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

reversal Of policy on July /. and two
months under the most drastic tenn
perance law ever enacted. by any
State. There is no difficulty In dis
corning q difference between before
and after taking" and the greatest
temperance enthusiast can give the
answer that he would naturally want
to give. while adhering very strictly
to actual facts and conscientiously de-
scribing existing conditions. He need
not even believe what he sees with
his own eyes, but may 60 to the po-
lice records Of the cities. and to the
commercial and Industrial authorities
Of the State.
In the first place
The Law Itself
Is considered the most stringent OF
the kind in America It u unlawful
to manufacture, sell or give away in
toxicating liquors.; to ship them to
violators Of the law; for druggists or
club-houses to keep them or to ad-
vertise them by billboards, circulars,
newspapers. or otherwise. For the
violation Of this law there are attach
ed the severest penalties, and the en-
forcement Of the law Is put within the
reach Of the private citizen, In case
the officers are not disposed to do their
duty.
Is the Law Enforced?
Yes. and no. There are always
some subsidized and weakened Of
ficeholders who will not do their
sworn duty. but the greater part OF
our officials are strict in the perform
ance of their duties. When prohi-
bition was written in our State con-
stitution at the demand OF nearly 3D.
600 majority of our comparatively
small State vote, there was revealed
such powerful temperance senti-
ment that the unworthy officer Is
afraid not to perform his duty.
Fortunately for the temperance
forces, the duty of seeing that the
"dry" law IL enforced throughout the
State fell upon our State tax commits
sioner. Hon. Fred 0. Blue. who L. one
Of the Ablest and most fearless sup
porters OF temperance legislation to
be found anywhere In the interim
between the adoption Of prohibition
and the date for 1t to go into effect he
covered the State, educating the peo-
pie on the effect OF the law, and then
called the local officials from all over
the State together In different places
land drilled them on their duties under
soldiers before battle. Consequently.
We have entered upon our new era
forewarned and forearmed. and It Is
generally conceded that the law Is
being very satisfactorily enforced
alarmingly 30 for the lawless. and
they no longer claim that 'prohibi-
ton does not prohibit" but cry pitt
fully over Its prohibiting too well.
They have never before had such an
occasion TO complain Of the restraint
OF their personal liberties" nor ever
saw tho chance OF accomplishing SO
little by doing It. Not long ago
carload Of liquor was being ''smug-
gled" into the State. when It was de-
tected by some Of our ever alert Of
ficials, taken to the side-trREk aud
poured out on mother earth. lhile 1ale
guilty parties were glad to hide away
without appearing to offer a single
are allowed In the State, and It was
a refreshing sight to SEQ all such ads
and signs come down from hillside.
tree-trunk and newspaper column on
June 80 II such sign was left intact
on any building. billboard or aband-
oned saloon-front on the morning OF
July /, both the party who put 1t up.
and the one on whose premises it was
appearing. could be indicted Was
done? Yes, In a number OF Instance
Are any left intact? Yes; / was out
IN a rural community few days ago
when saw two dilapidated tin signs
on the trunks OF trees, indicating four
indictments, two months over due;
but their rarity at once attracted my
attention, and I put q movement on
foot to have them forthcoming. The
new law was evidently no enemy to
labor during the last part OF June,
when it gave many a man . Job on
knocking down billboards. painting
over the demons glazing signs. and
in chiseuing out brewefies' brick
names. Liquor houses outside OF the
State have tried to send their circu-
lars into the State. soliciting q mail
order business. but number Of in
functions have been procured against
the express companies operating
within the State, restraining them
from bringing intoxicating ddnk1 into
the State. until they have asceftained
that the shipment was not gotten by
agents. advertisements, circular let
ters, order blanks, price lists or any
other such means OF information, and
that the consignment Is for tho con-
signee's own personal. lawful use.
This puts such an expensive. and al
most impossible duty upon the COM
mon carriers that they are beginning
to decline to handle liquor at all
Then 1t Is interesting to see these
liquor houses set up q howl over the
companies declining to do their
proper work for tho trade, and try
Ing to get 1njunctionS that Win COM
pei said companies to haul their wet
goods. II one wants q lively night on
his hands, let him throw his hat Into
the ring with the drink demont He
knows he IL fighting in his last en-
gasement; II Is q life or death strug-
gle with him.
Just here we might take notice OF
what our governor thinks about our
situation under the dry law. even
though he opposed the submission OF
the question when In the senate. Jusf
few days ago he sent out Z printed
statement Of his impreasionA, from
which we make some extracts: s'WeGt
virginia ID now in the second month
real Statewide prohibition, and the
moro We SEQ Of prohibition and ita
wonderful results, the better No like
II. I have had numbers Of man who
were really opposed to prohibition.
and who voted against IT. adoption.
TO state to mo that they were con-
WINGED that the people wore right In
adopting . prohibition clause to the
state constitution. eliminating the
manufActuFe and sale Of whiskey and
Ill other kinds Of intoxicAntA and
should the Opportunity afford itself