The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-28

please give this definition to Mayor Kiine!"
This was fine!
Our secretary of state did not deem it wise
TO provide wines and liquors at his State din
ner and advise moderation in drinking. He
wouldn't sanction a custom that is pro ific of
intemperance! The great railroads do not stress
the importance Of moderation in the of in
toxicants by their employees in whose keeping
the lives of the public are entrusted but their
rules require that their men shall not drink. and
the frequenting Of n saloon Is a. sufficient cause
for dismissal. The business world is rapidly
tightening its lines against of intoxlcants
as a beverage on the part 70 employees. Tenn
perance in the sense of moderation is a cheap
and common enough sentiment. There are great
chunks of it lying all around! The dstillers and
wholesale liquor dispensing concerns disseminate
some good temperance or moderation" liter
allure, and one of the big organs sometime ago
indicted the American saloon as a menace to
civilization and admitted that the characterize
ton Of the prohbtionist not overdrawn.
OF course, the prohibition principle was not
conceded, but the desire to reform the
saloon and lessen its evils, business prop
osition. But the temperance brand that really
counts is total abstinence from intoxcants on
tn" part Of the individual and legal prohibition
of the beverage liquor traffic the part of the
State" Now. If it be said that perhaps Mayor
Kline is in line with these sentiments but advises
the OF the 'mider terms for policy's
sake, why, bless His Honor, the w. c. T. u.
doesn't know how to play policy!
The other news-item of interest the shy
ing of the Presbyterian synod at the word
vote" This comment is not captious criti-
cism of a great church that is doing such spen-
did work in saving souls The writer loves the
Presbyterian Church. He has doubt that even
those who voted to eliminate the word vote"
will themselves vote right at the ballot box.
But the incident furnishes occasion for the ex-
preston of thought concerning such poll
cies. Now these good people unanimously
agreed that the liquor traffic is inimical to ma
erial social and religious welfare; that II is the
duty of Christian people to exert themselves In
/ all legitimate ways to Danish the curse; that
Indifference and immobility in the premises is
nexcusable, and in conformity with their pre-
ambe they resolve Ito urge all our member
( ship the duty of using all legitimate means for
the Punishment of this traffic from the land
and for striving by voice, and in all ways which
NAV be approved by their Christian conscience
and Judgment for the enactment of such laws
as shall bring this result to pass most speedi-
ly." Striving bv voice and vote was the word
! ing of the original Now, laws enacted by
legislators who elected by vote! "A SOW
erign's vote Is the instrument Of his voice or
VIII Why shy at the word! Really If there Is
anything in the contention that the use of this
little word sweeps away the line of demarcaton
between church and State. or that It is improper
for a church council to advise its membership
! to vote at the polls in behalf of q great moral
Issue. then by the same token is 1t not improper
to advise the same membership to Strive by
voice" etc, for the enactment Of such laws as
shall Danish this traffic from the land" Jus
! t--eoepaet- ~4theat-tfae- f+ffe-Fessaefs
the gun ineffective voice without vote Is In
valid.
But, bless us all what a great general ad
vance all along this line has been made in
few years. 1t hasn't been long since the sug
eestion of this resolution, even with vote omit
ted, in a great church council would have caused
some CONSERVATION over the assumption of mix
ing politics and religion! The mixing. -
called, Is proving a blessing to the world and III
church, and whens all the church folk follow
> the example of those who vote as they pray
something is going to be doing in this fal
land!
w. NJ BICKERS.