The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-29

tempt to deny the sovereign peop'e
their just and God given rsghiS
The gentlemen from. totersonra
and those from Richmond say let US
govern ourselves and therefore deny
the people this right 1t Ia the prin-
ciols of free government that the in
dividuaI meSt surrender his right for
H.. .svu -. .,,e continuity the COM
nunity for the good OF the state ana
the state Tor toe good OF the united
States e, cry law YOU pass concern
ing taxes, health, comncros, crime Is
Statewide.
"Mr. nelly speaks of the referen-
| dunn as II IL were new thing, We
have referendum now on broad tires
for wagons. good road boards. compul-
cory education. local option. IL ref
erendum Is good for q district. county,
city. II is good for two or more cities:
II is good for the whole State. MIR.
Kelly fails TO read his history, Ref
erendum is not new In Virginia IL
was In use as early as 1873. When
the Legislature was IN doubt as 10
calling q constitutional convention 1t
passed an act January 81, INES. sub
mitting the question To the sovereign
people for their decision and they
voted on il. and as result the con-
vention was held. d constitution pre-
pared and again submitted 10 the peo-
pie for their approval. Why. then, Is
IL thought IL new thing for the Leg
islature to submit the great question
10 the decision OF the sovereign voters
of the State OF Virginia? The Gues-
ton is here. how will you dispose of
IL? You cannot call n down. IL by
the exercise of authority you should
fail 10 submit this issue TO tho peo-
pic, don't think II dead, Lord Dun
ore by authority dtssoievd the pa
triotic assembly to kiii the spirit of
liberty. Did he kill IL? Hear that
great patriot as his voice rang out in
yonder church tSt John'sl and
throughout the land. He banked the
ton and forever buried despotism
a I'D tyranny Brethren, do not bank
the fires of mighty people deter
mined to free themselves from the
crrse and despot!st,s Of the i+8aef tFaf-
, tic. II Ia coming as surely as God
~ -ap-Hts- theeaer-TTA A-PFeaeheFs are
back Of it. Every Methodist preacher
is pledged by his most sacred honor
to fight it to the death. and every
other preacher worthy Of the name
is against 1t. The good women are
! against the trafIic, and nosts of the
! most intelligent. thrifty. lawabiding
. and God-Gearing citizens are against
| 1t. We intend to fight this enemy
OF God and of man until we bury 1t
| so deep that the last trumpet will
! not disturb It's abySsnsl doom, Gen
! tiemen. us servants of the people. !
beg you-do not deny to them their
| right but rise In your manhood to-
night and say: This question the sove-
! reign people have a God given right
! to decide. and my vote shall be not TO
| withhold. but TO grant them their
! rights. and may God hep you to this
/ momentous decision.
Am Impressive Utterance.
Rev. r. H. Pitt. editor of the Re-
| ligious Herald followed DR.. Chris
tan. Declaring that he was in 4
com bative atmosphere and not desir
ing to Say anything that he nigh
regret afterward he said that he hac
committed his speech to paper. Tn,
calm, thoughtful and logical presen
tation of the case. from one who had
as he declared, been considered
Conservative and had suffered more o
less at tho hands OF both extreme
his uttefances were heard with deer
est attention and interest. DIR. Pit
said:
l am not now nor have ! ever beer
officially connected with the Anti a
loon League. This does not mean tina
am not in thorough sympathy with
the purpose OF that excellent organi-
cation. and 1t Is mentioned here sim
ly to make tt "'"or to this committed
hat l appear on my own account ant
I that ] alone responsible for any
statement | may make. Perhaps an
other personal word ought to b
spoken. I rank as n conservative or
this question and, like all conserva'
tives, have suffered more or less a
thu hands OF both extremes. I do no
| understand that the merits OF State
wide prohibition as compared will
local option. or that the dire evils o.
the traffic In intoxicating liquors, are
really under discussion at this time
and so ! will not address myself Il
these. The measure which you arr
considering does not necessarily In
volve Statewide prohibition. There II
no living man who can foretell Will
any degree OF certainty how the cleo
ton for which this bill provides viii
turn out. The only question. as UNI
dsrstand the situation. which Is befor;
you for decision. Ia whether you vii
agree by your votes in the Senate Il
disentangle this question Of licensini
the sale OF intoxicating liquors from
all others. Whether you will isolat.
II 30 that 1t may be free from partisan
implications, from personal ambition
and may be considered and decided
solely on Its inertia There Is only one
as | know, and that Is by the method
way In which this can be done, SO ia,
proposed In the bill of submitting Il
j under suitable safeguards and yestrtc-
tons 10 the vote Of the whole people
In essence the issue, which will ther
be presented to the people OF the Stat,
will be whether they prefer the pres
ent conditions in Virginia or whether
they prefer to go on to Statewide
prohibition. Speaking as a citizen In
terested In the public life of my com
munity and my State. l should like
i to get this question on which mer
feel 30 intensely separated from al
other political issues and settled. a
"A have said, On Its own merits. II THU
isn't done then We might as well face
the facts Of the situation. That the
agitation via cease no man In hi.
senses who knows anything OF the
conditions viii for one moment con.
tend. This agitation Is not q mo-
SCENTS a sentiment that has been grow
ing surely and steadily during the
whole period of my own observation
There Is not the slightest possibilit,
OF It's Cessation. There is every reason
to believe that IL will continue to grow
/ No Use Of BlinkInw Facts.
I A failure to pass this enabling acV
may discourage a few OF the faint