The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-09
Pr,,l,!hition and Politics.

our esteemed contemporary. The
Richmond Nirgiuian insists that as
the prohIbitionists Will have the next
Legislature in The hollow Of their
hand, they must enact real prohibit
ton legislation. The Legislature,
which meets in January" The Vir-
einlan insists, must frame an efficient
law, one which being properly en-
forced will make prohibition effective.
The sentiment Of the people fully
sustains the demands Of the prohibit
ton leaders that the law shall be
made broad enough to insure real pro-
hlbition in Virginia The very term
which we have so often employed in
these columns--in fact, We rather
think we invented it for the occasion.
and we are glad that our prohibition
contemporary has adopted it Real
prohibition is what tho people want
and it is up to the LEGISLATURE to enact
laws that will insure it
Had The Nirginian stopped right
there, our contemporary and The
Daily Press would be standing to-
cether like brethren on the same plat
form. But The Nirginan goes a step
farther. II has its suspicious against
all who did not vote for Statewide, and
says hat as far as practicable the at
titnde OF men offering for public po-
sition toward the prohibition question
should he considered in the selection
Of public officials" And by way OF
Calculating. explaining and expound-
ing. our contemporary adds:
This does not mean that every
candidate for public office. who has
not supported prohibition. shall be led
to slaughter. 1t does mean. however,
that where officials have anything to
z 4. ~ 8 .
hihition laws. men who are In sympa-
thy with these laws may be naturally
expected To give more earnest attcn-
eion to their enforcement than men
who are not in sympathy with such
laws Therefore, the friends of the
cause should be given precedence in
the filling Of such offices as have any
thing whatever to do with the enforce
ment of prohibition. This is especial
ly true in the matter of judges of the
courts This Legislature should net
eject to the bench OF any court in the
state Il mar who is not in sympathy
with the laws which it's Judges VIII
be called upon to have enforced"
1t was ever the plea of Rev. James
Cannon that the prohibition question
be 20 handled as to keep il out OF Viz
ginia politics But The Nirginian' 8
program not only forces prohibition
into politics. but makes it the para
mount issue,"
In the last campaign in Massachu-
setts one political party died and an
other was born. The election held on
Tuesday was the end of the Progress
sive Republicans as a political party
in Massachusetts,. and the advent OF
the prohibition party as a political
party within the meaning Of the State
law. In order to make a political or
Fantzation a political party it's candi-
date for Governor at the next proceed
ing State election must have received
at least per cent of the total vote
cast MIR, Shaw had many votes to
spare on Tuesday. but Mr.. Clark. the
progressive candidate, had only about
half enough TO meet that requirement.
Now if the program of The Rich
nord NirElnian is carried out, how
long Will il be before there is full
fledEed prohibition party in Virginia =?
Newport News Press