The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-10


grave an evil the sale on soft drinks has be-
come in the cities and towns where prohibition
prevails, but do know that In the country dis
tricts where there no police officers there
is little to choose between the soft-drnk estab-
shment and the crossroads barroom. Indeed
as officer, dealing with the situation, would
prefer the barroom whcre the proprietor could
be held accountable more easily for violation
% the law
Many indeed, j believe a majority Of these
soft-drink places are speak leases or barrooms
III disguise. dispensing their drinks indscrimi-
nately to minor and adult alike provided they
have reasonable assurance that the purchaser
won't testify against them If an investigation
is started. Thirty thousand majority of the
electors OF this State declared in September
last that no Intoxicating beverages should be
sold within this Commonwealth after October,
1915. This overwhelming condemnation of the
saloon liz Virginia not only means that the
state has dissolved partnership with this menace
to prosperity and good morals but also that
officials should be placed in position where
they could ascertain and punish the sale OF in
toxicants by means other than through the
soon. This ! assert il is Impossible to do III
the vast majority of cases under present con-
d.tions
ANY merchant, in the country districts can.
under his merchants license, as the law now
stands. sell soft drinks. Many OF them avail
themselves Of the opportunity These soft
drinks are not Intoxicating. at least a chemist
can always be found who will testify upon trial
that they do not contain enough alcohol to
come within the prohibition of the law but
they are vile concessions injurious to health
and arc often spiked with whisley or other al
cohohc drink 81 the time of sale. assert this
for two reasons FIRST have had proof OF It
in cases tried before me. II has not developed
in for the prosecution of violation of the
revenue law, but now and then murder or
an assault a general riot occurs at one of
these joints, is most natural, and then the
partclpan ts toll the truth to the liquor sales
probably with view Of avoiding responsibility
or mitigating punishment for the graver Of
Tense.
Second. I have been witness to the physical
evidences L pass no less Than three Of these
establishments almost daily / have seen
drunken men and boys around them Many
't these men I know personally. They are not
soft-drink men. They would be more unhappy
with their stomachs full Of soft drinks than
they would be in thu penitentiary Complaints
&c me TO me from all the circuit of drunk
enness in the vicinity Of these places and In
spite Of the utmost yigiience Of sherffs at
torneys fot the Comm onwealth and grand iuries
Il Is, ia the nature of things hard to get legal
proof for guilt. The possession of a United
states revenue license for the sale of malt bev-
erages now affords no evidence: for while our
status. in substance says that IL shall be prima
iacie evidence of violation of the revenue
law the United States Government requirse
soft drinks not prohibited by our statute Hence
Il o proprietor Of "a soft-drnk establishment
selling "Shicoia'' for instance. be caught with
such a license he needs to show only that he
ts required to take such Il license by the
United States Government in order to sell !
Shicola,' the sale OF which is not prohibited
by the Virginia status. The presumption of
guilt is then gone
The conditions above set forth, obtain ALI
over the State. Thew are condemned BY nine
out Of ten men everywhere They are desired
only BY the proprietors OF such places a few
confirmed drunkards and a few young men ano l
Boys who are yet worth saving nd can be saved. 4
| appeal to you and through you to the General /
Assembly TO crush out this evil now There Il
Will on course always be speak easies, but we 4
can deal with the speak easy pure and simple i
very well II is these speak easies under the 4
giuse Of legal sanction that are hard TO cope 4
with.
And now as TO the immediate remedy ! have
not investigated the legal proy,ostion as TO
"ncther THIS General Assembly called for the
specific purpose OF reforming the tax laws
&C uid prohlbit the sale of soft drinks am
inclined 10 think 1t could not This can and
VIII be done by the next General Assembly I'M
DER the ample authority of the police power of
the state for this great and growing evil is
just beginning TO be reorganized and the agi- 1
.a'ioh Tor Its correction will, by that time II 1
1t is not corrected before assume proportions
more irresistible than that for the abolition 81
Tie saloon. But this General Assembly can as /
revenue measure 50 arrange it. that those /
1"uhues or communities which desire to clint |
nate the soft-orink joint do so.
respectfully suggest, il 1t is not inconsistent
WIN the FAX reform plans of the present Gen !
cal Assembly, that the Board of Supervisors in
each county. the tax commission IL one be
established, be vested with authority to uY a
special license tax for the benefit OF the State
or county as may seem best to the Legislature
upon all persons selling soft drinks including
cioer or IN lieu o. this that the Legislature IT.
sell Tx such a license tax and that in no case
II be less than $4,000 with suitable penalties
Tor selling without such license
II is highly probable that you ana vour COL
leagues may suggest and adopt some better nlan
Tor aooiishing the evils above set forth nv
suggestions are only tentative, and are pro-
muigated chiefly TO draw your attention to the
necessities OF the occasion and to stimulate
action which believe win rebound to the well
fare of the State and for the contamination Of
which you will receive tho plaudits of your
constituency.
Very respectfully.
r. H. H. CHICHESTER
Judge OF the Fifteenth Judicial