The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-18

Judge George l. Christian Is
president of the so-called Local Self
Government association, which mas us
base of operations at Richmond, the
liquor center of Virginia. Mr.. &. II.
Marshall is a citizen Of Virginia, Nv
ing at Sylvatus. Mr.. Marshall has adj
dressed a letter to Judge Christian,
in which the latter gentleman Is ask
ed to publish list of the names of the
contributors to the so-cailed Local
elf-Government association, which
organization Is conducting the liquor
side of the Statewide campaign. Here
is part of the letter:
'Inasmuch as many of our peo-
pie believe that the association of
which you are president was
fostered and financed by the
saloon, ! am going to ask that
you publish complete list of the
contributions to the association in
order that the people may know
whether the fight against State
wide prohibition IS being financed
by the liquor interests or whether
1t is being financed by citizens
who believe that our government
is about to be put in jeopardy,
and are sufficiently Interested in
our welfare to pay out their cash
to save US from the awful
calamity that would befall us by
the enactment of prohibition
law. l would ask that you pub
lish this list Immediately in
order that the people may see
what II looks like before the cleo
ton"
When the so-called Local Self-Gov-
ernment association was organized at
Richmond the fact was heralded far
and wide that no man interested IN
the liauor business was connected with
the organization. This fact has been
kent prominently and persistently be-
fore the public during the campaign,
for obvious reasons. Its responsibility
established, the association could
make a much more effective fight for
the perpetuation of the open saloon
IL the people of Virginia believed
that the gentlemen who compose 1t
were actuated solely by devotion to
the sacred principle of local self
government"
Do the people of Virginia believe
it, Possibly some of them do. but
doubtless the great majority of them
are curious to know who Is represent
ing the liquor interests in this cam
paign. II 1t Is not the so-called Local
Self-Government association at Rich
mond. So far as the public knows.
the liquor interests have no organiZa-
taon, there are no outward indica-
tons of activity on their part; they
have not lifted finger to save them
sefves We say so far as the public
knows But at the same time II would
be difficult to convince the public, or
any part of 1t. that the liquor inter-
ests are sitting supinelv by while the
advocates of Statewide prohibition
and the champions of local option
fight 1t out caring little what the re-
suit may be. The liquor interests are
vitality CONCERNED in this contest. and
they are doing their f&li share to de-
feat the movement to drive their traf-
fc from Virginia. But what Is their
share?
The so-called Local Self Govern
ment association has bought thous-
ands of columns of advertising space
in the daily and weekly newspapers
of the State: 1t seems to have pur-
chased some newspapers outright: 1t
has published sheet called ''The
Trumpeter"; 1t has had tons Of liter
AZURE printed and distributed among
the voters of the State. All this has
costs hundreds of thousands of dol
lars
Where has the money come from?
Has 1t been contributed by the MEM
bers of the association and men of
that class. or has it been furnished
by the liquor interests? Were the
liquor interests told that If they would
provide the sinews OF war, and keep
in the background, the so-called Local
Self-Government association would do
the rest? II not. how do the liquor