The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-12
70 THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION FOR LOCAL
sELFlG0vERNNfENT.


The liquor traffic has reputation. 1t has
no stapding and no character. To live up to
its history the liquor traffic must besmirch and
degrade the standing, the reputation, and so far
as 1t Is able the character Of reputable and
honest citizens. The saloon knows no fairness,
knows no limit TO its methods, and has no com
FUNCTIONS of conscience. for 1t has no conscience
There are left few days of the campaign
fer Statewide prohibition during which The Ftr'
cfnfon now notifies the temperance people of Vir-
sinia. constituting, as We believe. great ma
iorfty of her citizenship. that they may reason
ably expect the most outrageous attacks and
most unfoanded charges against themselves and
those who, on their behalf. have driven the
saloon into the corner. from which 1t is now
seeking by every artihce and art TO escape.
The uquor traffic throughout the nation has
not hesitated to attack the character and repu-
tation of Christian men who have dared stang
in opposition to its nefarious business. On sep
fsrnber % the men Of Virginia who support the
saloon will have the knowledge of having given
their sovereign assent to the destruction OF men
and the sorrow OF women.
In such an institution there is no conscience;
there Is no heart. From now until September
~ there will be found In the front ranks OF the
saloon forces those sanderers and pariahs whose
chief delight IL to assault the reputation and
character of those whom they hate under the
honest and respectable citizens who are made a
cloak for the liquor traffic.
The Tirgfnida has had the pleasure of pointing
out to the people of Virginia some of the depths
ID which the liquor traffic and its organs will
sink The Firgintan counts 1t one of its highest
pleasures to have exposed the unexampled wrong
done TO citizens of the city Of Durham. The
facts in that case known to all Virginia.
they have been admitted without palliation by
The sourcesfrom which they originated but they
have not been and will not be apologized for,
There is AN organization Of Richmond profes-
E.onaI and business men which is considered
BY the State at large as authority and has vo]un-
tarily taken upon itself the authority and re-
eponsibilfty for the conduct Of the campaign
III behalf OF the liquor interests, whose repre-
sentatives are entrenched in The headquarters of
this organization and are publishing In its name
and by its authority statements that have no
foundation In fact and have been admitted
Gentlemen of the Local SelfGovernment
League, as individual members, each the two hun
dred or more of you. The Virginian, in behalf of
the Christian citizenship of Virginia. asks OF you
this question: Do you stand for such things?
Do you authorize the OF your name an
individual not as member of an organization.
10 place the stamp Of your approval upon at
tacks made on a community which men Of that
hoods?
Further: Your official organ, The Trumpeter,
election, to be distributed this week, state
naent that the officials and the leading citizens
OF States where the Statewide prohibition law
aas been In successful operation. have declared
II failure, when. as a matter of recorded fact,
the offcials OF every prohibition State have
niready printed statements placing the stamp of
the Local Self-Government League-as individual
citizens. without the necessity of calling you by
rarne--do you stand for this barefaced fasehood?
Il Ii printed on your authority: it is just as much
yours as a note with your name Endorsed upon
II cr check with your name signed to IT, Do
ron indorse these statements?