The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-03

GtidAS III our the +&tNAi w ~ =
The eleventh and the sixteenth were
made necessary to correct errors found
by the Supreme Court. In about 1919
years it has been amended by reason
of two crisis referred to, and these
amendments were the first twelve, the
thirteenth, the fourteenth and the If
teenth. The seventeenth is the only
amendment which was caused by
something else than national crisis,
but 1t was of general national concern.
acquiesced in by substantially ali the
people and related simply to part
of the machinery of our government
and involved NO matter of principle
Between the adoption of the twelve
amendments and the adoption of the
thirteenth--a period of over sixty
years. In which our nations character
was in its formative stage-no amend
ment was made, Notwithstanding the
great number and variety at social,
religious and political questions which
then arose. And although on a wave
of hysteria, prohibition cameo to over
one-ha1f of the States between 1850
and 1890, on trial it was soon repudi
ated by all of them. Notwithstanding
the frenzy Of this prohibition agita-
ton, no effort was made to ingraft It
upon The national constitution. In
fact no amendment has ever been
proposed to invade the. home of rea-
son, the citadel of conscience, the
sanctuary of SOUL
The question now is. are the peo-
pie of America ready to weaken the
stability and degrade the dignity of
the constitution and uproot the vene-
ration and respect in which il has been
held by the whole world %? Are they
ready to reduce it 10 the tiuctuating
fevel of municipal ordinances and leg
islative acts which can be changed by
any factional. sentimental or fanatical
impulse with which the people are
temporarily seized?
THE proposed amendment is repul-
sive to divine and natural law"
WHY does the Cincinnati saviour of
the constitution rail out? Why is he
so solicitous for the old document
which he pretends to revere and honor
so much that he fears its demolition +"
Simply because progress of the past
. few years. as Indicated by the vote OF
the people, especially the voting Of
Tuesday. November e. indicates plainly
to him and those whom no serves that
the people of America are getting
ready to abolish the liquor traffic
First of ALI. Mr.. probasCo has paid
an eloquent compliment to the Anti
Saloon League. He secs in that or
ganiZation the most powerful enemy
Of the constitution and the sacred iih-
critics of the people. He does not use
time. effort or paper TO 60 after any
other political or religious organiza-
ton that is fighting the saloon.
Mr.. Probasco quotes Abraham Lin
coin. He certainly knows, as every
one else knows. that Abraham Lin
coin never believed in CountenanCiug
or continuing an evil by the protec-
ton of law or constitution. and that
Mr., Lincoln expresses himself as being
ready, since the abolition of slavery,
to tackle the evil of the liquor traffic
only his martyrdom prevented his tax
ing up that traffic and dealing with Il.
Mr.. Probasco is worried because the
liberties of the people are in Danger
Well. he need not worry. He would
proba bly, admit that the electorate If
America is reasonably intelligent. suiti-
ciently careful of Itself and well
enough concerned in it's own prosper
ity not 10 do violence 10 its welfare
at the polls. What he is now attack
ing is submission by Congress of the
prohibition amendment. He ought to
know that mere submission of itself
does not change the constitution a
whit Unless the people of the States
ratify the amendment 1t will not carry,
1t will be admitted by him that in
the election of National Legislators
there has been tendency in modern
DAYS To choose more and more men
favorable 10 prohibition. In the re-
cent election the people Of a number
Of States chose men who favor sub
mission and retired those who do not
favor il. The record Of these law
makers is AN open book back home
among the constituents. Ii these con-
stituents do not want submission, why
do they persist in eiecting dry men?
Gradually, certainly. even swiftly. of
late, the people of the several States
have been enrolling their common
wealths in the dry column. What does
that mean? 1t simply means that they
want prohibition and purpose to have
il. Even after they have tried out pro-
hibition, they are still satisfied. as
witness ill., futile attempts of the
vets in tryng to get oregon, Washing
ton, Colorado and other States to Grip
pie their prohibtory laws
Mr. Probasco contends that the pro-
hibition policy is contrary TO the teach
ings of the Bible. OF its prophets, of
its saints and of Jesus Christ Himself,
How does Mr.. Probasco know that
Doesn't he know that the Anti-Saloon
League could not live but for the
moral, financial and intellectual sup
port of the churches and those near
to the churches? Who better than the
church people can interpret the Bible
and its teachings" Are such intefpre
tations to come from the distilery,
the brewery, the barroom. the office Of
the liquor lawyer or the sanctum of
the liquor trade journal?
Mr. Probasco says the only warrant
for the adoption of constitutional
amendment is a crisis. Mr.. Probasco
is right. And the crisis is here 1t Is
time In the affairs of not only Amer
lea but the entire world when evil
must be dealt with in no very gentle
way. The HQuor traf11C, Chief Toe or
not only the constitution but of the
very life of the nation itself. must be
throttled. Ii constitutional amend
ment is the weapon then the people
will not hesitate to use 1t in the crisis.
The National Daily.