The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-21
PERVERTED LOGIC
SAY S. y. WATKINS
Wakefield Veteran Says Prohibi-
tionists Claim Monopoly of
Civic Righteousness.
POINTS TO INCONSISTENCIES
If Man Were Prepared, Real Pro-
hibition Would Come With
out Aid of Laws.

OF state wido prohibition. 10 lie set
tod Mt the polls on Septcm Der -, arc
given in letter from :. V. Watkins,
Of Wakefield. who. under date August
1S, outlines what he describes ay "thc
insinccrity Of state wide prob ibition."
Mr.. Watkins especially objects TO the
attitude Of ardent state widcrs IN their
persistent classification OF all advocates
OF local option as iavorins the liquor
traf1!c. As . friend OF true temperance.
and as n Confederate veteran Of dis
tin9uished service, Mr.. Watkins as
5erts that hc contendcd during the war
rs he contends now for the principle
Of local elf-Eovcrnmcnt-hon rule
SAYS STATEWIDE ADVOCATES
USE PERVERTED LOGIC
He says:
"lnasmuch as by kind Of peg
vcrted log process. to-wit: You are
opposed to state wide prohibitions
with all its horrors, | am placed III
false position. | arise 10 explain |
VIII not assume the role OF Sancho
Panza for any modern Don QuiActtc.
especially one entirely devoid Of tho
sincerity OF Gin Blas's creation II IN
this process OF separating sheep from
the goats. this punching tho better
element our prohibition friends are AS
su'ninE monopoly of all purity OF
purpose and civic righteousness, thoy
should pardon the wet goats for foraE-
ing tn the fields Of logic ON their own
account. IL understand the meaning
OF "A simple English word. prohihit ION
viii prohibit. i thing may bc obs
structed in more or less degree. hut
when II "a prohibited that Is tho end
OF the matter. Now, Is tho prohibition
OF the liquor traffic tho issuc IN thls
q . n. oh fal. -
and paid aTItators might answer the
question truthfuily If they would. but
tn me 1t seems an insult 10 ordinary
Intelligence TO accept II as an issue
when. under the terms OF the enabling
act. the most invetcratc lover 81 booze
need not have the slightest apnrchcn-
sions az to tho source ~ his supplies
and many will. therefore. yot" for uro-
hibition with mental reservation. The
heart OF men 'cn massc' nj il general
attitude toward sin is not pre- pared for
real prohibition. II So prob ibition wouid
become an assures, fact without the aid
Of either laws or elections. II by his
vote the Christian church member could
blot out. or even mcasurcahly alleViatr
the son OF !ntc,upcraucc IN strong drink
~ goes without argument that IL Is
his duty 10 do 30. but an achicvable
fact need not he accepted as q proven
fact, so let thu church member beware
lest he uses his vote "a n cheap sub
stituto by ~ay of atonemcnt for the
black sins of which ne may ho guilty
SO much for tho insincerity.
CHARGES INCONSISTENCIES
~ STATEWIDE POSITION
Now. let us take few Of tho in
consistcnccs Of Statewide prohibition.
Two absolutely necessary factors must
exist in all traffic. viz: sellers and buy
crs. 10 destroy tho traffic both fac.
tors must lie destroyed. You put ont
Of business one class of sellers. bur
another class Will surely arise. for
Just 90 long rs men VIII buy YOU ma
he sure that men win sell legally or
illegally. Yet the political prohibit.
ZIONIST having the same moral and
legal right Of Interference with ono as
with the other. offers immunity 10 the
buyer willis, venting tho entire force
Of his spleen on the seller. overlooking
the fact that ono party to TIE trans
action is rs guilty az the other. They
propose 10 remove temptations from
the way of tho poor innocent buyer.
unm!ndful Of tho temptations through
love Of gain which they may place
in the way OF the seller.
u cannot account Tor tho incon-
sistency except on tho ground that
the more liberal tho concessions TO the
tra''ic the greater tho hope for victory
mt the polls. victory leaving uhiskey
still cnthroncd
II cannot account for the .nconsist-
ancH Of the Virginia born prob ibition-
LIST in his attitude toward the Conred
crate veteran. except on the ground
OF Hypocrisy simon pure ON the
ono hand. the vet cram Is exalted rs n
hero To whom monuments should he
erected. on the other hard he is asked
10 repudiate the principles for which
lie offered his young manhood and life.
We do not know To what straits We
n l.a roll. al III
DEFICIT ONLY SURE THING
AT END OF DEBATE:
The most vital problems at pres
ont as affecting the veal or woe OF
Virginia is its tax problem. In this
campaign our people are called upon
to face deficit Of something more
than 100000. TO be made good by Il
people already burdcned with taxes.
Notwithstanding the theoretical un-
proven compe nHation offered In reduc-
ton of criminal expenses. Ignoring the
probable case OF prosecuting COM
paratively new class of criminals. the
deficit remains a. the only thing Ger
tain at the end of debate
Put this better element would say
that VI does not want children to lie
educated on tainted money. The revc-
nue. derived from whiskey is tainted.
but the revenue derived from the Wild
ow's income already insufficient TO sat =
OF little ones, Ia not tanned money.
should tainted money lie withdrawn
from circulation a famine of currency
would result. Whilst | would not stake
money az n consideration against the
wreck of human souls. yet the wet
goat IL pardonable In exercising scr,i-
tiny to the delivery OF the goods
for which he is called upon to pav.
old time religion Is good enough for
.ne.' the religion OF our fathers. which
teaches that by grace only are We
saved so In these piping progress sive
days ! f1Ed solace In reverting to good
old times. when the family altar. now
the exception. was erected In Chris
tian households. when the head Of The
family marfully accepting the cordi-
liona under which lie was created would
checrfully recognize his individual
moral responsibility In the nurture and
rearing of his family in the fear and
love of God. 'RIt now stand and
am judEei. for tho hone Of the promise
made OF God u'to our fathers"
Resisted Policeman
Henry Moore was yesterday fined So5
and costs by Justice CrntChficld in Po-
lice Court when arraigned on charges
OF being drunk and dirorderlv and win