The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-23
1Tocal Self-Goyernment."

Editor virglnian:
sir.---This phrase, 1t is coming to be cur
rentiy used here in Virginia for certain poit-
ical and commercial ends. implies false I'm
preston. There is such thing as local self
government in the in which they would
employ the term slogan with which
to rally opposition to the onward march of
prohibition sentiment and conviction and pur-
pose
No civilized nation state. or smaller COM
rnunity, when aroused to a sense OF the e1ui-
ties Of Intercourse with the outside world.
dares to frame its lawr carry forward Its
enterprises in disregard Of the wishes. the In
terests, the well-beng of such outsiders as
are--or may be--directly affected thereby.
More and more we are coming to be
trelltng1y conscious of the solidarity OF entire
communities. of the uniformity OF the require
ments Of righteousness. and of the identity
the unity-of real interests AS individuals
do not live unto ourselves do towns
or cities. counties. States. We simply
could not, If would Right thinking people
would not If they could.
Only the merest detalls-rnatters which but
remotely, If at all, affect others-are left to
individual local ordering and control.
The traffic In intoxicating beverages does not
confne itself--does not wish to confne itself
Ito It's little immediate we'll defnded and
police guarded vicinities. The farther out it
reaches. the~fatter and more fun of life its life
becomes and the better pleased its promoters
are. However reluctant We may be to believe it.
there is almost irrepressibe suspicion that
these present hour champions of the Local
Self Government idea would not be at all
willing that the traffic hold and occupy.
ard exploit the largest possible area.
Self interest, even when blind to ITS own ex-
stence and unconscious of its own nature. must
not be suffered to hide from view the needs
and the peris, the rights and the interests of
the larger civic and social units. The good
name. the material prosperity and the moral
health of the entire State---and of other States
measurably vaster considerations. larger and
more potential factors than the convenience
the economic advancement of any Individual
and directly interested communities; albeit there
is manner of intention willingness to
| grant that the open saloon is an economic ad-
| va ntage anywhere.
| Before permit ourselves to be Influenced
| by high sounding. notwithstanding, semi -sa-
cred phrase is this Local Self-Govern-
| ment" %ar-cry let ask what 1t means--vahat
is hack of 1t and at the heart of it--~whether it
| Is just what its admirers claim for IT, AS put
! forth in the present emergency. this local self
government doctrine is wholly untustifabIe and
miseading-a delusion and snare. And men
! of large intelligence and lofty character, of
recognized position and wide-reaching influence,
may need to be Acknowledgement may heed the
admonition--to re-examine their own mental
processes They have somehow been imposed
upon by phrase which eavors of sweet and
worthy traditions first approach 1t, but
| to be dark and dangerous by reason OF its IL
tons, deadly In fact, by of its posi-
bilites at this crisis
Culpeper. Va. May 90. 1914.