The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-01

"A BunncT lnAt May he Nv OrSc IMAM q Urine. -
We are detached but not Indifferent observers
OF the political currents that are running In
the Commonwealth at this time. 1t is Just pos
sible that this detachment may enable to OBJ
serve more accurately their nature and their
significance. without personal ambitions or
political obligations OF any kind. ones vision
may be clearer and more accurate than that of
wiser and more experienced men, who have
their own ends in view and who are In the thick
OF the fray.
act in the house of delegates on January 22nd
the Times Dispatch represents Mr.. Myers, o4
Richmond, as declaring that the wet cities "s,Ip-
port the seventy-one counties of the State which
draw from the State treasury more revenue than
they pay in" The ime-Dispatch further says:
IF the cities were deprived Of their sources
of revenue he tMr Myers) warned the repre-
sentatives Of the seventy-one counties that they
would have to increase their taxes and decrease
| rather than increase their school appropria-
tons"
Mr.. Myers is member in the house and
Is personally. understand, a most estfrable
gentleman. Nevertheless. in common with many
! representatives OF the cities he IS making a
radical and mischevous political blunder, whose
farreaching consequences In the life of the
Commonwealth may indeed be than those
of an ordinary crime. The interests OF this
Commonwealth one, and 1t Is worse than
folly to take any position which tends to divide
them. We venture to say that one of the facts
In Virginia political history which has retarded
the progress of the State in recent decades per-
haps more than any other, has been the un-
fortunate alignment Of the country against the
city or, II one prefers. of the city against the
country. For many years past the cities have
loudly protested against this sort Of separation
| and antagonism 1t is simply truth that in the
house of delegates there have been frequent
! manifestations of certain narrow and unreason-
ing prejudices against the cities OF late this
| has been growing beautifully less and the Com
| monwealth has profited by this gradual disap-
|
| of the first importance to identify these great
and powerful organized communities, body and
| soul. with the interests OF the open saloon. 1t
| Is pitful to have the accredited representative
of great commercial, manufacturing, educa-
ional center, such as Richmond. stand in his
place In chief legislative body and declare
that his community is dependent for its pros
perity upon the public drinking places In his
town. This is humiliatng Misrepresentation OF
one OF the fairest. most substantial and most
progressive cities In the entire land.
Moreover. 1t Is sheer sophistry to maintain
that because our great organized urban COM
munlties pay taxes beyond their necesSi-
ties and the surplus Is used to supply the deficit
in the administration OF certain counties, that
these counties are dependent these cities. The
fact is of course. that these cities primarily
and fundamentally dependent on the counties.
| From these counties come the men that make
the city. From these counties comes the trade
on which our merchants must rely for their
prosperity. The cities grow at the expense Of
the country, and in the last analysis our own
fair and beautiful city Is dependent on vir-
gnia- ~4.-.-.
Nothing In recent years has been more un-
| fortunate in the politics Of this State than the
fact that when by reason Of the duly registered
| and recorded vote Of the people, by the SOW
ereign act OF the legislature four-ffths and more
of the territory of this State have been freed
from the domination OF the saloon. our cities
have steadily ignored the wishes and we may
add. the rights Of these country communities
and have flooded these same communities with
ntoxcantS Relief was sought through 4 law
which would forbid the shipment of LIQUOR into
communities from which the saloon had been
banished but 1t was sought In vain Every at
tempt at such legislation was met with the argu-
ment that II we denied this privilege OF de-
bauching and injurang our people to ths cities