The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-01

by the fact that what parry stakes
an election on moral ISSUE alone
IL moral issue be so much as III.
VOWED the election Is staked on some
Implied IL not stated financial, com
meIcial or Industrial advantage.
What was the motive tor the ar
rest OF dozen Illicit sellers recently
chronicled from Denoron, Va. was
IL to better the negro morally. socially,
or even financially? Ii Was only to
enhance the industrial eaiue of the
negro comniunity-not enhance that
value to the negroes themselves, put
to their employers. IL was stated tnat
there We're sareut Il thousand negroes
and that Dendron is 1; lumuering sec
ton.
But precisely, what is the highest
tariff the brewer Is levyiug on the far-
mer? The heaviest item the farmer
pays in the tariff levied by the brew
er is one item in the cost of coilec-
ton. and propably the cost of col
lection falls more heavily upon the
farmer than upon any other profess
sion. A couple of hundred dollars Is
n low estimate at when TO place the
levy laid upon me that the brewer
may haycsthe right to collect his quota
of the Illegal safe of liquor tn the lapor
/ employ. one year ago 1 was called
i'll consultation by an adjoining com-
nunity concerning n series OF incin-
Diary acts. After discussing this
series of fires a father of boys said
to me MIR. Blackwell. we have "A
graver problem than this In our midst.
1t is the access our boys and our labor
have to liquor. and what are We to do
about 1t? As to my own boys they
90 not visit the places Of sale. But
some of his neighbours boys were fire.
quenters of these convenient dives. And
then he told me that he was working
two young negroes ana that the bulk
of their wages was collected as tri-
butte Of these places. And that these
places were usually conducted ny ne.
gro women. that his labor WAS with
growing frequency out of place or
rendered. Worthless oftencr when re-
porting for duty and that on impor-
tant occasions the absence or inetti-
cheney of hts fabor cost several times
in tusses their Wages, THIS case cited
is a typical Illustration OF the cost OF
collection from the farmers stand
point. That lewd women are connect
ed with the Illegal sale OF liquor is a
gIowiug evil. 80 the brewer Is not
plying his filching trade alone: he has
his usual companion, and the asso-
eiated vice going hand in hand with
his vice OF greed.
That prohibition does not absolutely
prohibit in the dry country districts
is true. and true for the reason that
we have not yet got prohibition. ana
the brewers are seeing to 1t just now
in Richmond that we may not yet
have prohibition. These brewers and
steers to whom they say gee and
whoa" in the legislative stalls are
elated so long as the farmers put up
with an unguarded regulation that
has stolen the honest name of pro
hibition." Prohibition us something
that wehave never nad In Virginia
anywhere. 1t is what We have repeat
eddy asked for only to be denied with
some compromise OF a auguarded
regulation intended not to prohibit.
/ 1ryly this arch enemy sows his tares
while we sleep, but we are awakins
now. You cannot regulate vice. His
tory not once, within, or without the
lids of the Bible records Gods at
/ tempting such stupendous folly which
We biennially stultify ourselves In en-
! acting anew. The wisdom of man here
! in our Legislature far excels the folly
| OF God--that folly to which He has
| never stooped--that degree Of wisdom
/ to which we have exalted ourselves.
! We once asked for our Legislature a
I loaf aud were given a stone. again
! we asked fish and were given SER
pent; and now we ask an egg-yes
| that gold egg-and shall We receive
! Il scorpion? 1t remains to be seen what
our fathers in the upper chamber
OF the Capitol will hand out to Viz
ginias children.
! Where shall the farmer place his
hope? Not in his own Legislature or
in his own National House. lie has
/ been pinned down under high tariff
and its fostered monopoIies so long
| that he was falling asleep to the mo-
nopoly the whiskey interests have on
our national halls and the control IL
sometimes has of our State Legisla-
lures. Not only is this monster lay
| Ing tribute in every center of the
globe and seeking whom 1t may de-
YOUR but he puts on the robes of the
Herods and destroys ali 1t may--slays
the inHeeents and beifeads John
wherever John 1t not armored with
the esteem OF u prophet. In scholar
~ and materly plea for the liberation
of women. Miss Belle Bennett says.
Here, and everywhere. the most i'm
placable and relentless foe of womans
suffrage is the organized liquor power
Leavening the thought and influence
of church and State; substituting period
icals. newspapers, and the press OF the
country: employing dist . guished law
yers and maintaining trained lobb.
at the National Capitol TO protect Its
interest. It can at a days notice mass
like forces at any Legislature or in
any State" Where Is the farmers hope
Of escape from this monster gathering
tribute from whom, tribute Ia not .sae
Saiss4% II ,s:aass. be ir.ieg Is sasiof; Fl 30
in no legislation the monster proposes
or any legislature he owns. A few
years ago certain California fruit
growers were induced by Just such q
friend to ask for a tariff on competing
imports. Said their president: II,
was granted. and a high tariff at that
but the grower received not one cen,
Of It" Since the tariff on wool. my
wool sells for ten cents per pound
less. my clothing purchased at eight
i dollars mare the suit In the face ol
disbursement on every hand where
may the farmer expect to find a source
Of dellverance from this liquor mon
ster? If In lertslation, not In legisla.
lures. Where must the farmers look
for deliveranee from the tribute Il.
quor levies? or all the institutions
ia this nation and in this State the
farmers hope for deliyerance is in the
| Anti Saloon League.
r. r.. BLACKWELL.
i Hollydale. Va.
FAILING IN This THREATEN