The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-13
Glasgow. Va.
influence of the wet Press.
Editor Virginian.

EuitOr fTSlMan.
sir,--It used to be said that The Richmond
Evening Journal wet, The Times Dispatch
was wetter and The News Leader was SO wet
mat it wouldn't burn. We can now change that
II little and put it this way. The Times-Dispatch
is wet, The News Leader Is Wetter, ana Inc
Journal is so wet 1t won't burn The journal,
which seems to have been completely bought by
ne liquor interests, has discredited everything
chat has been said in favor of Statewide prohi-
bition by such men Ex-Governor Glenn, Oh
North Carolina; Judge Prchard Bishop kilgo,
Of the Methodist church, and many others Of
prominence and integrity, and has virtually
made them out to be falsifiers 1t has made
great ado about Governor Stuart going to vote
against Statewide prohibition. Well, what OF
II Il ne IS He only has vote the same as
have It is no doubt true that he has
greater influence than have, and am sorry TO
see him throw his influence with the legalized
liquor traffic but after all, If he does not exert
a greater influence his fellow citizens than
Ex-Governor Mann did on his former private
secretary (who is now the secretary of the So
called Local Self-Cfovernment association, an
organization that is financed by and run in FAVOR
OF the liquor interests), his influence won't
count for much, it Is well known fact that
ex-G.avernes Mann was opposed TO the legalszed
liquor traffic. Then, again, The Journal has
taken DR.. Cannon to task for supporting Judge
Mann in 900 on the local option basis, when ne
tDr. Cannonl is for Statewide Well at
that time G90s) local option was the best we
could get, but want something better.
Or Cannon should not be censured for taking
what he could get at that time, and wanting
something better at the present time,
The Journal Is SO full OF Inconsistencies and
misatements 1T is useless for me to try to name
them. 1t contends that vote against State
wide prohibition is not vote for the saloon. but
a vote for local option How they can make
this out Is than / can see. when the issue
is whether We shall have liquor sold In Vir-
ginia or whether we shall not have liquor sold
in Virginia. Does 1t not strange to
sensible person that the people and the papers
who claim 20 be local optionsts are the
very ones who fought local option just as hard
as they are now nghting Statewide prohibition
when local option was the Issue? Yes men.
every vote against Statewide is vote for the
saloon, pure and simple; don't be fooled by this
device OF the devil that vote against Statewide
Is not a vote for the saloon. If local option is
good for and my community why should 1t
not be good for my neighbors and their COM
munities? Or, If local option is good for my
neighbors and their communities, whXashould 1t
not be good for and my community IL all
sections or the State had local option then we
would have Statewide
Mo- those who claim to be for local option are
for the saloon. and you can't make anything
more or less OF it. don't say that all of those
who in favor OF the legalized liquor traffic
are addicted the drink habit. but do say
that I believe the most of them who not
addicted to the drink habit and are in favor of
the liquor traffic interested in indirect.
if in direct, way. 1t may be they have
money invested in it it may be they have
property rented for liquor purposes and they
favor the business for the revenue they get
from 1t in dollars and cents. The visible reve-
ME from the liquor traffic is widows and
orphans. heartacnes and anxieties. criminals
and paupers. wrecked minds and diseased
bodies. l poor, have been poor all of my
life and expect to die poor but had rather be
this way than to get revenue from source
that has wrecked my fellow human beings and
causes many of them to go down to untimely
graves. When the Local Self Government asRo-
citation organized some months ago. It was
great surprise to me. well as source OF
sorrow, to the of many that were
prominent In religious we'll as business life OF
our city. OF course, i concede to every man
right to his opinion, bat how who pro-
fesses to be a Christian. member OF Z church.
can vote IN favor OF the liquor traffic is more
than 1 can understand. And remember that
every vote against Statewide prohibition is for
the saloon.
After The Evening Journal has done all the
harm 1t can to tho dry cause. and all tho aid
it can for the liquor interest hope that II
Virginia goes dry on the 2ad. MS pray God it
may go, /. for one. hope 1t may die and have a
decent burial; IT, the other hand, the State
goes wet ! suppose 1t will live and thrive on the
liquor interests. in whose behalf 1t has worked
so hard. To the Christian voters OF the city and
OF the state j appeal to you to go to the polls
on the 22d and cast your vote to drive out the
ralosn. " not for Gods sake. for your own.
sake, for the sake of your weaker brother do
1t for the sake OF the women and children, and
for the sake of the coming generation
III. @. MASON. II