The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-21

very nuCh tbat fhlRnf deserve. the
t.afngs he says OF me. My next wish
is 20 express my very great apprecia-
tion for the compliment paid me by
the superintendent OF the Anti-Saloon
league in asking fne To come and add
dress an audience nf my fellow citizens
of Virginia on one Of the greatest and
most mpmentous issues that has ever
demanded the attention of this Com.
rnonweslth. And Yet | hardl" know
why I am here, who have been out
Of contact with the line Of discussion
and the details OF tho campaign en-
gagged incesantly In the discharge OF
duties NJ Washington that concern
great national !ssucs.
surely 7 am not here FOR tho rur-
pose Of informing the people of Viz
einia where J stand on this issue, be-
cause there has never been a pro-
hibaio contest IN my community
since arrived AZ tlC voting age, when
~ have failed To register nay ballot
against the saloon. And surely ! am
not here 10 state my belief on the
larger problem Of Statewide prohibit
tion for FIVE years ago 7 publicly took
the position that local OPTION was
utterly ineffective In Virginia and
that We must stand for the driving Of
the saloon entirely ont of Virginia.
- think in the final analysis I am
here because ! am not afraid In let
the people OF Virginia know where I
stand on fsais matter one Of my
nearest and dearest friends whose
loyalty has always appealed ta me
with great sweetDeSs told me If you
vaIue ynur future political career you
will leave public discussion Of this
issue 10 others Fellow cit'zcns. II
my public career Of the future cannot
he made to consist with the indis-
peusible duty of aiding In the amelio-
ration OF diseased conditions. il has m
cnticement for me"
The crowd applauded roundly here.
IL am So firm IN my Judgment that
public men should have the courage
Of their own minds and though that
I have not been able to sympathiZe
with criticism Of the governor Of this
state who declines 20 sldestep the
issue. am glad Henry stuart had
his conviction and ] lament that he
. was wrong" This called forth much
, applause Continuing Mr.. Glass
criticised public men for not frankly
defining their positions an public
questions,
when 7 get to the point where /
have to be called on the second time
10 state my position ] want 10 cease
Ia be a public man.
, II wrota and wired that I would
have not n moments time for prepare
ton of any address on this occasion.
, and so with certain reluctance do |
undertake to say anything. Il is
never complimentary 10 such audi
.. es1ces as this or creditable 70 public
men to undertake the discussion Of
!. great Issues without careful prepara-
lion. / heseeCh you Ia remember
. that I am in neither mental, physical
= nor nervous condition Ia undertake a
/ studied discussion. bat ann glad of the
chance 10 speak briefly TO you on this
great issue.
Fear Of the Curse.
Fifteen years ago / heard the
great Bishop Coke Smith preach in
: my home church on the subject. The
. Curse of Merps.'' He told of how God
: had called on a man TO curse the cit-
> zens OF city who had failed 70 come
( 10 the support of the Lord in the time
, OF his need. and since If not before
! that occasion, whenever the call
comes To stand for the personal and
public morality Of Virginia ! have
been afraid not 10 speak and | have
= come to appeal to the citizens Of
Richmond not to incur the curse of
the Lcrd, ard I don't believe you win.
t again applause interrupted the add
s. dresst
"It isn't necessary. as Mr.. Moore
; has well said. to discuss the motives
, Of the ltquor dealers In their conflict
with the moral forces OF Virginia
They are fighting for their material
existence, for their dollars and their
! business, and with their environment
their limitations and their peculiar
; vision. the amount of their conscience
. and other considerations. they aren't
! greatly to blame for their attitude In
this matter. I can understand their
position. ! think we are united in our
effort to save them from themselves
, and to teach them in this generation.
=, and In the coming generation thal
their traffic is an enemy to our com
: mon civilization and to themselves.
: put I confess that ! do not under
stand the actions Of those who nave
), no sordid or pecuniary motives az
stake and vet have united with the
saloon In their efforts to fasten II on
. Virginia. / have not n harsh word
! for them but ! do not understand
. sho{r positions This Is not cam
natgn Of eptthets, but Of facts and
, high principles, and we can best ex-
, hibtt these to the people by mcdera-
ton,
The Local Option Cry.
sI want to call attention TO some
Of the Inconsistencies of these gentle
, men, as ! view their position. they
say that this Is n fight between local
opt!on and Statewide prohibition or
. between one that can and one that
, cannot be enforced. | deny IN the
lirst place that we have ever had local
option In Virginia, and We haven't II
today. (Great applause)
1--WE have what some people call
local option and one or your Rich
: nond papers plaintively crys thai
I I.Ynchburg has not the right TO inter
fere with Richmond. | reply thai
Richmond has interferred with
: Lynchburg and doesn't believe In
: local option at all: When Lynchburs
J went dry was she given leave to give
her opinion and have II respected
. Did Richmond respect her desire to
| he free from the saloon2 No, Rich
mond ioined in and helped Roanoke
: and Danvilie food us with liquor that
we didn't want. They say they be-
licve In local option. and one reason
, they don't want to lose their local OPP
jtion 81 because Richmond Is getting
so rich violating the local option of
North Carolina. fApplause)