The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-22

the organization wing Of the party though no
would be profted by making deal NOR could
ianybody say what the organization could
promise. AS q matter OF fact, the league did not
deem II wise to make issue of the speaker
ship. The house is overwhelmingly dry. so that
ut is impossible for any person to so use the
speakershp to defeat dry legislation II IL
cardinal principle of league policy to take no
part In any political matters which do not affece
league legislation The league therefore made
request OF dry members to lay aside their
personal preferences and vote for speaker on a
wet and dry basis The result justified this
position. The committee are just as favorable
TO the 'drys' they have ever been Indeed
the committee privileges and elections, 20
which the enabling act was referred was TINS
session favorable to the bill, while at the last
session IT was opposed. But in neither case
was the vote OF the house affected.
THE league decided not to ask for any hear
ing before the committee as IT. wnuld be only
a waste of time. and the house decided promptly
TO follow that plan. and the committee was
discharged from the further consideration OF
the bill. and 1t placed at once upon the
calendar. This action taken by a vote OF
II to ! t. with five pairs announced, making
total of seventy-six favorable to the action
with five absent, not paired. This action was
! followed by the first reading of the bill on
Monday. On Tuesday the bill will he read the
second time for amendment. when 1t is probable
some substitutes will be offered by the oppo-
4
any of these will be adopted. Unless there is
prctracted debate. the bill should pass the house
on Wednesday or Thursday and then go over To
the senate for action. What that action VIII
| be is not prophesied in this article If the
senate represents the wishes of the people the
bill will be passed
Even the Supreme
Even the Times Dispatch the leader of the
Iliquor forces of Virginia, which has raked into
/ the owners pockets the money paid by the
accused traffic to advertise the death dealing
tintoxicants. sometimes as much as feet an
a single Sunday issue; even the Times Dispatch
which fought the Mann law and declared that
! every had right to drink liquor to his
| comfort: which fought the Byrd law, especi-
ally the restrictions upon Sunday liauor-selling
/ In social elpbs. the Times Dispatch which
! in its editorial columns blasphemously quoted
Scripture. and attacked the Methodist confer
ence calling the preachers puppets, and de-
Tending the sale of Its columns to the drunkard-
makers; even the Times Dispatch which has
sneered and ridiculed and reviled at every sue
cessive session OF the general assembly at which
the enabling act has been presented: even this
defender and advocate or the damnable traffic
declared in its issue OF January 14th that
"'Of the enabling act We shall not speak
Upon this issue a vast majority of the people
! of the State have expressed their opinion in
practical Instructions, to their representatives
That issue is precipiMted; its outcome Is. per-
haps. already determined. Argument and ex-
hortation criticism or announcement will not
affect the result ct as they cast their votes,
we trust the members of the assembly will not
forget that the passage of the enabling act may
mean bitter controversy long agitation, and a
general assault upon the maintenance of law.
Surely every man must walk carefully as he
seeks to determine the answer of Virginia of
this question
This liquor advocate admits that the people
by vast majority have expressed their opn-
ion In practical Instructions to their represen-
tatives And yet this liquor sheet calls upon
fhn 10 hat fn 4thn
may mean bitter controversy, long agitation
and general assault upon the maintenance
of law One would imagine that the Times
Dispatch is opposed to bitterness and strife and
lawlessness. But what does produce
more bitterness or strife or }awlessness that
This liquor traffic which the Supreme in Fir-
gna' not only defends. but clings to
parasite sucking revenue from money paid to
buy that which. according TO The Book pro
duees sorrow and woe babbhng and strife, shame
and death
when this sheet, which shows it's sha m eless-
ness in the same paragraph in which 1t admits
the fact declares that vast majority of the
people want the enabling act. who is there can
stand up and defend the senate should 1t re-
fuse to grant the wishes of the people. Surely
it is a fearful responsibility for few senators to
assume. when they know what the people want.
We are reminded Of the Masters word. 1T will
be more tolerable for sodom and Gomorrah in
the day of Judgment than for that city Should
they still refuse in face Of all the light to
measure up to their responsibility. all the evil
which will result from their action Will be upon
them and they cannot evade 1t at the Judgment
bar of God.
II agree with the Times Dispatch when 1t
declares that Surely every man must walk care
fully he seeks to determine the answer of
Virginia to this question. How he be will
ing to ignore the plainly expressed will of the
people OF the State, and take upon his own
head the. fearful consequences of refusing to
give to the people Of the State the opportunity
to decide for themselves whether the State shall
jcontnue to egalize a public nuisance breeder
of crime destroyer of virtue and of human
life
In the Era of social" Justice.
Judge--Y ours is very serious crime my
man Fifty years 1t hanging matter.
Horse Thief-Well. your honor fifty years
hence il mayn't be crime at'all.-Tit- Bits.