The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-16
PEOPLES FORUM.


Editor virginian:
sir.-~~It would he distinct service
to the beneficiaries themselves and
the abatement of a disgraceful public
nuisance If some means could De
found to restore degree of poiss to
those publications and frothy anti
prohibition pa artisans who arc behav-
Ing so badly because of the triumph
of a cause they despise. A defeated,
beaten overthrown mischtevous COM
biuation might be excused for the
manifestation or little soreness, INIT
10 go daft and descend to the plane
of Viillfcation and hith-throying SUCH
as now characterizes some OF the wet
papcrs and correspondents in their
vented spleen against the Anti-Saloon
League, and especially Dr. cannon, IL
simply disgraceful.
Did these oue-mad critics expect
the Anti. Saloon League 70 throw away
a dearly bought victory by needing
the solieitious counsel of their enc
miesr And can they seriously think
that the friends and comrades OF the
men they malign, and decent Chris
tisu citizenship. will look with any
degree of complacency upon this fifth
throwing propaganda?
The writer has been interested In
looking over some newspa per files ex-
tending hack through a decade. and
the same tactics have been more or
less resorted to In a desperate effort
to discredit the temperance propa-
Randa. DR.. Cannon has been for
number of years the special target
of the vets, their allies and apologists,
and has to endure even a modicum
Of envy from surprising sources tal-
Af.s~ f~& Ice TILL q
and yet he has horne it all with splen-
did cnnposure and great patience.
His services have beer freely given
to cause dear to his heart, and the
fierce light In which he has stood
for years has revealed no flaw In his
t.haracter--no selfish purpose, pres
ent prospective or Interior and no
semblance of white feather. The
Christian public of Virginia win not
take kindly TO this incessant abuse OF
A man who has given such valuable aid
and such sacrificing devotion for the
hest interests of the State. And the
Anti Saloon L.eaEueE-that splendid
exponent of the Christian and moral
continent OF the State. whose presi-
dent is the Rev X. II. Pitt. an able
aud distinguished minister of the
Baptist church and editor of the Re-
I itSfQuR Herald, ana the cASElslNe EUfti :
mittee, which In composed of conse-
Grated Christian ministers and iEyfnen
Of different churches-this organixa-
ton IL heraided az r. mischief making
machine ar ecclesiastical dynasty. and
such like 1t is indeed mischief
ma king machine for tie iiquorifAs
aud crooked politicians. and If its eff
fective work entities IL ta be denomi-
mated machine ii is goodly ma
chine and should he kept at work for
the benefit of the Commonwealth.
The chief ciammorings about ma
chimes generally emanate from those
who desire one or their own make,
That theirs are thousands of oriEf-
nal opponents of prohibition, who
sincerely desire to see the new law
faithfully executed may be accepted
as fact. aud these good citizens will
not permit. themselves to be elassed
as sym pathizess with the malcentents.
The instances Of petty spite-work and
vaporings of tbs grouchy will not So
i'iously mar the victory whereby vir-
ginis Is made free. But IL we'll he
hoopes the temperance hosts 10 bs
eset alert to keep we'll in taet their
foYees aa4 v pRceasiRsiy wase =