The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-29
THE REAL FIGHT.

THE REAL FIGHT.
Virginia is engaged in finding the solution oil
enc problem That question is whether or not
she shall continue 10 license the saloon within
her borders Those people who believe in ard
desire the adoption Of the policy OF State"ioe
prohibition will work and vote for the exter-
mination Of the saloon lighting this one thing
.and stating openly that this is the object OF
their attack Those people who have CHOSEN
TO denorninate themselves the defenders OF local
option are working for the continuation OF the
saloon In Virginia and VIII vote for that end
There Is no lodging this fact There is no middle
ground If Statewide prohibition prevails the
saloon will be abolished If It is defeated the
saloon will be continued in existence
Virginia has been flooded with literature IN
the last three months as never before IN her
history This literature has gone TO every town
In the State, and its chief endeavor Is to pre-
vent the issue Of the saloon from being seen
ty the people In not a line OF this literature
defense o: tire saloon, but Of the right of local
option. Of local seltgovernment Of personal
iibertv-au with the desire and the aim OF divert
what is really at issue. This effort lie seen In
the attitude of the three wet Richmond papers.
The Times Dispatch seeks to divert attention
from the saloon by assuring It's readers that the
opponents Of the saloon are piousiy selfassured
Of monopoly of grace and truth. and. there
fore. are arch advocates Of yllifcaton. The
Euen;no Journal. that loud-mouthed oracle of the
md
ends up by being ridiculous In its attempted In
situation that Tho girgnjan committed lapse
In yerac3ty when 1t made the perfectly serious
aud true statement that the question of the aboi-
ton Of tho saloon is not political matter The
Meas T.eqfer In an editorial that bears as close
resemslanco in character tone and phrasing to
that q n tN3n brother In the cause of the liquor
Interest rs do the inspired interviews, news
stories advertisements and communications that
these Gold Dust twins OF the selfAGovernment
Association are publishing makes the laughable
assertion that vote against prohibition is not
a vote for the saloon
The General Assembly Of Virginia body Of
serious and representative men, despite the char
acterizatton Of ii 'plunderhund, in which
the Times Bfspefch not long since INDUCED, very
carefully considered this matter and after much
discussion decided that the ballot should read
~For Statewide Prohibition and Against State
wide Prohibition" The vote is FOR the solution
OF the question Of prohibition-~but prohibition
or what? Net of local option. self government,
lccmmunity control, or any other matter save the
saloon prohibition OF the saloon Therefore the
vote against prohibition is vote for the saloon.
The Tfrginidn will not be diverted from the
point that il is chiefly anxious to impress on
the minds and hearts OF the voters OF Virginia
VIII you continue tho saloon in Virginia by
your vote will you vote for the saloon, or will
you vote for its extermination7 1t is for the
boys and girls Of Virginia that we are con-
cerned, and as the Caesar of the wet trtumvirate
has we'll said where the mental. moral and
physical welfare OF children concerned plat
forms and political tenets lose their significance"
The people OF Virginia intelligent and
honest They knoto what the issue Is and their
votes will determine the fate OF the issue
The SALOON.