The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-11

During this period. however, there
was a great change in the conduct
Of the liquor business In the be-
ginning the fight had been with the
individual saloon and its owner, and
the people Of the various commune
ties. were able to cope with the saloon
in their own midst. But the liquor
traffic began to steer the organiza-
ton Of its forces. and the State
Liquor Dealers Association was
formed ana combined with the Ma
tional Distilers' and the National
Brewers Associations For many
years the battle has shifted from the
neiEhhorhood base and has become
Statewide and nation wide. The
zeal of the liquor traffic for local OPP
tion when prohibition is an Issue is
thoroughly hypocrltical. for no local
community is ever allowed 10 settle
the liquor question for itself The
State Liquor Dealers Association,
and oftentimes the National Liquor
Dealers Association. give large aid to
the saloon in every neighhorhood
fight.
Anti-Safoon League.
Then 1t became clearly evident to
the temperance leaders OF Virginia
that they had gone ak far as they
could go with profit under the local
option law, and that they must meet
! organization with organization, and
that their efforts must have as their
goal the abolition of the partnership
Of the State OF Virginia with the sa-
loon. Fourteen years ago the Anti
Saloon League of Virginia was organ
ICED. Small and feeble were it's be-
ginnings, Al first 1t was ignored by
The newspapers of the State and the
daily press which WAS almost entire
jy under the domination of the liquor
traffic. gave scant space to it's pro-
cecdings. But every year the league
grew stronger, and whenever the
Legislature of Virginia met the at
torneys and lobbyists of the liquor
traffic found themselves confronted
with the temperance workers, who
We're not content to remain on the
defensive. but waged an aggressive
warfare.
Mann Law.
The first great battle of the league
was TO secure absolute prohibition IN
the country districts First, the Mann
law was passed, which prohibited the
granting Of license in any rural COM
munity. unless the Judge of the Cir
cult Court should he satisfied that the
granting of such license was not con-
trafp To the moral or material well
fare of any community. There were
few judges in Virginia who with so
little regard for their reputation as
30 declare that barroom would not
be detrimental to the moral welfare
of any community. This law was fol-
lowed by the Byrd law. which abso-
lntely prohibited the granting Of
license in any community with less
than population Of five hundred
people, This was the ENGRAVING of
statutory prohibition as part of the
legislative policy OF Virginia.
While these laws reduced the num-
Der of saloons in Virginia from over
3.000 to 500, these 500 were concen--
trated In the CITY, being located in
strategic centefs. they developed an
enormous jug trade and flooded the
county districts with liquor.
Founding. of Virginian.
The question then arose AS to the
next step 10 he taken. Should the
Legislature Of Virginia be asked to
pass Statewide prohibtory law
without reference to a vote Of the
people, or should the question be sub
mitted to the popular vote? The
AntiSaloon League decided to ask for
referendum on the question, and
in 1910 a bill was introduced refer
IInk 10 Inc people the question Oh
whether the General Assembly should
enact Statewide prohibitory law,
This bill was Overwhelmingly defeat
cd in the Senate and never came to a
vote in the House. 1t was mercilessly
criticized by the wet" newspapers Of
the State and the Anti Saloon League
leaders were attacked and were de-
bounced vilified and abused In the
public press as grafters, liars and
hypocrites, who were turning the
State of Virginia upsidedown for po-
litical ambitions or personal ends. II
became manifest TO the leaders that
the fight could not be won until there
was established in Richmond the
,capitai city. a daily newspaper which
would expose the faisehoods of the
wet" newspapers. and bring con-
tinually before the people the awful
facts as 10 the effects. of the liquor
traffic upon the State. Such a news
paper was established IN the year
1910. and for Ave years has been
maintained in Richmond and has
been the right arm of power OF the
prohibition forces The paper was
boycotted from the first by those
merchants Of the city Of Richmond
who were hostile IN the prob bitioh
cause. and IL has been necessary to-
spend large sums OF money to main
tain the paper. $4,000 has been
put into the paper over and above
receipts during the Ave years OF its
existence bat the expenditure Of the
money. while severe tax upon the
owners of the paper. has been amply
fssAtt5s.a's fr- . i admitted nv friend