The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-24

s shssd protect her own people in dry
II she asks and expects the Federal
quor shipment. from other states. I,
is amazing Inconsistency to denouncc
ne Fedora! government for permitting
| own citizens 10 do.
The first logical extension of the
t local ,t option "rincsple; therefore: is
It should be protected against wet
communities. and that when oommu-
nifty votes wet" It's saloons should be
IN that territory. which has voted
! wet That would DO real local OPP
| tlon, TO which SO many gentlemen At
| present are proclaiminG their undyine
The Next Advance.
While tho restricted license and the
| antishipping bill are advanced legisla-
ton and would be OF incalcuiabie ben
must be taken Is the total destruction
| or the license system i'll Virginia. This
is commonly known as PROHIBITION. But
to be exact, it really is the withdrawal
| of the privilege. which has been here
| tofore granted to persons or corpora
lions. upon the payment OF certain
maintain public nuisance"
| The practical question is Have the
people OF Virginia the right to vote
upon the question whether the law OF
| the state should grant under certain
conditions license TO maintain pub
| lie nuisance?"
The license law Is one of the statutes
of tho State OF Virginia. The authority
OF the entire State Is behind the privi-
leEe granted: the liquor traffic Is guar
anteed the profession of the state OF
Treasury of the state for license to
debuuch the manhood and womanhood
of the State; the evils of the liquor
traffic are not and cannot no connned
tue saloons are located. The whcio
body suffers, when the head. the cap
ital city, or the great organs of the
body. the otner cities are besct by
blood-suClling vampires, which are
steady drain upon viSor and life it
self
The Question Stnte-WIdc.
The question Is essentially u State
wide question, for II affects every cit
izen OF the state by what principle
of democracy Is IL declared that the
vote on Il question which Is of vital
concern 10 all oil the people OF the
State? 1t is declared with great en-
phasls that the people of Accomac and
Lee have no right to vote upon the
condit on which shall govern the pco-
pie of Richmond, set these two coun-
ties vote in the election for all the
State officers OF Virginia: they vote
through their representatives for tho
judges who preside In the Richmond
courts; for the licenses which snail
for the laws which shall govern the
Richmond people; for the new charter
under which the people of Richmond
Will live; and we do not hear any
ella nor against the right of the Cen
eral Assembly to pass laws which set
the standard for Richmond people 20
live by. except in the one matter of
the traffic In intoxicating liquors. Then
there is clamor and uproar. and the
slaves of covetousneEs ana appetite.
led by the wet newspapers, rave
about Sumptuary Legislation and local
democratic self-government and about
let Richmond alone" when the only
and the real question at issue Is
whether the law OF the State or vir-
sellers in Richmond and other cities
to dcoauch and destroy our young men,
and, horrible to be told. our young
women also. and whether places viii
be tolerated by the law which, accord
ing both to Scripture and to expo
rrience. have as their fruitage. conten-
ton and woe, babblings and strife
sorrow and death.
The Issue Single.
I'D the Issue Is not only clear, but
single 1t cannot be beclouded by per-
s. III or political afiillation. 1t is
not question OF machine or anti
machine. 1t IL not question OF
whether We like everybody who favors
the passage of the enabling act 70
oppose the act because certain persons
favor II. Is just about as sensible as
IT would be to refuse to help extin-
guish q fire which is burning neigh
Dor house and threatening ones own
simply because a man. who Is person
any obnoxious, is carrying bucket
or holding the hose. or directing the
who say they would support the en-
abltnS act, but they cannot work for il,
because certain machine or antima-
chine men are working for IL. or Ger
tain persons whom they do no, adj
mire are working for It, will be found
IN inc END to have no deep-seated CON
vicuon on the subject. no burning
hatred OF the dcath-dealing. soul-dc.
stroNing curse, and they seize upon
politics or personalities as a pretext
10 excuse themselves from giving their
money their time. their thought. tneir
reputation, or their vote. TO aid in the
conflict against the common enemy
OF the race. Let US not be deceived.
When men offer political. factional or
part in The charge against the bat
taions OF greed, covetousness and APP
petite. the real reason is that they
have no stomach for the fight. and do
not want to spend themselves or thai
money time or influence, In a warfare
which will be practically certain to
.eaVe It's scars II they fight in earn
make money out OF the ruin and dam
nation OF their fellows. are selfish
ana ana cnrsl at hear, heart They will bride
stop short of murder The blood Of
MT. Shackelford. a citizen of Virginia
OF hish character and standing. shot
GOWN on public road by covetous
iiquor seller. Joins its testimony with
the blood of Moffett. shot down on the
s.reets or Danville to the fact. that
men must be prepared as was their
master. to resist ''even unto blood
SsratVlng against SIM" in the fight to
i'ee our people from this curse
Illogical Objections.
mere are doubtless some men who
Ire ~ uncertain whether a Statewide
vve,,, VII produce as good results as
MMouic he produced were every civ
IA me state to be made dry" by Inc
note OF the local community But
mat is not the issue before US Ali
OF us Will agree that II there were n
ntaJorLtE OF voters in every city for the
law the results would be more salts
factory than ii there were a ma iority
AGAINST IL. But shall the gambling
Avs OF Virginia be repealed because
me courts about Norfolk and Nor
iolk county do not seem able to con-
Vict the race tracks or Darkroom ram,