The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-20
A Higher Motive.
Editor Nirginian

Editor Firginian:
sir,--1ovesousness. greed Of gain III
the monster passion Of the nation. BY
1t competition Is throttled politics
corrupted. churches rendered power
less; by it--tthis same sptri, OF greed
innocent girls are sold into namel6ss
. slavery; While the saloon and its
vicious nand-naId, the brothel, are
actually licensed by the government
to dispense misery and shame
throughout our land. And now, here
in "Old Virginia bravely recovering
from the poverty bequeathed to her
by the dying Confederacy and with an
outlook CT marvellous prosperity, even
here prominent church members
and leading business and professional
men of our capital city have c,am-
pioned the cause of the saloon and
are urging every voter In the State
to vote against prohibition, On what
plea? Because of any merit IN tho
saloon? Nay. my brother. but be-
cause prohibition will increase the
taxes OF the voter. There Is In this
claim as shown by Senator Keezell. a
pitiful disregard for truth. hut the
most shocking thing about II is that
these men should prostitute their
religious. professional and business
influence for such cause. And they
seem not TO have suspected that the
average voter might rise in his In
tegrity and resent the insult of such a
plea. Mercifuf heavens, are we 50
far lost TO all sense of moral oblga-
ton and does dollar loom so large
before our shrivelled souls that TO
save a few cents on the Thousand we
will insist on putting the cup OF death
and perdition in the hands OF every
one weak enough to take It? Shall
ryiy vnf IN m hn 1ayy N hat
he may pay a fraction Of my taxes in
return? FORBID IT., Almighty Cod"
and may the vote on September % be
rebuke which shall forever silence
the champions OF the saloon In vir-
ginia!
In a world inhabited by moral be-
ings every course of action Is either
right or wrong, only the right Ii
pleasing to God. These are intuitiva
propositions. Now II the thousands
OF devout ministers and laymen and
pious women and other temperance
workers are not doing the will OF God
In this campaign, the other side is do
ing the will OF God. Think OF 1t.
reader Look down the line and nota
carefully who they are: Tho Times
Dispatch and Evening Journal and
Elder George l. Christian (strange
name he has) and his whiskey drum
mer son. and the Kentucky Brown.
who has issued a pamphlet of Bible
texts in support of his liquor business.
and all the other distillers and brew
ers and wholesalers and retailers and
boot-leggers OF liquor, the hard drink
ers. the moderate drinkers. tho night
cap drinkers. tho social club members,
on down by the drunkards and bums
into the very scum OF city life whore
every disreputabie person. white or
black. who has vote or can get BY q
Judge of election will vote against pro-
hibition. In the faco OF such an
alignment on such an issue who can
hesitate7 At such q time when =
great moral question II at stake
mere academic theory OF government
is not worth considering and is forced
into the public eye merely as a blind.
Maybe you are not tempted by
strong drink. have no sons to be
TEMPTED. have no daughters to be
tempted by the tempter, have no
saloon near your home with Its Inn
moral influence (though you may
some day IL you passively submit).
STILL "Remember them that are In
bonds, az bound with Them" and help
to free them by your vote and i'm
fiuence.--Heb. 1872.
ROBERT 8. GARNETT.
Wrenwood- on the Rappahannock.