The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-03
rlNHNtF REVENUE

That stste 10 ea dangerous footing ""os7
Support - gained from the destruction Of its own
eaffzens The sooner such State IS bankrupt
IL ae loss x that dearly gained revenue is 10
haakraQt It, tae better Will 5s It's ultimate END,
Can there be found in ary system Of logic
PHILOSOPHY, ar common sense supporting oasis
fer the contention thas tAe state mast actively
saarslci7aie a. "a partner IN she business whose
chief ann is 70 make 4ts citizens as incompe'
sant as possible for the performance OF their
duties an ef1seusg T-ae most successful sal9oh'
the one from waiea the higaest license may be
required tha1 can pay the largest monetary
taxes iat5 liza State treasury, aud can make
saa largest monetary contributions to the Up
keep az putsfc schools and paDdc roads is the
saloon tAat can make the greatest number os
valuable e.Izans into pa apers and dfun6ards aud
luaasics and criminals.
This statement Is automatic, fer the saloon
derives sts prost from The contributions OF
those who arinR its wares. Viii amy man or
sns newspaper say that every citizen Of the State.
raan and WOMAN. hey and girl. should drink
l.uuogg Even f. tht statement Of a distinguished
surgeon & taken lor the value ao1te people have
places on it, ana nquor is held 10 be beneficial.
would gwen that surgeon contend that every
citizen should drink HQeore Yet If the revenue
Of the saloon is desired. If that IS the aim Of
the State In legal zlnE what Is otherwise Grim
inal, Il la&t revenue IS essential and indispen-
cable, the best means u supporting the State
is for every citizen 10 patroAiae the saloon. and
far from being matter Of which TO boast.
the fact Of never having taken drink In a
saloon becomes at once q confession of lack
Of devotion to the cause Of the States precious
liquor revenue
II the revenue OF saloon hlood money Is so
necessary to the State Us the advocates of the
saloon In the present campaign contend that
/. liz. thai citizen is most patriotic who drinks
the most liquor and thereby aids the saloon
In making the largest contribution to the State,
But IT il a fallacy, a barofaced fauaoy. that
holds thai the State cannot exist without the
blood money OF the saloon. When the Stat1
annually pays out fn round numbers. 100000
Ct saloaa expense. and gets 100000 Of saloor
fevanae, the wayfarlns man. though a saloon
keeper himself. cannot .ail 10 that there
IS no profit, but emily a vast deal Of nnancta
loss In tie partnership of the State with th
tIeuor traffic,
But the loss Of the state through alcohol car
never be expressed In terms Of money gh'
lost manhood, the wasted energy, the bightet
lives the ruined homes. and desecgated families
the vanished prospects and the unutterable wo
ct disappointed Iaothers all go to make the tota
Of saloon expense and all parts of th
penalty lie saloon exacts from the State TO
Its blind folly IN nursing this vipr in It's bosom
Gentlemen OF Virginia, the question that yo
sre 70 decide Oh the 22d Of September is whotne
you value the blood money Of the saloon abov
the manhood Of your men and the virtue G
your women VIII Virginia remain In a par
nership whose chief end is her own undoing
and whose greatest success is attained whe
the greatest number Of Virginians are sunk il
the lowest depths Of debauchery?
The issue is the saloon.