The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-10-26
TRoHTRTTIoN AND WET
NEWSPAPERS THEN AND NOW

that appeared n the Richmond Nces Lcaasr on
"Wednesday, October q, Just one month after
It's last utteranee IL opposition to the adoption
OF the prohibition law in Virginia The %etos
Leuder It viii be remembered, has consistently
opposed prohibition and temperance legislation
In Virginia, II has been one Of the bulwarks
Of the liquor interests In their fights and
strong opponent TO tie work of temperance
leaders.
At the present tine we hnr the Netps Lender |
and other Vet papers throughout the country
commenting with favor on the action Of the
Gar Of Russia IN 1orbtdding the sale of vodka,
mn unusually poisonous brand of alcoholic drink
sold by the Russian government
We take few statements from the ycms
Leaders editorial in regard to the Cars &C
ton, chiefly for the purpose of emphasizing /
for our readers the vast difference between /
the. position taken Try the Netrs Leader in re-
gard TO prohibition In Russia and in Vir-
gsnia- A month after Virginias decision TO
get out of partnership with the liquor bust
ness and the saloon element, the NelCs Leader
says Of Russia: Russia. which was recently
q warning to fhe world Of the dire effects which
.Nolacs, Is TO afford Christendom the greatest
object lesson 1t has ever had of the practical
operations OF prohibition" A month ago the
Ncacs Leader advocated monopoly by the gov
ernnent OF Virginia not of the sale OF alco-
ciics. 1t !sstrue. but OF the rights to sell aico
holics as represented in the power OF the State
alonc To grant liquor licenses. Moreover. under
the dispensary system Virginia has attua-y
seen agencies OF government conducting liquor
shops. And the Ne1cs Leader opposed any
change in this system Now the Netcs Leader
speaks Of the practical operation of prohibit
tion" month ago. it not only denied pro
hihition was practical. hut undertook to demon
strate itsby aiding in violation Of the pronro-
tion law of the State of Georgia.
Now the Netcs Lcdder says nothing ever did
Russia more harm than the short-sighted policy
~. Count Witte, which led to a government
snonopoly in the sale Of intoxcants the more
4he peasant drank. the larger the revenue Of
The government" And yet month ago, in an
exactly parallel situation In Virginia the Ne1cs
Leadey commended with all its power for the
retention of the very kind of 'short-sighted
policy" for which it condemns Count
White For Virginia certainly had a monopoly
OF the sale of intoxicants by its right OF grant
ing or refusing liquor licenses. and the more
liquor the people Of Virginia drank. the higher
license fees were charged. and the
iicenses granted. the larger was the revenue
OF the Virginia government.
month ago tho Eccs Leader and its COM
panion soldiers In the. cause of the liquor inter-
ests denied the statistics Of the Anti Saloon
League. quoted from crinltnologistssas TO the eff
feet of alcohol in producing crime and insanity
New the Ncws Leader quotes many statistics
Showing the evil results to the people of Russia
from the policy OF the government in menopolz-
ing the liquor busipess.
The Nesc3 Leader in the past opposed prohibit
ton as being undemocratie and sumptuary egis-
lation; It made much Of the fact that prohibit
tion enforced on people by an outside and I'm. |
syrnpathetic power could not succeed 1t now
paints bright future for prohibition in Russia /
where 1t states specifically tho prohibition law
was not brought about by legislation by consent
OF the governed, by democratic principles of local
seif-goyernnaent, by education and regulation
by any Of tie subterfuges by which the adroit
Meas Lcal0r sought 10 escape the nemesis of
prohibition for Virginia by vote Of vireinians
New It states prohibition in every sense of the
word Is to come in the one empire where the
mandate Of a single viii make it as com
4 aiete as is humanity possible"
Il Russia has no Democratic institutions but the
men of Russia humans. and human nature
IA the same the world over We wonder II the
D Adroit Netos Leader thinks prohibition has
Il better chance TO succeed IN dark even heather
! Russia, backed by the mandate Of the Car and
&a%the most perfectly organized secret police OF the
D Morld. thsn In civilized and enlightened Viz
A 1inia where II has been brought about by the
vote OF ag.oof intelligent virginians constituting
M 1900 majority, and bent enforcing the law
rae Neacs Lcader invites the attention OF tho
1yslixcd world to Russia's entry into the pro,