Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1914-04-10
GRAHAM AND THE SALOON
QUESTION.

The town of Graham will hold, or
try to hold, an election May 2nd, to
decide whether or not liquor shall
be legally sold in that little town. AS
might be expected, large number of
the best citizens and all the good
women, are opposed to opening sa-
looms in the town. Some, we think,
misguided good folks, are i'll favor of
the saloon, and will vote wet. Why
does Graham want open saloons!
There is only one-can be only one
reason, viz: for the sake of the money
they think they see ahead. The town
owes money and needs money, and
taxes are already as heavy as can be
borne. The tax on the saloons, should
the town vote wet, can be, and will be
glitter of gold is dazzling, often blind
ing. Tho sale Of liquor in nearby
Bluefield will be discontinued July
LIST. Pocahontas is the only open
source of supply for the qualification
of the thirsty citizens of Bluefield
and Graham, and money will flow in
a continuous stream into the Golfers
Of the town of Pocahontas, and Gra--
ham is envious, and proposes to es-
tablish "home industry" adj
vantage of the situation, supply her
own people and others with liquor,
and keep their money at home, build
sidewalks, pay interest on floating
debts and build up the town. 1t is n
question of revenue, pure and simple
the greed of gain, if you please.
Graham is going into the thing
with her eyes open, except in so far as
the glitter of the coin has blurred or
blinded her vision. Open saloons have
flanked the town for years. The re-
suits are we'll known. The history of
the liquor traffic in her community is
indelibly written in large characters
Should the election carry she cannot
say hereafter, whatever the results
that she is surprised or disappointed,
The trails leading from the saloon
door are open, we'll beaten and plain.
No reason to doubt the destination.
It's n clear track from the saloon to
hell. True, few people escape by
turning aside before the destination
is reached, but not many.
And, SO, Graham is going in with
her eyes wide open. LET the people
rule" If majority of them want
the open saloon, which God forbid
they have the right to say so.
If it is only question of revenue
the people should think twice or thrice
before they vote once for the saloon
The history of the open saloon is one
of expense, rather than profit, wher-
ever it has been established. The in
come from saloon license, we are
told, is more than overbalanced by
increased cost in many ways which
cannot be enumerated here. The sa-
loon contributes in taxes and for priv
ileges to the expenses fthe town
but it also takes heavy toll of every
existing enterprise-the store, the
church, Sunday school, home-all
lheSe contribute TO It's support. An
open saloon cannot be run without
hurting somebody or something. The
saloon man, the man who takes his
drink over the bar-all know this to
be true, and the hurt is SO great gen
orally as cannot be compensated fo1
by all the money in the world. A
man has the right to take drink, il
he wants to. A man has the right to
sell it if the law says so. 1t is not
against any mans personal rights that
we plead, but against the opening ur
of the open bar in the town of Ora.
ham, in county which long ago de.
declared against it's sale, and which
as sure as fate, will be step down.
ward instead of upward.