The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-24
THE POOR CULLIBLE FARMER

I II is evident that the local option
forces realize that II Statewide pro
hibition carries in the September cleo
/ ton IL will be largely due 10 the vote
/ Of the rural districts, and they arc
accordingly directing most of their
arguments towards the farmers OF the
/ State.
] 1t must be likewise due to the fact
that a large majority of the local OPP
/ tionists are from the cities, that they
so confdingly believe that the farm
ers will be deluded by such arguments
AZ they have heretofore advanced and
will with childlike simplicity swallow
whole whatever arguments are pro.
scented to them. no matter how trans
parent. 1t is hard for our city friends
to get away from the idea that farm
ers and fools are not synonymous
words.
They have erected lot OF scare
/ crows with which they propose 10
brighten the farmer vote away from
the side of prohibition, and have
painted black and horrible picture
of wat will happen II the State goes
dry Armed with these scarecrows
and holding aloft this picture of Viz
GINA PROSTATE in 1916" minus law
abiding citizens, minus revenue and
minus tobacco, and incidentally minus
whiskey. they beguile themselves into
believing that the poor old farmer
like the simple minded fellow he Is,
will very obiigingly become panic
stricken at this formidable array OF
buga boos and promptly take to the
tall timber.
But, like most scarecrows, these
creatures of the Virginia Association
for Local Self-Government. viii not
bear close inspection They are only
phantom shapes, which, when viewed
in the light OF reason. readily dissolve
into thin air and vanish away. Let
US examine two of the most terrifying
Of these specters. which we shall call
The Tobacco Trade Bogey" and Tho
Increased Taxation Bugaboo"
The Tobacco Trade Boeey" had it's
inception at a hastily called meeting
Of the Richmond Tobacco Trade, at
which u few OF the members were
rounded up and passed resolution
that whereas it has become evident
that the forces leading In the fight
for the adoption Of Statewiie prohi-
hition in Virginia have begun a fight
against tobacco. its use and sale; and
whereas the prohibition leaders indi-
cate that should prohibition be adopt
ed In Virginia that it will be followed
by an attempt 10 prohibit the Use ana
sale of tobacco in Virginia: therefore,
be it resolved hy the Richmond To-
bacco Trade that all growers of to-
bacco and all dealers in and manu-
facturers of tobacco are hereby warn
ed" etc.
In response to this kindly warning
sent out to the tobacco growers
by the Richmond Tobacco Trade, ID,
NJ. Gannaway. State president OF the
Farmers Educational and Co-opera
tive Union OF America. wrote a letter
to DR. James Cannon, Jr.. superinten-
dent Of the Anti-Sal0on League OF
Virginia, asking him to state the atti-
tude of the league with reference To
the growth and sale OF tobacco. DR..
Cannon. who is an honored and re-
spected minister of the Methodist
Church. replied in part as follows
The writer is as Intimately associated
with the prohibition leaders OF Viz
ginia as Is any other one man, and
II is absolutely false that the forces
leading In the fight for the adoption