Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-03-14
West Virginia And Prohibition.

West Virginia And Prohibition.
The vote of West Virginia at the next
November election will decide for or
against Statewide prohibition. We are
not only profoundly interested in the re-
suit, but we are also deeply concerned
about the attitude of the Methodist Church
on the question. We have in that State
a Conference of stalwat ministers whose
conference resolutions in the past have
been ringing pronouncements in favor of
prohibition. Behind them is body OF
laymen steadily growing in intelligence
and power, whose votes will do much in
helping to decide the issue. These lay
men are the members of two hundred and
fifty or more churches, scattered over the
mountainous territory of the State. These
twenty thousand laymen and women have
behind them a nominal constituency Of
twenty or thirty thousand men whose in
fluence and votes can be largely directed
toward the prohibition cause. This con-
stitutes an army OF no small proportions.
There are numerous other Christian de-
nominations represented in the State, and
these will doubtless do their part. But
our message is to our own people. We
want them TO stand firmly by their prin-
ciples, and show to the State and the ma
ton that when their Conference passes
temperance resolutions, il does not only
mean what il says, but that the ministers
and laymen are prepared, at any cost, to
stand by the principles which their votes
adopted The Legislature by giving the
people the right to decide by vote has
put to The test the stuff of which Chris
tians are made.
Many of the States are fighting for juss
such privilege and fail TO get it because
the whiskey power has such a dominat-
ing influence that legislatures cannot be
secured that will grant the privilege.
West Virginia has legislature that is not
afraid to trust the people, and now the
people must prove that they are worthy
of the trust.
The liquor people will spend lots OF
money to corrupt the electorate. Already
the brewers OF Wheeling are defying the
State, and are actively planning to defeat
the measure. Poor Wheeling, which mas
one hundred and thirtY-iive licensed sa-
looms and one hundred and thirty-seven
speakeasies, which receives $26, 6,O59 TOR
licenses, and spends $47,S77 for police
protection; poor Wheeling, whose city
properties are valued at 81, l3S, ,S62, and
whose funded Indebtedness is ST ,3Ol 800
it is not only bankrupt, but $l62,S5o
worse off than nothing, and this does not
include the floating debt, which makes
the showing worse. This is what sew
enty-six years OF license has done, and
this is the city which threatens vengeance
if prohibition obtains. But our people
will not be frightened by this hydra-head-
ed monster-even if his growlS do come
from Wheeling. They will help TO save
Wheeling from its own obliquties.
No man among our people will prove
untrue to his high calling. They will not
be bribed, nor cajoIed, nor driven to sup
port the enemy. They will be true to
themselves, and in being so will be true
to their State, their church, and TO their
God. Those who are notmay be in our
fold, but they are not OF US.
But to win we must not only be true to
our principles, but active and constant in
them until the victory is won. Surely
our preachers will be missionaries OF the
temperance cause, and by sermon and
service win every vote that can be won.
Our laymen and laywomen will not be so
untrue as to continue in their midst a de-
mon that seeks their children as its VIC
tins. They will be antagonlzed at every
point. The enemy is on the job, and will
show no quarter. II will make large
promises to those it cannot frighten, but
its promises will last only until the cleo
ton is over. Ii will raise all kinds OF bo-
gieS to scare the timid, and this is espec-
tally true Of the financial bogY, and that
in the face of the fact that large business
interests are leaving Wheeling because
the debAuching character of the saloons
makes working men valuelesS, and they
are seeking healthier temperance condi-
tons; but the bogy is not alarming enough
to scare even the timid. We expect
West Virginia to be enrolled among the
prohibition States, and our church will
have large share in the glorious triumph.
The Methodist Protestant.