The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-24
CUMBERLAND COUNTY IMPROVED
SINCE SALOONS WE'RE STOPPED

Sir,-I wish to present to your readers condi-
tons in Cumberland county now, as compared
with the saloon in full blast few years ago.
have been the ground all the time and
personally know what am talking about
When had the saloon at every cross road
In the county, many of our people spent from
ten cents to ten dollars every time they passed.
and could not safely trust my team by them
without the prospect of a drunken driver and
damaged team and wagon. When nearly all our
coiored population spent all the ready cash they
could spare from a meager living and put up
with miserable old hut with wooden and mud
chimneys. When our lands all grown up
in bushes and cut with gullies, when it was not
safe for mothers or sisters to travel the road
without guard.
When you could at every grocery and
grog shop a molly throng contending cursing.
lighting and creating the greatest nuisance and
curse that this county has ever known.
/ we'll remember going to Cartersvil1e on
numerous occasions and having great difficulty
in transacting necessary business Saturdays
for the rush of drunken men and boys. Then
every magistrate doing a rushing business
on acts of drunken rows. Then Jail was
nearly filled and our county court was kept busy
once a month trying their cases and filling the
penitentiary with the product of the saloon
thereby pling up our criminal expenses. The
Gays and nights were made hdeous by the cries
house.
Since have abolished the saloons in our
dear old county she has gone forward with leaps
and bounds, and among the most
progressive people in this section OF Virginia
beginning at James river In the north, where
we had roads that were nearly impassa BILE. then
we have now good, permanent roads for some
distance out. We then had miserable little school
houses, have lot OF two room graded
schools built of best material and on modern
llans, covered with paint, making a most at
tractive appearance Our high schools ARE
credit to the county: our corn crop In this sec
ton of the county has been increased 200 per
cent; hay about 500 per cent; our lands, that
sold from to five dollars per acre, now
worth from five to fifty dollars.
The colored population. owning then prac-
ucally land, one-sixth OF all the
land in the county, which they have built
attractive houses. with good team and fences
They have developed from the degraded con-
ditton produced by the saloon and other circum-
stances to good and prosperous citizens with
character and se!f-respect, This is marvel. and
If all the facts could be brought out they would
astontsh the county.
have been told by a number of travelling
men that this county was developing faster than
any part eff the State. Our criminal expenses
are not over one-fourth OF what they then,
we have for the Jail except for few
nnfortunates suffering with mind trouble; in fact.
Il would be quite out OF the order OF things T.
use the .ai now We have sold the poor
house farm and have no need of such an in
sutution, Permanent roads are being built In
three different sections of the county under
State instructions, and have borrowed no
money for this progress, the insignificant
amount OF revenue that we lost from the saloon
has never been missed or mentioned
Now If getting rid of the saloon in this
county has benefited us think it would be
good for the whole State. The leaders of the
Statewide movement have been criticised for
changing from local option to Statewide. there IL
nothing Inconsistent in this, in fact it is the
plan that has been Ia their minds all the while
this is the only way 10 the end sought to be OBJ
tanned
Local option first. Statewide and then nation
wide. l viii not presume to make any predic-
ton as TO the election next month, but II the
church does its duty the result will be very
Inherent from what the wet papers of Rich
mond publishing.
Some of the agents of the saloon travelling
and working in its interest have failed along
most other lines of endeavor and are now
working against the best interest OF this coun-
try. working the side of the saloon which
has cursed every spot on earth that 1t has
touched. This is Of the seven wonders of
cur time. We wish that these advocates of the
saloon could have one huge picture of the suf-
fering and degradation OF one single night OF
the effects of the saloon on weak men and the
women and children. suffering and dying from
want Of the money wasted in whiskey There
Is not one drop in ten gallons Of whiskey that
has ever been of real beneht to mankind, it Is
not food and no permanent benefit is gained
ly its use
/ hope that the wet papers will publish this
promi nently as they have news from the vets
Of this county.
Respectfully,
C. r. sANDERSON
Cumberland Courthouse, Va, August %.