The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-22

and dry issue should be raised in this campaign.
He says; Il do not see how any right thinking
can raise the wet. issue in ,bis campaign"
Mr.. Brock this point is in accord with the
wet newspapers that opposed prohibition, the
enabling act, and every bit OF temperance legis-
lation In the history OF Virginia He is in &C
cord with the view expressed by the liquor in
terests, by their personal representatives. and
by those members OF the House and Senate who
voted against the enabling act during its various
stages before the General Assembly Senator
Brock agrees with the view OF all these persons
and papers far as expressed.
Senator Brock. however In this view Of sur
prise that there should be a wa issue In the
present campaign. is not IN accord with the view
of the temperance people Of Virginia whenever
and wherever that view has been expressed since
The 22nd Of September and prior to that time
He IS not in accord with what seems to be the
view OF the majority OF Virginia citizens name
ly. that the most important question before the
next General Assembly. Will be the making and
passing Of the prohibition enforcement laws,
and that for this task the friend, of prohibition
should be elected
From the standpoint Of the moral welfare Of
the State OF Virginia the most important logisia
ton before the General Assembly, both in 1912
and in 1914, was tho enabling act. designed to
give the people Of Virginia the right to vote on
the liquor issue. We accept Senator Brooks
own statement Of his position;
1T is true that voted against the enabling
act when it came np three years ago. and against
the conferees' report thereof in 1915" We be.
Iieve Senator Brock will agree with us In the
statement tina. those votes we're the crucial tests
OF temperance legislation in Virginia 1t was
then that representatives made their records;
We do not believe any representative can refuse
to stand before the people on hig record as their
representative. their servant IN the sails of
legislation. We believe Senator Brock will
agree with us that by Its own statement Of the
case At the crucial test. when The important
legislative acts were before the people. he did
not, an official, show himself to be favorable
or friend to tho temperance cause.
For the future, the people must Judge on the
records OF their representatives. In the Legis-
lature of 1876, we repeat, the most important
legislation will be temperance legislation Al
that time, as We understand it. the laws that are
10 put into execution the viii of the ltoplc are
TO be enacted. We do net talieve Senator Brock
viii disagree with us when ve state that the
people who favor prohia: anu the passage of
laws such they belieYe VII Ut ttti1 Will into
effect may reasonably be expected to put in
charge of that work mcn VINO cot orly favor
prohi ttion in 1916, whcr ire reop'e have spoken,
/ hut In IN
thereto, when the people were striving for the
right to speak. Certainly the temperance people
cannot be blamed If they refuse to go out OF
| their way TO return to Office those who not only
did not favor desire prohibition but who cast
the peoples votes against the enabling act and
thus defeated the desires of the people nos TO
abolish the sale of liquor. hut to vote on that
issue
/ Senator Brooks reason for voting against the
act he gives as being mot because of opposition
to temperance, which have always favored. but
because / was not convinced that majority of
the people OF my district favored the passage Of
the act"
| We suppose that the fact the district voted in
! September over two to one for prohibition has
convinced Senator Brock not only that the PEG.
pie really do and did favor prohibition but that
| they wanted to vote the prohibition issue.
! We recall also that prior to September %. save
| for dispensary at Farmville. where Senator
Brock resides and perhaps two other
| isolated places, the whole Tweuty-eight Sena-
| torial District composed Of Nottoway, Amelia.
| Lunenburg, and Prince Edward Counties had
been dry for many years.