The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-03

The old Hebrew prophet In denounc-
ing the conduct of enemies Of truth
and Righteousness compared them TO
leopards. and warned the people that
leopards could not change their spots.
Just so 1t is with the wet" news
papers of Richmond. They are oblig-
ed to agree that the people want pro-
hibition, but they declare ii to be
bad law" and their real hostility
10 Statewide prohibition Is so great
that the cloak of submission to the will
OF the people slips off from time to
time, and the leopard's spots are seen
70 be unchanged.
; The Anti-Saioon Lea que OF Virginia
Is the special object of their hatred.
and whenever they hear uuything
which shows that the league ia per
fecting its plans % make prohibition
reas. they lose control of themselves
entirely. their robe of feigned sub
mission drops into the dust, they paw
The Dir In an unc5strolla frenzy Of
hate ana rage. bringing into bold re
lief the leopard spots and they at
tack the teague as najiCiously and as
slanderously as ia The days OF the
Statewide confltct.
The most recent exhibition % the
'eopard's spots has heen given by the
News Leader. This paper is the prop
eTt% of some members Of the Bryan
family which for many years owned
the Times Dispatch which printed
vicious. slanderots and contemptible
editorials and reflections upon the
league workers. Ii Is no surprise,
! therefore. that the News Leader, un-
der the control of the same people,
should continue its siauderous attacks
upon the lea que.
On Tuesday. Novomuer "a. the News
Leader printed in the center Of the
first page the statement. in large
Hack type, PETERS is SLATED
FOR $1,000 PLACE" This elar!ne
hes dime was followed by a double
column article, eight inches deep, all
set in black type.
This article Is written in the usual
ieowardiy, snealsing style which marks
the articles which appear from time
10 time IN the News Leader concern
ing the Ant-Saioon League workers
} L IS suggestive of n snake in the grass.
or, indeed. of a saa1Se that IS more OF a
worm than snake. II twists and
wriggies and squirgns with it's insinu-
atoms OF srealthy, underhanded, tricky
conduct on the part OF the league.
| 1t does not know how to make clear
cut positive, manly statement The
only authority given for any state
statement is 1T Is understood. II
gives no names. but declares that the
prohibition Tor,T1. or prohibition
Cd" or mentioned" or "yeilesI'' It
would seem that even the owners OF
the News Leader formerly owners of
the Times-Dispatch, would he ashamed
TO print such a squtrming, wriggling
mass Of insinuations and innunendoes,
lin black type on the front page OF
their paper. But as they have not
apoloeized to the public, or, as far AZ
the writer. can learn. discharged the
editor responsible for its display, or
the writer who prepared 1t. they evil
IDENTIFY approve OF that kind of sneak
ing. wriggling, worInlike article.
ID The News Leader declares "A
bill, ii is understood has already beer
tentatively drawn by the prohibition
leaders of the State" What COW.
ardly suggestive statement 1T il
understood" Tentatively" prohibit
ton leaders" Why does not The
writer declare positively "A bill has
been prepared by the Legislative Com.
mittee of the Anti-Saloon League OF
Virginia or "A bill has been pre-
pared by the superintendent Of the
Anti-Saloon League, Rev. James Can
non, Jr., and his associates. Rev. j. S
Peters and David Hepburn WHY no,
declare positively that the bill has
been drawn. and State positively the
names OF the trainers of the bill7 BE.
cause the News Leader writer knows
nothing Of a positive nature. and
, knows that ne knows nothing: but SO
eager il he to print sensational ar
ticie. sianderous of the league, thai
he falls back on his voca buisry o.
wormlike insinuations and says. IN
is understood and by the ''prohihi.
ton leaders "Undcrstood'' by whom
Why by the writer who wormed out
|. this wriggling. squirning article
What prohibition leaders have ten
tatively drawn such n bill? None. SC
far as this writer knows. If any
prohibition leader has put pen or pen
ic!l To paper and even Tentatively"
drawn such a bill, the writer knows
nothing of il. The league declared a,
the convention last March that it look
ed with favor upon tho West Virginia
law, and that law has as its core the
idea Of law enforcement by a State
commissioner. That expression ot
opinion by the league was made pub.
llcly and printed In the newspapers
eight months ago. That statement Is
really too stale to be printed as news
and made the basis of sensational
headlines. even by the News Leader
And yet eight months after this pub.
lie action In open convention, the
wormlike writer OF the News Leade,
endeavors TO produce the impression
that the league Is stealthily preparing
Il bill to spring upon the innocent. un.
suspecting voters Of Virginia As .
matter OF fact no such bill has beer
drawn. even tentatively" but as was
declared eight months ago, the leagae
does look with favor upon the pro.
vision of the West Virginia law, whics
provides for state commissioner OF
prohibition.