The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-20

of court In presuming TO question the
righteousness of decisions already
made. II IL possible that may be the
only man In this audience. who went
to Judge welford's court when Gov
ernor Mann, then Judge Mann. sought
distant county from infiicting this hu-
initiation upon our faithful leader.
Should Be Recorded.
All these incidents ought to 60 to
record somewhere, after they have
been more carefully told and more
thoroughly verified than II II possibls
for me to do in this hurried ad-
dress
Just as soon AZ tho temperance peo-
pie conferred their attack upon the "a
loon. all the manufacturers, the whole
sale dealers and the retail dealers, to-
gether with the men whose natural
instincts and habits led them to SYM
pathize with the business and with
men who were afraid of the political
power OF the saloon and with others
who were tied up In some sort Of bust
ness relations with them; all these
made common cause with the saloon.
It 10 no reproach to the Anti-Saloon
League that it's program Of reforma-
ton has long ago >broadened beyond
the limits OF its name. Growing tenn
perance sentiment among its own peo-
pie would have brought this to pass
any way. But the broadening process
was greatly accelerated by the fact
that the liquor dealers themselves OF
every type and class ranged them
selves at once with the saloon In
terest.
Now tho safety Of the State, the
purity OF our public life, the sobriety
OF our sons. the happiness OF our
homes, the progress of moral reforms
OF other kinds, all demand nothing
short Of complete and permanent
dissolution Of the disgrnceful partner
and from every other form OF the
beverage liquor trafflc, and this de-
mand Is TO be made by legislation
which will presently DO introduced
into the houses of the Legislature sit
ting I'm the Capitol yondcr with every
reason TO believe that It will be adopt
ed and will be henceforth the Law of
Virginia.
Cause for Gratitude.
Surely thanksgiving ought to I'LL our
hearts to overlooking. With the re-
cent history you are too familiar to
make 1t necessary for me to speak of
It at any length. cannot. however,
neglect to say and can say 1t with
ont the least immodesty because my
own official relations to the league
have been quite recent, cannot
neglect to say that not only to the
leaders of temperance who have lived
among us and have done their work,
some of whom have entered upon
their heavenly reward, while others
are busy elsewhere, but also to the
men who are still with us and to those
who have recently left us to labor in
other fields. you and I. workers in the
ranks, owe gratitude and apprecia-
ton. When think Of the active men
In the work Of this league, Of what
they have borne, suffered. endured. ]
cannot resist the impulse to make my
grateful and appreciative acknowledge
ment of that part at least OF their
experience in which they suffered
vicariousIy for me and standing now
upon the sunit hill of victory and
vantage, I would. IL might, summon
these men to stand here before you
and would present them 70 you with
a single word: These are they which
have come up through much tribula-
ton" Ladies and gentlemen. my
simple task liz done. ] welcome you
to this annual gathering and pray
Gods rich blessing upon all your de-
alterations.