The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-29


regard to the wisdom OF ouslawins the licensed
sale Of liquor in Virginia. the purpose shall
always be present to avoid controversial tone
calculated TO arouse deserved resentment on
the part of anu-prohfeitionsts or misguided
zeal and temper among those who agree with
our views
The big question IN the campaign Is; Should
the legaHzed sale OF liquor continue as state
sanctioned policy In any Virginia community
II either should should not. And IL il should
then good reasons ought TO be assigned 10 show
why This because license" has had the benef,
OF extended experiment in various cities Of Nir-
ginla- We have tried it in Richmond, Norfolk
Portsmouth Newport News Petersburg. aud
other large centers OF population, End If 1t has
produced desirable results or benefits Of env
kind, the history Of these communities ought 10
reveal ard attest the fact How Is response
made in this connection Ito what effect las
the purchase and consumption of ltquor helped
any in any Virginia city to be better
man more valuable citizen efficient
force for general progress upltft? Here and
there people will assert that whiskey has not
ha rmed them--that they have alwa4s 8sed ii
in moderation--that they are none tfs worse
for having done So Very good. Eat has i
helped them in any way Has its con-
duced in any way to the wafate Il cfhee hem
selves. their families or their communities. If
not. then IN ighting for the retention ~ license
these people really hehtins for something
that does not operate affirmative force
for good and hence for something whose afro
cation cannot logically resll: to the prejudice
Of any one
The mex, inquiry Is: Does the purchase and
consumption of liquor result in harm 10 GER
tain classes Of people, and hence In harm to
their communities and to society? Does 1t
with many people operate to reduce the maxi
mum of human efficiency does 1t with many
people serve agency by wh1eh human
disaster is invited and endured If so, then
the state Is not just itself to its interests
to its citizenship. when formally permitting
authorizing legaiizing the sale Of that which
upon the hand serves TO help none and
upon the other, to destroy many.
Here obviously, is presented view Of the
question in It's elementary aspects which 1t
may be insisted, is clearly demurrable "hen
related to the prohibition campaign. This be-
cause while It may be admitted that most OF
what we have said is true, yet 1t Is earnestly
argued that the evil viii not be cured hy the
refusal Of the State TO license the sale If liquor
cities where the majority view faN,fs that
nojicy Whiskev will he sold in these COM
rounities il will be said. license license
svhslSey will be shipped from wet States into
dry communities, license or license. and
hence the harvest OF Ills which the consumption
OF Nauor produces will continue. Answer
effective answer to this line OF contention is in
our Judgment afforded by asserting the simple
proposition that as a thing becomes tSe more
difficult to purchase, the volume OF Its sale be-
comes correspondingly reduced And SO with
wh.sk ey---as It's place Of exchanges fer money
becomes the more inaccessible the more
!rconvenient, or the more fraught with dis
agreeable consequence the would he pur-
chaser II will be the less sought after md used.
This proposition liz not only unassaahie from
standpoint Of theory but Il IS sustained ny eH-
perience SO far as we have been able to Oh
serve There Is less whiskev consumed in dry
territory than would be the case If 1t were
wet territory although there be nothing TO
prevent the shipment of liquor from whiskey
centers into places where its licensed Sale is
prohibited And the further community is
removed from 3 base of liquor supplies, the
less is likely to become the measure Of the
liquor used in that community. Hence, If by
the adoption Of a prohibition policy the guam
tity Of intoxicants used in Virginia becomes
percepuby less az believe it will then
surely an era of wholesome reform will have
been inauguratau.
This IL brief is the News view OF the issues
/ involved IN the present campaign. We be-
lteve II would be better for the State. better
for the people, better for the moderate
drnker who does part company with his
/ self respect when indulgng In occasional
resort to stimulants prohibition to be en-
i.dorsed the polls next September-Lynch-
burg News.