The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-23


This one point should be thoroughly consid-
cred: A solution must be reached. Civilization
has made some progress since the days on Tac-
tus. II is now called Christian civilization.
one OF the effects of which is to make the BODY
polite throw off the medieval vices and tyran-
MES just as otherwise healthy and vigorous
organism will constantly endeavor TO cast OH
a carbuncle. Would DIR. Mcclure Use emoliients
alone in such case. would he also use the
knife? why did the intelligent gentlemen who
spoke at the mass meeting fail to recognize the
fundamental movement of modern civilization
against the saloon and what the saloon stands
for? They not the kind of people who af
feet to ignore the whole business as the ephe-
neral agitation of few fanatics. However.
they confined themselves IN the main to denun-
citation of the measures proposed by others
Thousands OF citizens who not members or
any organization, as well thousands who are
members are endeavoring to find way to
the community by the destruction of the
liquor evil. Their measures may be tentative,
Time and experience may bring changes. They
realize clearly that evil go deeply Embedded
In ages OF habit cannot be destroyed in an
hour a year. perhaps In generation.
But should they abandon all effort on that ac-
count 2@I Would -that-be the manly course 20
pursue? Or again should they be daunted by
denunciation merely because or two years
effort in a community had not entirely erad-
Gated the evil? Shall we help shall we him
der in this great crisis of our social life7 Cen
tlemen. how you be content with an atti-
tude which appears to be almost totally mega
tive7 What measures do you propose to rid
society at the earliest possible moment of In
stitutions which you admit vicious and de-
structve?
Some of your orators developed the personal
liberty argument, OF which have heard
good deal. But everybody knows that In more
than one particular instance the personal liberty
OF the individual, of individuals, Is limited
where the we-beng OF the whole community
is involved This is obvious and so necessary,
so democratic may also say that discussion ~
it seems to be entirely superfuous. But listen
ing to the ringing eloauence on that point
brought out by the excitement of the occasion
one might imagine that about to be
invaded by some imperial tyrant of the old
world. We will waste any time space
here 1t Is only necessary to state the distinc-
ton, the vital distinction, between the one. the
democratic limitation Of personal liberty, and
the other. the autocratic limitation.
Perhaps we are about to touch the sore place
namely. shall the rest of the State dictate TO
Richmond, Norfolk Lynchhurg. or Roa-
| noke, concerning their saloons? There is where
the question Of Local Self-Governmenc
energies
Please to bear In mind that far this
discussion is concerned II refers to the saloon
and to nothing else. Your local seh-governfne nt
! is not to be so much as touched excepting IN
the one matter of the saloon, and that only be-
cause your saloons ares sources OF Infection all
| over the State. Such being the case, confessed
! in way by your leading speakers. there
avails the fundamental principle that the per-
sona liberty of the individual or of individuals.
| Is limited where the well-being of the larger
| community IN involved
! Now for some vital facts for which are In
debted to Mr. Cahell He tells us that the mail
order liquor business of Richmond alone amounts
in round numbers to 54e,72o gallons per annum,
and further that this trade Is largely in the ves,
stuff on the market Much Of this. of course.
goes all Virginia In express packages, goes
into communities which have tried to destroy
! the liquor evil by local option methods. more
| or less nullifies the efforts of majority of the
citizens OF such communities, tends to debauch
| the liquor drinking element found everywhere,
/ inctes to lawbreaking and crime, and some
! times. here there, at wide intervals perhaps,
| but sometimes. everybody knows. directly in
cites to that unspeakable horror one single
example of which is more than enough to justify
:; the destruction of the liquor traffic from ocean
to ocean.
! This infection Of the whole State, Mr.. Cabell.
Is the reason the whole State has right to say
/ whether the large cities shall continue to be. in
the future in the past, such Astounding sources
Of infection.
You had much to say about the millions of
gallons totaling the mail order whiskey busi-
ness, but what does this prove? What Is the
significance OF the fact that the grand total OF
| the annual whiskey package business from wet
to dry States must be, you inform us, some
thing like 90. 900 900 gallons? 1t can only mean
our battle has fixed upon those States the habit
of whiskey drinking in sufficient number OF
people to consume twenty millions of gallons
a year through the mail order channel alone.
besides the amount distributed by the other
methods you mention. Gentlemen, think Of this
| thing moment. In prohibition communities
we have learned this great fact that the
I, mail order business does not manufacture new
victims as the saloon did 1t does not entice
young men like the brilliant. the jolly, the fas-
| cinating saloon. and gradually poison them with
| the accursed thirst IT does this: 1t quenches
the thirst of the old victims, the old thirst ac-
ouired before the saloon driven out, the
old fire which burns in the vftals, in the very
soul, of hundreds of thousands of men who can
| not deliver themselves from 1t. This ia the rea-
failure upon a few years trial. From the
very beginning 1t saves young who have
not formed the habit at the bar of a convenient
saloon but there are thousands of old victims
do not forget that, genteanen-we will not let
YOU forget tin whom your saloons while they
were established In these dry States fixed
/ the snare and Of the liquor thirst. This
YOU admit the work of your saloons. and
you tell us that 1t takes much as &c. 000. 900
| gallons Of whiskey to satisfy this thirst And
| to continue TO ship this twenty millions OF gal
Ions OF the vilest whiskey, az YOU inform us,
to these scores of thousands OF degenerates.