The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04
West Virginia Had Deficit OF
S35O,OOO lest Year With
Liquor Revenue Coming In
Through With
Liquor Forever
Commissioner Blue Pours Hot
Shot Into Liquorites. Declar-
ing Talk of Turning State
Back Wet for Money Insult
tsssr Correspondence Of Washington

tStaf Correspondence Of Washington
Starr
Charleston. W. Va. April 3,~-"Nhen
his State voted Intoxicating liquors
out II voted them out forever
This ~ the statement Of Tax Com
missioner Blue. who Is also commits
aioner of prohibition, charged with
the enforcement Of tho anti liquor
law, speaking after West Virginia has
been dry fer eishl and half
months. NE made the statement with
emphasis,
IL you want IT, get a risc out Ok
state officials just uul;mOer yopr bat
terry Of questions and pump in AZ an
opening shot the inquiry whether the
present financial ANTIQUITIES of the
state are the result OF the loss OF
liquor traffic revenue ana whether the
state may some time go wet again.
Y Gu VIII yet a ue-back instantly
and Indignantly. Continuing. Com
missioner Blue said
The State viii never again permit
the Iegalized sale of alcoholic hcver-
ages. and viii never again enter into
a partnership with the liquor business,
Some people seem deiuded with the
idea thar this state Will 20 back to
the liquor Business for tho purpose NJ
raising revenue. shame, twice shame.
Hpou these wLa viii permit them
selves 10 D." LED away by such de-
iusions 70 seriously suggest 1t ~ a re-
Prca en- 20 the citizenship 81 the state
ss,it 81 sad reflection upon tho lntoll-
gcHce ~ those. who suggest the idea.
The time is here when the people ~
II, State plt men and morals above
tale sltl AZ es
KNEW Revenue Would Cease
The people NJ INC State Kna~
~aNN tGrr voted 10 ratify the pro-
iihit.pn amendment. that they were
voting away Tho revenue from the
l.aup' buxiness, II ts ar insult to their
Intelligence 70 suggest turning again
~ the iiduoF business for revanue.
They also knew that with the growth
and advance mont OF the State came
The natural increase in state ex-
penditures for education protect ION TO
: inc wufkinEman and those dependent
upon him, and aid 10 those stricken
: by disease as affecting not only theu-
selves bat the publ as we'll And
the people. when they voted upon
prohibition, expected the Legislature
10 make necessary provision to meet
the changed conditions
Compare the $3.50 900 Of annual
revenue from the Nquor business with
generation ~ hoys and girls. men
and women. th. know not the saloon.
Compare he S650.A 200 NJ revenue
that the State might receive from the
liquor business VITA tho sum OF SIS
eco 600 that forme}$ Went out of the
State annually to purchase and bring
ilauer into the State--f0r what nur-
pose? What good did Il do when
broggh5 hcye@ What can DO said for
ft% DE- 4, really make for happiness
Yr4Sr7N+ 3,. 10
good one dsv but very bad the day
sffer II brought crime even to the
extent OF murde II. more than any
other factor, Is responsible for .9qs
saen, most o. them young being to-
day in tho state penitentiary It.
more than any other factor< is re-
sponsible for 2,2Ss being in the state
a1yiuras today.
The criminal court of Mcdowell
County, from it's creation until after
July last. never had term without
murder case on its docket. That
court. before the ist of last July. sent
m an average. sixteen men 70 the
pcnitentisry every term. That aver
age, since July ] last. nas fallen 20
per cent. In the county OF Berkeley
since July last. the grand turtles for
Two terms II court returned no in
dictrnents something that had not
"Ncufred III w" HFAef history al the
'ounty.
Law Can Re Enforced.
West Virginia has now experienced
sight and \ half months OF State
vide prohibition. II has been demon
stratei that prohibition will prohibit
and that prohibition law can be en-
forced.
Some weeks age brewing com.
pany of Columbus. Ohio, capitalized nj
4 -
for the appointment of receiver and,
the winding up of its affairs. One Of
the causes given for its unfortunate
financial condition was that this State
of West Virginia had gone dry! Only
few days ago large bank at Pitts
burg suspended payment. The state
ment was given out that some con-
nected with the management of the
hank were connected with certain
oreweries. that the business OF such
breweries had been very much injured
and curtailed by prohibition in West
Virginia. And yet the brewers and
the liquor people generally say that
prohibition will not prohibit!
Throughout the nation LIQUOR peo-
pie are seemingly spending large sums
uf money to make the impression that
West Virginia is bankrupt, because she
no longer COLLECTS revenue from the
liquor business, and II Is. therefore.
quite apparent that the liquor inter-
ests Throughout the country are try
ing to d.scredit prohibition II West
Virginia
C~eate False Impression.
1.-THE liquor people, purposely, and
some who ere not In the liquor bust
ness. unadvisedly. endeavor to create
The impression that West Virginia suf-
ters financially because she prohibits
the manufacture and sale OF intuxicat
ting liquors. The appropriation for all
purposes of the State, payable out OF
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