The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-05


feared nothing so much as becoming entangled
with this question. ana have fled in terror from
every. suggestion that II should be dealt with
In party platforms.
Strong as has been the influence of william
Jennings Bryan. he was bitterly denounced by
democrats for assocating the liquor issue with
the party. He does net feel lonely now
he did when he wrote in his paper:
The Democrats OF the nation have
issue to face and they may well face
it. The liquor interests are at bay; they
are tho defensive. The Democratic
party cannot afford to shield the brewery,
the distillery and the saloon from the rising
wrath of the future. Why allow the IL
quor Interests to lead it away into the
wilderness?
The outcry caused Mr. Bryan to modify his
declaration, and in the recent fight in Congress
on national prohibition he let 1t be known that
he considered the question State issue. He
had not the courage 10 stand by his convictions
He feels his party and official responsibility
too much TO indorse the position of Congressman
Hohson, who said few months ago:
Before this year passes there will be
probably twenty prohibition States This
will onlN inaugurate the great struggle In
+ 1916 in All political parties to control the
nominations and the making of the plat
forms in the interest of national prohibit
ton. making this issue paramount in the
presidential campaign of 1916.
Liquor men and politicians heaped redicule
on Hobson for his assertion. but already the
same issue is predicted by the ahlest leader
OF the Republicans.
Like every other great movement the
against liquor has had its long periods of hope
lessness and defeat. only to benefit at last by
the accumulated force Of unending agitation. The
first national temperance convention was held
in 1888. in Philadelphia, but the Prohibition
party did not become q reality until 1872.
For forty years its followers despised
as fanatics and Missionaries. They never elected
la candidate, and probably never will; but they
have stood uncompromlsngly for principle. and
now they see it being taken up by the other
parties.
Public opinion has advanced so far that the
issue is becoming nonpartisan. For many years
the Democracy was the whtsey party, but
Southern Dem ocrats have led the nation in pro-
hbtion Moreover, In several States such as
PENNSYLVANIA the Republican party has be-
come the open ally and servitor of rum. Po
1tical machines take aid wherever they
find 1t, and in time the condition appeared
which Is thus described by Colonel Roosevelt:
WhisSey and crooked politics unquestion-
ably have strong mutual affinities. and it
is natural that everywhere the liquor forces
should line up against the progressive
NIFTY sometimes ta@hind one. sometimes
behind the ether. and sometimes behind
both of the old parties.
1t was only in 1896 that the present agrees
sive anti-saloon movement was organized. and
the revolt against the exil on economic grounds
has been even more recent. Yet already sixteen
States are wholly dry while IN many others
a vast majority OF the people have ousted
lions under local option, Prohibition actually
governs much more than half the population
or the United States and four-fifths of its
TERRITORY.
/ Nothing impossible when consem-
plate the anti-quor revolution in Russia. De
spite the extraordinary social and economic
progress made by tina: country since the aboli-
ton of the vodka evil few months ago liquor
advocates have assaileo the change the
ground that II duo to the decree of despot
and to the will Of the people. The answer
Z 10 1iS lie ND In
( For three months after the sale of vodka had
been forbldden-the loss in revenue being $3.50.
4 100000 a yea--resti.drants and social clubs
in the cities and towns were allowed to
wine and beer. On October 26, however, the
Government authorized city and town councils
to forbid permit this traffic George Ken
nan. in the outlook, writes;
Then began struggle In tho councils
| between the prohibitionists and the COM
promisers. The first large city
to take decisive action was Moscow. On
December % the city council adopted COM
rlete prohibition b. an open vote of more
! than three to one. On December 80 the
Petrograd city council prohibited all in
toxcants including the lighter beverages,
t by a vote of fifty-six to thirty nine. For
I the first time the two great capitals were alb
! solutely dry Many other towns have
taken the same action. and the example will
( probably be followed throughout the en-
| pire, Scores of local legislatures
! have adopted resolutions favoring absolute
prohibition forever. The most energetic sup
portsrs OF the resolutions are the peasants.
I Thus the movement initiated by Russian
tocracy has been taken by the people them
selves. Does any one imagine that the Ameri-
Can people will prove less progressive and in
teiligent than the Russians?
/ The statement o: Senator Cummins has
startled many politicians. But it simply makes
good the prediction offered in these columns
on October last:
! The liquor question is the greatest single
I issue of the day. fo.' 1t breaks down party
! barriers and unites on common ground men
! of both the old organizations. Already the
I anti-liquor sentiment constitutes the bal
I ance OF power in the Central West and most
/ Of the Northern States; and the day Is not
/ far distant when 1t will confront the bosses
n national issue-Philadslphia North
American.
tbolishing the Headlight