper 10 to treat the traffic In intoxi
cants as a crime and punish those who assist
In increasing its uses by adyertisInp - e.has
wise, as criminals. Why not? THIS s. tba
attitude we take toward gambling. stealing ana
other crimes. AS long as the general govern.
ment protects the liquor traffic So that It can
u uoe US .itsotten earnings in peryerting the
power OF the press. and preventing the real
lacts from being given to the voter az 1ony
can THIS power be used against the moral we'll
being of our citizens.
Inc pronts OF the whiskey trust are greater
IN proportion to the investment than that ~
fhnv
spend larger sums for perpetuating their priyi
reyes through corrupting our courts legisla
lures, the press. and the voter than anv ether
.rust' mere is no other trust that has the
.nnuences 1or perpetuating its existence 40
thoroughly in hand. We do not believe thsr.
IS any other trust that will go to fha 1env,bs
tnat this trust win in accomplishing II. NV
poses its policy is to favor a license system
-. - oruer mat II may be in partnership with
the government and thus secure it, nratac.ia.
bility. o' VI respecta-
some OF the arguments freouen,1v Mood
asalnsl, prohibition are found tn the fo1Iow-
.ns nacheneyed expressions; Prohibition does
nv pronloit There is more LIQUOR so,d "
prohibition territory than in license tarri,nrv :,
.oniDitionists are a set OF cranks and fanat
Ics' II is true. prohibition OF the Honcr
AUG ooes not entirely prohibit; neither does
$3.50 Jaw against murder prohibit murder
pesiues we have never had prohibitior IN .h,
country country The people have voted it in certain
Ssaees ana localities, and their wishes have
, Deen enacted into law. but we submit thar
Jaw = only one per cent; that law enforcement
amu 40 m,nistration is the other ninety.nine ner
cent where our people have failed is in mar
ING the law, and then leaving It In the hands
o. license parties to enforce it, II the sama
pohcy mad been pursued in regard TO murder
s w eonid consistently claim that murder pro.
hlDltlon mad not been given a fair trial 's-.a-
- As to there being more 1t,iuor sord I. ,-aS,
Ol,ion territory than in license territorr VIZ
~ u this be true. why then do the liouor IN.
terests OF this country oppose with ali ths,r
h nhusnce ana money every effort to secure pro
Ilon territory and their business iucreassd r.
consequence thereof, why do they favor ana
Work Tor prohibition instead OF opposing =,
re the prohibtionists being sst 81 cranks
not meet the arguments but q r.thar es aOes
fession Of inability 10 to do, oon-
A. r. OREM