The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-26
'DR. LIGHT REL LIES
TO MR.. MONTAGUE
DISCUSSES RELATIONS OF GENTLE
MEN FROM WET cENTERs
TO LIQUOR TRAFFIC..
BRIBERY NOT CHARGED
But VIRGINIA ISSUES, EDITOR
SAYS. THAT THERE ARE GER.
TAIN FACTS THAT ARE
OBVIOUS.

The following editorial. signed By
DR.. J. H. Light. editor Of the vir-
ginia Issue. the organ OF the Anti
Saloon League Of Virginia, will appear
in the next number OF that publica-
ton:
The Gentleman From Richmond City
And The Virginia Issue.
In the debate on the enabling act
in the House of Delegates on Tuesday,
February 81, Mr.. Montague. ono Of
the delegates from Richmond city, ex-
pressed himself as follows. according
to the report OF one Of the Rich
mond daiIies of the following morn
ing:
The Virginia Issue, the organ Of
the Anti-saIoon League of Virginia.
has said that the city representatives
on this floor are dominated by the
linuor interests. I repudiate this. The
Anti-Salon League will never win by
charging that men who think they
haye character have been bought and
sold"
The editorial utterance. to which
I've presumel Mr.. Montague referred.
appeared in the Virginia Issue OF Jam
uary it. and Is as follows:
But the Legislature does not rep
resent the liauor interests--excep 4
few members from the wet" centers.
These men were nominated and elect
ed by the liquor interests. TheY be-
long to the liquor interests. They are
utterly. hopelessly committed 10 the
Nauor interests. But the vast major
itv OF the members Of both branches
of the Legislator" resent dry" sec
lions and dry constituencies.
From the representatives Of the
liquor centers we expect nothing but
hard. bitter. persistent opposition.
From the others-and there are am
pie matorities In both houses--we exc
pect fair and honorable treatment"
Md rot he unjust to the gem
Heman from the -liaseF eeHtefs. !" Car
....sl.osis Of the case may be wrong.
sihility that our differences, from un-
disputed facts are In error.
But the singular unanimfty and
Astounding activity Of the members. in
both houses. from the wet centers"
In opposition to the enabling act ana
other restrictive ap6 regulative meas
ures In the present Legislature. where
by the liquor interests shall be ma
teriaiiy intcrfsred with. are. to say
the last, most extraordinary. The
members from the wet centers" may
not belong 10 the liquor interests"
Eut they are giving most extra
ordinary Inhalation Of n,en who night
belong to the liquor interests
But there are other facts that have
to be reckoned with. We are pub
fishing on the first page OF this NUM-
Der copy Of "a letter sent to the Vir-
gina free Press and other papers Of
Vest Virginia pending the campaign
Tor constitutional prohibition la that
state II liz a stra.ghtout offer Of n
hribe OF one thousand dollars, "ansi
as mach more as the circumsta n ees
Viii permit" far the influence OF that
kaper during the campaign.
We would not be unjust or unfair.
we would not asperse the character
or good name OF any man. But the
nnscrupulous character OF the LIQUOR
business In America is well known.
And the INSCRIPTIONS methods, pur-
sued by the liquor business In main.
tenance OF their trade, and In opposi.
ton to prohibition are known and
read of all men.
We would not be unjust But we
must be frank. Familiar. az we are,
with the INSCRIPTIONS character and
methods Of the liquor interests. va
are bound to say that the moment
any man. or set OF men, any news
paper or set Of newspapers develop
or display any extraordinary activity,
or unanir1ity in support OF the liquor
interests. or opposition to All pro-
hibitiye or really regulatiye measures,
affecting the liquor interests Of the
State, they lay themselves under I'm
mediate and as We believe legitimate
suspicion.
To htgh-minded gentlemen vuch
legitimate suspicion must be painful.
We sympathize with them In their EN-.
barrassment. But that Is their mis-.
fortune. 1t Is not our fault. II In
their line-up, they find themselves
fighting with an INSCRIPTIONS crowd.
In support OF an admittedly unscrup-
nlous business. II. IL their ,Htsf0rsuna.'
We can only take the facts al they
exist and draw legitimate conclusions
from them.
III Mr.. Montague does not relish the
odium OF the company ne k1eps. leo
him ''repudiate" his present company.
We do not charge him or any other
man with having accepted money di-
reetly or indirectly. for their tnflu-
ence and service In this matter. But
we cannot fail to recognise the fact
that the service. vote, work and In
filence Of the gentleman from Tire
wet centers" all so to the support
OF a business that has money and
other forms of influence almost un-
limited and business that does not
scrupie TO use it's money and influence
to rain Its own ends.
The atmosphere OF distrust and sus-
picion that surrounds the entire liquor
tratfi in this State and country. and
that enyelopa, all Its friends and sup-
porters. Is not OF our creation. That
uncanny sfmosrhere hclcnss, to the
entire husiness--its methods. it, aims.
Its history. TIE temperance peorls
are not responsible. The business It.
self 10 Responsible
J. Fl. LIGHT,
Editor VIRGINIA lssuA
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