Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-07-09
Notice Any Difference !?

We take the following editorial from
the Charleston Gazette of July S.
Old West Virginia is moving along
just the same as before the State went
dry at midnight last Tuesday.
The moon is shining Just as brightly,
looking down in her silent study of man
kind. The sun rose just as same on
Wednesday morning. The flowers are
blooming as beautiful as in the days of
yore. The birds are singing as sweetly
along the banks of the serens Kanawha
river and on the. behowered hillsides Of
the Mountain State.
The same laugh Of the town joker still
rings in the streets. The whistlIng Of
the youth IS heard along the banks of
the creek, while the lowing of the cattle
as darkness envelopes old West Virginia
is still heard. The man with the 4S horse
power crouch is still in the land, while
his optimistic brother sings song of
contentment as he works at his task un
| til the last beam fadeth in the sky. The
sky is just as blue and Father Time is
still slowly making his way down the
avenue of the past.
There is no difference since the state
went dry. Nature is Just as happy.
Man, the noblest work of God "-is con
tented, while the wife and mother are
nightly thanking Him who moves in a
mysterious way and His wonders per-
form. that the people have made it pos
sible to rid the state of that which has
brought sorrow to the aged parents; has
taken the rose of beauty and the sparkle
of happiness from the wife's face; that
has snatched ambition from the youth
and stolen his pride from his bosom like
thief by night.
The poison that has filled the poor
houses, the penitentiarjes and asylums;
wrecked genulses and caused men to
curse their God, beat their wives and
abuse their mothers, is gone. The ruler
who has for nearly over fifty years sat
upon the throne of disgrace in West
Virginia. has been banished from the
mountains and wales, and dropped into
| the deepest hole of oblivion. never to
arise again,
1t is probable, very probable. that
when old Gabriel shall have blown his
triumph on the last day the blast will
not enter into the rum shops, nor the
lspeak easies. nor the doggeries. These
things which were have passed away
and those things that once existed are
no longer to be seen. The old has taken
ion the new and the oil has gone foreveyS
All the beauties of nature and man
man that loves nature-is walking and
living in West Virginia under the "dry'
/ reign as he did when she was wet, :
but the one who spent.his days IN the
rum shops and doggerIes has raised up
his voice and is going through the
streets beating upon symbols of discon
tent and harping upon the strings of dis
cord. saying that prohibition will moi
i prohibit; that the state is going to dc
lstruction; business is dead; so dead now
that modification already has set in; thai
business will eventually suspend. shops
will close and the whole blame common
1 wealth is going rapidly to perditiou.
It's aszffe7bst that the churches.
schools, worthy institutions. hospitals
and every desirable business will BE-
sounding the whistle of prosperity and
ringing the bell of eontentment long al.
ter old Mr.. Crouch shall have passed IN
his checks or taken his last drink.
Wall. rip. rare. snort and cry out you
calamity howier. Time proves allthings.