The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-02
A Moral Self-lnventory
By the Liquor Business

When an institution that has been the OBJ
ject of reforming efforts takes to reforming
itself to preaching It's own need of reform.
its enemies may take comfort. The Anti-Sa-
loon league and Womans Christian Temper
ance union have withstood the ratings of many,
points out the Christian Work and Evangelist
(Sew YOKE .eut their efforts to amend the con-
stitution of the United States so that the man.
ufacture, sale and importation Of liquor shall
be prohibited is taken joke by the liquor
interests. A liquor dealers journal is quoted
in what the Christian Work calls remark
able prophecy of the downfall of the liquor
trade" Their betrayal of fear is longer
masked. and their leading journal calls upon
the liquor dealers to prepare their defense,
for their day of trial is frankly at hand In
these words the liquor dealers journal presents
what ii AYERS is "a truthful statement of how
matters stand publicly this question:
at is always best for normal people to look
at things as they are Reality may be OBJ
scured to the sick feeble minded in certain
circumstances but deception is a poor evidence
of friendship Partsanshp with blinded eyes
only leads the way to ruin and self-deception
is the of all. Let look at things
they are. and in the face of the enemy dare
to consider and concede their strength. Know
ing his plan of battle. can better arrange our
forces for his defeat; rightly estimating his
strength, can better provide to meet 1t. The
prohibition fight henceforth will be nationwide.
and contemplates writing into the national con-
sale of all alchoholic beverages. To accom-
plish this result will require the ratification
OF thirty-six out of the fortye States in thu
Union OF these nine are already in line
through State prohibiton--Maine, Kansas,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi. Georgia,
Tennessee. North Carolina, West Virginia. The
last five have been added within a period of
six years. In addition TO these there eigh-
teen States in which major part OF the people
live in territory made dry by local option, in
which may be assured prohibition sentiment
predominates If the people in these States
who are opposed to the liquor traffic demand
it, their legislatures will undoubtedly ratify
national amendment
The most influential argu cent against pro-
hibiuon is that it is not effective; that Pro-
hibiton don't prohibit. This is not basic
moral; the fact of failure to enforce is
argument against even the expediency much
less against the moral issue involved. Ulti-
mately all questions must be settled by moral
standards, only in this way can mankind be
saved from sef-effacement. The liquor traf-
ic cannot save itself by declaring that gov
eminent is inca pable of coping with the prob
lem il presents; when the people decide that
it must go. it will be banshed We are not
discussing the benefit justice Of prohibition,
but its possibility and its probability in present
circumstances To us there is the handwrit-
ing on the wall and its Interpretation spells
doom. For this the liquor business is blame;
it seems incapable of learning any lesson of
advancement or any motive but proGt To per-
petuate itself. it has formed alliance with the
slums that repeI all conscientious and patriotic
citizens. 1t deliberately aids the most corrupt
political powers, and backs with all of its re-
sources the most unworthy men, the most cor
rupt and recreant officials 1t does not aid
the purfcation OF municipal. State or national
administration. Why? Because it has to ask
immunity for it's own lawlessness That this
condition is inherently and inevitably neces-
sary we do not believe, but it has come to be
fact, and the public. which is to pass on the
matter in its final analysis. believes anything
bad that anybody tell il of the LIQUOR BUSH
ness Why? Let the leaders of the trade an
swer. Other lines of BUSINESS may be as bad