The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-01


Local Government league is
heard but / desire to speak In It's
defense. Vt has performed a patriotic
service for the state AMI the nation.
This service cost the members q great
deal of energy, effort ana money. be-
sides discomfort. caused by broad
cast condemnation. The leaders of
this league are known far and wide
as prominent public-spirited citizers
whose ability. courage and energy
have been used for the good of Vlr-
sria. Judge Christian covered him
self with honor and crowned his head
With glory in the blood and fire Of The
civil war. After the war clouds
relied away he won more fame on tho
ba tile fields of law. He has "n hon
ored name and boasts of an illustrous
past. You would expect nothing but
&c cd from man of his name. He Is
40 old Virginia gentleman DIR. Nc.
CURE also has an honored name and
he has added Sew glory to il. Mr..
Ben Owen is a friend and nei. ,hbpr
of mine. His name has no small
place in Virginia history, and he has
added to his name. For several yaars
he guided the ship of State IN the
governors office He is genial.
smart, patriotic and eloquent. More
over. he is a warm hearted South
erner. Now what could you expect
hut good from such men and from
any organization Of which they are
officers? Do you blame them be-
cause liquor men, barroom buns and
all the human vultures the barroom
breeds enlists under their cause?
These honored gentlemen declare to
the public they have fought high
toned honorable battle. They say
while they fought prohibition, they
are glad the majority for it was as
large. and they propose to do all In
their power to enforce the law. Now
men who propose TO do a thing they
have sworn with all their hearts
never has been done and never can
he done are brave men.
The reason have come to the de-
Tense of these men is because We owe
them a great debt for helping carry
the State dry. Had II not been for
their efforts it Is likely the matority
would have been a little above twenty
thousand The ISLANDERS this league
spread about conditions in North Car
DINA were denied by both United
States senator's, all the congressman.
a number of judges, business men,
preachers. professors, newspaper men
and many more gentlemen. but no
word of apology was made, The
word OF a few biased liquor advo-
Gates. some of whom were in the
State a few hours, others who never
went there, was taken rather than
statements of honorable citizens and
public men who. have spent their FIJI
tire lives within North Carolina.
North Carolina men came here 10
correct the slanderous reports about
their people, their communities and
their laws. They spoke in plain
terms, but in good taste and conducted
themselves. while among us. like the
gentlemen that they are. The league
called them interlopers and accused
them of butting into Virginia politics.
These things made the friends or
North Carolina rise up and greatly
increase the dry vote.
Then the local self-governmeut APP
pealed to the farmers claiming Sreat
concern for the churches and the
preachers in the country. and begged
the farmers 70 keep their preachers
and churches ont of politics T ~
also flooded the country with that
tt bacco scarecrow, claiming, as soon
as prohibition prevailed. the prohi-
hitionists would put an end to the to-
nacee- business. The farmers of Nir-
GINA are not fools. These things were
an insult to their intelligence, and the
farmers got mad. You can't make
n man mad quicker than to instnuate
he is natural born blank-headed
fool. One old fellow said, "a fellow
that believed such tommy rot
wouldn't have sense enough to know
which end to begin at to milk
COW" Another said, II wood
pecker was as green as these liquor
folks he would peck his brains out
ON rocks hunting worms" This in
dicates what the farmers thought
SO on election the farmers gave US
n large vote, a big majority coming
from the tobacco growers.
Then the Hanly meeting came
Governor Hanly was to speak at the
city auditorium. He is one OF the
great men of the country, a noted
statesman and an honored Christian;
His state must think something OF
him. for 1t has given him every of
flee he has sought. They elected him
governor by eighty five thousand
majority. His church must think
something of him The bishops OF
the Methodist Church NORTH, or
which Governor Hanly liz member.
appointed him. few years ago,
delegate to tho Methodist cnurcn
sSouth). n position held only sy the
best men to be found. For number
OF years MT I1aHiy HnS SOS
his life to fight the liquor power
and uplift his fellow man. at a salary
far below what he could make IN
few weeks in other channels. Gov
ernor Haniy came in our midst as
an invited guest. Came TO OLD VIZ
rinia. home Of hospitality and chiv-
airy. The crowd that went to near
him found little boys at the door
giving out cards. carrying a cartoon
OF Governor Hanly. Printed all over
the card were dollar marks and sew
eral bags of gold. These words met
the eye: "Oh, see who's here. tie
undated by his own State" He was
branded as an anti-saioon htrehng:
Along with him were the names OF