Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1914-09-04
A SAFE WAY TO
PROTECT YOUNG
H. G. Peery Points Way to Roa-
noke Paper for Caring for the
Boys by Banishing Saloons.
(Roanoke Timos.)

(Roanoke Times.)
There is some reason to fear that
much of the demand for the protec-
tion of the boy by the closing OF the
saloons results from the too prevalent
tendency to throw on the State and
the law the responsibility for the
proper protection, training and gov
erning of our children. 1t is n ques-
tion whether the boy whose parents
take real pains with him, who study
his points of weakness and strength,
his associations, his goings and COM
ings, who train his soul and mind
carefully to love and honor good and
reject and dislike evil, to hold high
standards of honor and ethics, to do
justice and love mercy and walk
humbly before his God (the complete
equipment of n gentlemnn) will not
be reasonably safe against the saloon,
the crooked woman, the gambling
craze, the habit of extravagant liv-
ing-the four widest and most fire.
quentcd avenues to distinctions; and
whether we really can protect the
boys by attempts to suppress all these
things by law or in making the at
tempt will do more harm than good.
The sophistry contained in this ar
ticlc, protecting The Boys" is as
plainly to be seen and understood as
that in all (or any, OF the other
arguments advanced by the "wets" in
advocacy of the open saloon. Won
der if the author OF the above isa
father-if he has reared or is now
rearing II family of boys, or girls
for that matter, who arc expected to
marry boys.
We canot help feeling II little cur
ious to know whether or not, in actual
experience, he has ever realized his
utter helplcssncss in his ability to
control the "goings and comings"
and the associations of his boys. Whc-
ther Mr.. Williams has had this eX-
pcricncc or not, he must know that
boys nrc not always within the imme-
dinte circle of parental influence and
oversight. He must know that en-.
vironmcnt has II great deal to do with
the boys formation or habits and
character; more sometimes than par
ents are able to overcome.
Environment is not limited to the
family circle. Outside of that is the
community, county, town, city and
Statc-to say nothing of the nation
and all these have more or less in
iluencc, for good or evil, in the train
ing, education and the formation of
the character of our children and our
childrcn's children.
Our Representatives, in response to
petitions of the people, have provided
way for popular expression by
ballot on the 22nd. day Of this month
as to whether or not VIC will Danish
the saloon from the state. The saloon
has no right to exist, except by right
OF privilege, and if an honest express
sion OF the sentiment of the State be
obtained as n result Of the Primary
there can be no doubt as to the out
come.
No man, who realizes his respon-
sbilities to his offspring and to his
fellowman; who loves God and hon.
estly tries TO keep His Command
ments; "who takes real pains with
his boy; who studies his points Of
weakness and strength, his associa-
tions, his goings and comings; who
trains his soul and mind carefully
to love and honor good and reject
and dislike evil, to hold high STAN
dards of honor and ethics, to do JUS
tice and love mercy and walk hum
bly, before his God" as Mr.. Williams
says all parents ought to do, would
consider, for a moment, PROPOSE
tion to open up to his boys and his
neighbors' boys that widest and most
frequented avenue to destruction.
the SALOON. Such course would
be contrary to common sense and
common prudence, and would be
courting serious danger without the
slightest excuse or justification.
That Mr.. Williams recognizes the
saloon as the widest" and "most
frequented" avenue to destruction is
fair deduction, as it comes first in
the catalog, and as it is conceded to
be the foster father Of the other
three.
Let us remember that when we
close the saloon we deprive no one of
an inherent right; the highest courts
have repeatedly settled that ques-
ton. The saloon man plies his voca-
ton simply by permission.
Let us withhold our assent to the