The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-25

calling, and that hence the State. through its
Legislature. may abolish 1t. In nearly every case
the court took occasion to characterize the busi-
ness as curse to mankind In Crawley VS.
Christensen, 1877 L. S Reports, the court SAID
the statistics Of every State show greater
amount OF crime and misery attributable to the
use of ardent spirits obtained at these retail
ituuor stores than to any other Re-
strictions may be placed upon it, and lis sale
may be entirely prohibited. 1t Is a question OF
expedency and morality. The power OF the
state Is fully competent to suppress It entirely
In the teeth of this Mr.. Tucker says that this
action the part of the legislature is morally,
politically and socially unsound," Mr. fuckers
father, In his work Constitutional Law, re-
ferred to and supported these decisions, and
stated az text. the substance of their holdings
II ne had been of different opinion, he would
not have hesitated to have expressed his dissent
I4e left II TO his son to override sthe courts OF
two-thirds Of the States. and the twelve decisions
of the United States Supreme court
Now. Mr.. Tucker knows that we haven't local.
option in this State he knows that the Judge OF
he Circuit Corporation court is the aroiter
Of the question. vet he calls for local option by
a retention of the present system. What is the
value of a voters vote in this system endorsed
~ Mr. Tucker? Is it local option for one man
to decide for the whole community?
Mr. Tucker says in this private letter to Judge
Christian that the nearer home the question
comes the greater influence should be given the
individual to protect 1t" Well why not let
him do SO? II taking a thing which hereto
fore has been regulated by the lone man sys-
tenn and turning u over TO the people to settle
by their vote Is not a Democratic measure, and
gives the vote his greatest power, do not know
what it IL or does He further says the people
are most interested In what comes nearest their
htmes.' II Mr.. Tucker can find something that
is a greater menace to the home than the saloon,
I'd like to know what 1t is, Nhiskey makes a
man bring home curses and blows instead OF
Hour and meat
He says that the principle of local option is
as old as the Anglo-Saxon race 1 wonder II he
thinks that the wisdom of policy Is deter
mined by its antiquity? If so / refer him to the
ancestor worship of China If Mr. Tucker ad-
raits. along with all other good men. that liquor
< a curse. and It remains merely to determine
apon the best way of dealing with it" why does
he propose To continue the use of method
as old as tho Anglo Saxon race" and under
which tho curse has constantly in'reased2
Aren't ever learn anything? Should we
ontinue to use Anticipated methods in solving
political and economic questions, with totally
hanged conditions The old English yoemenry
were magnificent fighters with the long bow but
would England suecor France with such force
against the modern army of Germany? We live
ia a complex age--the age of the wireless. the
a5rshIp and the lightning express; we to
1--we under rules which offer protection against
she drunk automobllist, the drunk engineer and
5he drunk fellow servant?
The ridiculous Illustration put by MIN about
II" farmer In one county SHputd not nave 10
build fences against the cattle raiser Of another
county. Is inexcusabe. Now, if whskey In one
section of the State were a boon to prosperity,
and secured maximum of domestic happi-
ness that Illustration would be applicable The
effect Of " hiskey in part of the State Is the
same as In another. "only more so" Mr. Tucker
takes suhject. the result Of which differs with
local conditions
He also attacks the enabling act Everyone
knows that the National Wholesale Liquor
aSGori3tion. through their protection
bureau, is a force to be reckoned with, The drys
got what they could When I at school
TIE boys "cussed" the team for not winning as
much OF tho game possible, not because they
failed to win the game.
In this comprehensive eplstle to Judge Chris
ian Mr. Tucker expressed himself as not Of
pnon that ALI alcohol is injurious. or destruc
tive Of manhood" Why ne qualified his state
mcnt with the word ALI" do not know. The
Kind under discussion, chemically known CT
l4G o. Is essentially a toxin because it is the
waste of living organism this organism is
a single cell germ, The lowest form Of life and
hence poisonous to any higher form Of life and,
indeed. 1t is poisonous to itself, which explains
the process of fermentation New, manhod
embraces the physical, mental ana moral nature
Of man The highest authority SAYS alcohol is
destructive of all three. and, further. that it,
has its evil effects regardless Of how slight
quantity is taken. Nature is ever building along
line The cells where the moral nature
Of man is sealed the tendcrest, because the
youngest in the line of human evolution. These
furnish the easiest prey for alcohol. hence the
Einship of nebriety and immorality. Moreover.
me part alcohol in thousand parts water
will seriously affect embryo. one part al
{ ohoI in two hundred parts wafer viii kill II.
His letter closed leaving a had taste. He
assumed the cause of the Civil var Is Identical
with the liquor issue think the question
had state the right to Withdraw from the
federal alliance, with slavery precipitating the
question The merits of the claim has been for
ever settled. In the liquor question the const-
tDtlonalitv has as conciusvely been determined.
Like slavery. the liquor traffic is the real
question. In behalf of the former Southern
blood freely Spilled and by heroes. In
behalf OF whiskey. no blood has been spilled
in drunken braws. The whiskeY ranks have yet
to produce a Stonewal Jackson or Robert f.
Lee: the whole outfit hasn't soul enough TO
animate the body OF such a man We cannot
pare the leaders, let us nor try and COM
rare the causes
Hysterlcai Mr. Tucker? Not blt Such an
accusation Is like a drunk man solomniy accus-
ing the sober friend taking him nome OF being
drunk. Slavery. the liquory traffic or anything
else which blocks the advance and uplift of
The human race will be cast aside on the high
Take heed that you and your policies. las old
as the Anglo-S Saxon race do not get left in its
wake.
You men of influence and leadership should