The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-15
TUE VA TUEsDAY SEPTEMBER 15 1914

Other sources connected with The traf =
H." VIII increase tho revenues of the
state from that source to about $3.50
o0o. II is claimed 10y some of the I'D :
voc;ttcs of state wide prohibition that
the secadil! increasing value of the
real estate and personal property in
Virginia Will make up This lost rev
cnu" This may be true although I
do moi believe iO. but these gentlemen
lose sight of the fact that the expenses
OF the state are Increasing at least as
rapidly as Its income. and that at the
worry last session of the General As
sembly IL was necessary for the Gov
'crn"r to let 1t be understood that he
would veto any appropriation bill OK
cecding certain sum. in order to keep
the expenditures of the state within
felt.
WILL. INEVITABLY MEAN
INCREASED TAXATION
Tile people OF Virginia. whether we
nave local option or Statewide prOhi
biuon. will not consent to have the
efficiency Of its aSylums. university.
colleges and schools impaired by re-
ducing the amounts which they re-
ceive from the State. They will not
consent to have the pensions of it's
confederate veterans reduced. They
VIII not consent To have the tppropria-
ions FOR good roads reduced, but de-
n'and that they shall be Increased.
IT is inevitable, il Statewide pro-
hibition prevails in Virginia. that the
revenue thereby lost to the State must
and Will bc made up by Increased taxes.
This is as certain as that night fol-
lows day 1t may he done either by in-
creasing the rate OF taxation or By i'm
crcasihE the assessments. but the re-
suit TO the taxpayer Will he the same
Upon whom will these additional
tax burdens rest most heavily? 1t is
well known that property In the city
and especially bonds, stock and money,
is assessed much higher than property
~ INC counties. 1t seems reasonable,
therefore, to expect that the revenue
Oh the state, to take the place or that
lost by prohibition, while It may rest
upon all the people OF the State, will
rest most heavily, and possibly alto
gethcr. upon real estate and the people
III tho counties.
II can easily understand how some
one who has seen some young life
wrecked or snuffcG out by liquor. some
home dcsolatcd by it, will advocate
Statewide prohibition as a drowning
man will catch at a straw. but the
question to he determined by the pcople
OF Virginia at the election on Septcm-
Der - is whether Statewide prohibi-
ton Will stop or materially diminish
the evils OF liquor.
The tendency of the age is TO en-
deavor to correct all OF the evils OF
life by legislation, instead of striving
TO build up the influence Of tho home.
and thereby strengthen and develop
the character of tn. Individual
III state wide prohibition accom-
piishes Il small part Of those things
which are claimed foi il By its atlvo-
Gates, why is it that only ninc States
now have state wide prohibition? Nny
Is IT that eleven OF the States which
have tried state wide prohibition have
pronounced the experiment Il fnilu,c
and have repealed the prohibitory law .?
Local option has worked very salts
iactorily in Virginia, and there are 10
saloons in Il large portion OF the State
In these sections public sentiment has
closed them and will see tha, the law
is enforced ut least TO Il certain extent;
and That those who hagrantly violate
ii are prosecuted, ana where the evil
dence is sufficient are convicted
'I' by state wide prohibition the Sa-
looms arc forced to close in the resi-
due 81 the State, where public scnt;-
meEt docs not approve it. the ILLEGAL
I traffic VIII continue. ana the admins
tra;ioD Of The law will he brought into
dlsrcputc and contempt
MY earnest conviction that State
vide prohibition will hc 1t calamity to
my state and my people is my one cx-
cusc Tor this expression OF views uuon
This question, so soon To he determined
by the sovereign will of the electors of
! Virginia"