The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-27
Prohibition Anvil

heipful to my comrades in the future presecu-
ton Of their battle against the bottle, would
say that after securing prohibitory laws, the
thing next in Importance is to secure proper
measures for their enforcement
This may seem trite proposition, and yet 1t
is one that our people should let sink deep into
their hearts. / think few Of us who have been
through the strain and stress of strenuous
prohibition fight have properly grasped the full
necessity for 1T. until IT has been forced on us
by the loss of some advantage We might have
secured. by earlier action.
When the battle of prohibition is on,
80 wont to have in minds and tell to our
audiences, through press and pulpit and plat
form the glores OF land free from the saloon.
that we ourselves almost come to believe. and
lead ourselves to believe. that all these things
will come to just soon we have secured
our prohibitory law.
But they do not. The liquor men stubborn
and revengeful and rebellious. They fight unto
the death. They violate the laws with impunity
not only for the purpose of getting the money
there is in it. but to discredit the law that
people will become disguised and say 1t can not
be enforced. and that. therefore it should be
repealed. When a State has just passed pro-
hibitory law. the first thing which confronts 1t
is the fact that the legal machinery In the State
is insufficient to enforce obedience to the pro-
hibitory liquor laws.
Legislatures meet usually every two years.
Many experiments must be made before sat
isfactory conclusion is arrived at as to what is
best to suit States peculiar situation.
And we may find that years will pass before we
are in a position to reap the full benefits OF
our measures
In our fight for prohibition we should recog-
nize the fact and say freely that there will
always he some making and buying and selling
and drinking OF alcoholic liquors In spite OF all
our laws against them, just there will always
be theft and murder and arson, in spite
Of all our laws against them: that may
expect this in one in the other long
as men sinful and rebellious: that the value
of the law in all these cases is that it very great
ly lessons such crimes If people could get this
into their hearts, they would not in the one case
expect the millennium as soon as the law Is
passed, or lose heart Of courage the first time
they found liquor men violating the law. They
would be prepared to consider, from the first
moment, What shall be done to secure the
proper enforcement of the law. now that we have
it?"-Silena NJ. Holman. President Tennessee
W c. T. IT,. in the Union Signal.
Sing ular Argument Against Prohibition.
Vote 1t suuarely down. says the New York
SUM- In referring to the action that will be taken
by Congress the Federal prohibition amend
ment. Whatever the Sun says Is of course. en-
titled to consideration. It's brilliant but We
nomous disciple OF Republication. to be sure
and in this instance 1t projects its advice to
Democratic Congressman In an especially con-
temptuous splenetic and vindictive attack upon
Democratic Congressman Yet the Sun is q
medium Of public thought, more or less tnflu.
entail among a certain class Of citizens and Il
is clearly entitled to give of its counsel anywhere,
to any one, under any circumstances, that It
sees fit 1t Is nevertheless to be regretted that
the New Y DIRK luminary fails to observe the
amenities of a friend when proffering friendly
service. If a bit more polite 1t might be some-
what more effective. And IL, when giving ad-
vice, it would also assign some reason that would
challenge thoughtful and sober attention, It
would also add greatly to its prestige and in
fluence in Democratic councils Unhappily, how
Iowa 31N t. d4<fa
argument. For the only consideration it assigns
ito support Its emphatically- phrased admonition
involves Mr.. Bryan-not the wisdom of Mr..
bryans views-not the strength or force Of his
position-not the merits Of prohibition. but
Bryan only. Bryan Is for the amendment
Bryan and Hobson---therefore, it Is an accused
thing and the Democratic Congresemen re-
tain shred of principle or self-respect they
will oppose and defeat anything which Bryan
advocates Really this seems to be the philos-
ophy of the Sun. We reproducing its ex-
preston elsewhere. and il any intelligent person
can interpret 1t to mean aught else than Is here
set down. will be greatly obliged for en-
lghtenment.
| Prohibition is either righteous or it lacks in
that attribute. If 1t is right-if it embodies and
vtalize moral reform that will rebound to
1 the benefit of every class of American citizen;
to the happiness and uplift and progress OF
ciety--then surely it should prevail. What does
the Sun think we wonder. as to that PROPOSE
ton? Does ii accept it? If so. surely the fact
that Mr.~Bryan favors it, should not affect the
Suns position upon the question. Or does the
brilliant New York paper reject the PROPOSE
ton? Yes? Well, then. it ought to be broad
enough and resourceful enough to advance some
reason for its conviction. that it hates a
man who favors what it opposes
/ National prohibition is coming one OF these
days and the days of It's coming are not afar
off. 1t is coming because it Is right--t is COM
ing because the American conscience conceives
1t to be right: because vast sweep OF resolute
American public opinion is already beginning to
demand that it shall come. But it will, in our
Judgment, not arrive over political highways.
1t win not be settled a party question. For
it isn't party question. But by Democrats
voicing the fact Of overwhelming public
opinion. will the reform be ultimately brought
about For our part we hope Congress will
submit the amendment; that 1t will do so in
ronpartisan spirit that will not lose sight
of the fact that prohibition involves moral and
not political considerations, and thus at least
give the States the right to say whether the re-
form shall or shall not be written into the or
ganic law OF the nation. And let Ii be further
hoped that II Congress fails in this 1t will be
actuated by no such motives as those suggested
by the New York Sun.--Lynchburg News
A Comeback.
IF you go to the Academy this week better
take an umbrella. They are showing rainey