The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-09

empted cider in the Enabling Act, and yet in
the face of this the anti-saloon, or prohibition
people in the towns and villages of the State,
or OF them. have attempted TO prohibN
the sale of cider In some instances placing
a license tax upon II greater than that placed
upon the sale OF ardent spirits, and in other
places regulating Its sale In such manner that
1t will be impossible for a man to comply with
the ordinance covering the sale of cider.
Some of the towns have gone so far as to
ask the legislature to give them jurisdiction
over the sale of cider two miles from their
corporate limits.
Do you realize what that means7 You can't
sell cider on your own place without being
liable to prosecution by the town authorities
II they see fit to exercise the rights accorded
them by the legislature, Police power ~ ali
right. but let them exercise IT within the town
limits 1t not granted TO cover the earth.
We can take care of the territory outside with
out their assistance When they can't find law
to cover what they wish to do they fall back
on police power. They can allow any business
they please within the city limits and though
our farms run right up to the line, we are not
allowed a word, and yet they ask 10 be allowed
10 overlook our affairs on the outside-evcn to
the extent of two miles out among the planta-
tiosn. Are asleep2 1t looks very much
as If we have been.
We Of the country have never attempted 10
dictate to our brothers IN Incorporated COM
munities; we have allowed them to have their
way, but the parting OF the ways Is at hand.
If towns put special tax on cider they
can put 1t butter and eggs and right here
''Hayseed" calls halt We have certain rights
and we are going to insist upon exercising them
- Who FERNS the backbone Of this country
The farmer the manufacturer? Let the ploT
stop and the question answers itself
We are going to ask the legislature to pass
laws prohibiting the towns from charging
license tax farm and domestic products, in
Guiding cider and vinegar, when offered for sale
by the producer. There is law to this effect
already upon the statute books fsection 1042-a
of the code) that specifically prohibits officials
Of town collecting tax upon farm or do
mestic products when sold by the person pro
ducdng same. but the courts hold that cider Is
not a farm domestic product, so we wish to
have 1t specifically written in that law.
II you are interested in this matter which
think you are, and want the sale of cider made
possible without this tax or restriction. kindly
fill out the inciosed blank and return 1t to me,
In inclosed envelope, at Waynesboro Va
Yours truly,
e. C. MEYERS.
Secretary
BLANKS referred to in above letter.
To the General Assembly of Virginia.
Gentlemen: I respectfully petition your hon
orable body to pass such legislation as will
grant to the fruit growers the privilege of selling
without special license tax, State or municipal.
pure apple cider, when made from fruit grown
In the State of Virginia, and ask that section
ID of the Byrd Liquor Law and section 1042-a
Of the Code, be so amended to grant this
privilege.
l have. acres in apples.
I have. apple trees.
/ produce. barrels annually.
Name. .........P. O........ County.
This Is remarkable case of special plead
ing to be almost amusing. simple state
ment OF facts will be sufficient answer to this
remarkable argument.
The cider section was the cause of more de-
section of the Byrd- Mann
Liquor law DR.. Cannon insisted that the term
ardent spirits should include all liquids which
produce intoxication." He did not favor the
exemption of any cider which would produce
intoxication and he would have made the def
milton 80 sweeping that it would have prohibited
the sale Of any cider, soon 1t became hard
enough tqr,produce intoxication, But the bill
could not be Missed with that sweeping def
milton of ardent spirits. and 1t finally amend
ed TO meet the views OF certain senator's who
would not vote for 1t until the cider clause,
at present found in the law. inserted DR..
Cannon insisted then that the result would be
the establishment Of cider joints In dry Sec.
tons, which would aim to make profit from
the prohibition of the sale OF other intoxicants
by selling cider sufficiently hard to produce
intoxication. DR.. Cannon did not object to the
sale of cider, SO long as 1t remained sweet"
He favors the sale of sweet" cider. unferment-
ed "apple juice" just as he favors the sale Of
non alcoholic grape juice" But when cider
htbNion of the sale of other intoxicants to
press the sale of Intoxicating cider then they
should be dealt with other vendors of intoxi-
cants, and the community should protect itself
from these drunkard makers Just they pro-
tect themselves from others OF the same class
These cider joints became such nuisance
such breeders of drunkenness and disorder, that
as Mr.. e c. Meyers, Secretary, says in his letter
above quoted
THE anti -sa1oon prohibition people In
the town and villages Of the State, some of
them, have attempted to prohibit the sale OF
cider. In some instances placing a license tax
upon It greater than that placed upon the sale
OF ardent spirits and in other places regulating
its sale In such a manner that II will be Inn
possible for a man to comply with the ordi-
nance covering the sale of cider Some of the
towns have gone Tar to ask the legisla-
ture to give them Jurisdiction over the sale OF
cider two miles from It's corporate limits"
And then Mr.. Meyers dramatically asks: do
you realize what that means?" Yes we GER
tainly do 1t means that drunkenness from
hard" cider is just besotted and damning
any other drunkenness: that it bears the
same fruit of disorder. brawls, crime, assaults
and murder; that hard cider joint is just as
the police as the regular crossroads bar room
1t means that these towns and villages have
determined to treat these who are de-
bauching the community with hard cider inst
as they treat any other debauchers of youth.
The fact that they posing defenders of
the rights of the farmers does not change the