The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-11
Liquor and the Fair.

Editor Richmond Virginiani
Sir-The action of the womans Christian
union and the religious bodies which have ex-
pressed their purpose not to attend the state
fair IL the sale of liquor is allowed on the
grounds is altogether logical and consistent.
There Is nothing vindictive in this course; IL Is
simply a practical exhibition Of the sincerity of
purpose the part of those wing profess TO re-
gard the liquor cause as the paramount issue:
Little good Is accomplished by the adoption or
protesting resolutions unless such resolutions are
followed up by consistent action. rms IL IL
Illustrated by an incident that occurred In sun
day school class when teacher was inVelghihs
against the saloon, and said with emphasis the
Christian people could, by united action wipe
out every saloon in this town; whereupon
new scholar in the class, who had become much
Interested in the teachers remarks, said: Let 8
do it, Let's do it,! and he started a campaign
that resulted in dry town, For years this
teacher and many other had eloquently ar
ragned the traffic and many resolutions OF CON
domination had been hurled at the cause, but
the wet folks cared little for that until the
"resovers' began to unite and show their faith
by their works. and then results came.
II Ia ever thus. Resolutions are all right II
behind them there is determined purpose
Phillipics against the licence system and school
boy essays on the evils OF intemperance do not
count so much shower of ballots IN TINS
country where law is the creation of the peo-
pie, and every citizen is a sovereign.
But to return to the point at issue These
gentlemen at the head of Fair association have
made a mistake. They have persistently ignored
the widespread petitions Of that large number OF
Virginia and women to whom the sale OF
LIQUOR on the fair grounds is distasteful. They
Of course, know the prevailing sentiment OF the
Christian public, even If no formal petitions or
protests have been filed AS plain business
proposition it would seem the dictate or GOOD
policy to respect this sentiment and secure the
co operation of the people In general In making
the fair occasion and an institution OF stare
pride For surely no man who loves his today
would refrain from patronizing the institution
because he would be unable to secure his drink
while he Ia on the grounds a few hours! In
the case here is n large contingent who nave
| to make real sacrifice If they attend. while
tn tbn Cfh q
convenience for the public good.
| Yes the w. c. r. Il. and the church people
are right 1t is not up to them to allow their
wishes to be disregarded or ignored and as
sumo the attitude II wish you wouldn't do IT.
but If you persist in 1t why we Will have TO SUB
NIT, and will all be at the fair
In this connection 1t is worthy Of comment
/ that Temperance" is mighty cheap. The liquor
dealers disseminate Temperance" literature.
Their platform stands for Temperance and So
briefly The average tppler loves to pirate on
the virtues of temperance" But that brand of
Temperance" which stands four-sauare against
the cause of intemperance Is not to be had 80
cheaply. II entails courage and sacrifice and
faith and endurance, 1t sometimes means the
loss Of friends positon-the sneers and gibes
of the Temperance" ranks. But all the same.
that Temperance" which counts for humanity.
for social order and the enforcement OF the gov
eminent and the liquor traffic Is temperance
that is worth while! 1t can be defined as total
abstinence the part OF the individual and
legal prohibition the part Of the State; moral
suasion for the who drinks, legal suasion
for the man who sells. and prison suasion for the
law breaker"
/ Finally. to the fair, are told that II ts
good public policy to license the sale Of liquor
there as it will prevent the "boot-leggers' and
blind tigers from operating to the annoy
ance Of the patrons (Parenthetically. isn't II
hard to possess ones soul in patience when We
go up against fiimsy like that) BY the same
token why does our law close the licensed sa-
looms on election days. Sundays etc? If the
wide open saloons will best conserve the inter-
ests OF sobriety and orderliness, why close them
o nthese occasions! Oh! pshaw! it's too silly to
engage q serious argument!
w. M. BICKERS
Richmond Va, July s, -sl3