The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-07

nature win Tend its svsf-reedy aid.
and the body polite will recover.
II do not speak on behalf Of these
men as IL they had peculiar rights.
They have no rights. Mr.. Chairman,
: beyond what In for the interest Of the
1 community. II the men who are Gre
ating this agitation were right instead
of wrong in their views. and should
| be able to convince the great majority
of voters that II Is wise to abolish
the liquor traffic. and possible to do
SO, then every liquor dealer in the
community would be obliged to drop
| that business and go into some other.
Mr.. johnson. Surprising he refuse
to obey the law?
| Mr.. Brandeis. He cannot refuse to
obey the law If the majority uphold
the law. You cannot make Law
which will be effectual that has not
the moral support of a majority Of
people unless you establish a depotisn;
fand. on the other hand, you cannot
disregard law which expresses the
will of the majority unless you invite
anarchy.
Mr.. johnson. Isn't the existence of
statute proof Of the will of the
majority?
Mr.. Brandeis. No. 1t Is evidence
/ which creates presumption: but tho
presumption may be rebutted by the
facts. When we find upon the Sta
tute Book a law that a certain thing
shall not be done; when we ind in
the community thousands Of men WINS
would like that law enforced and an
organization maintained for the sole
purpose of enforcing that law; when
we find, Efurther,N that throughout
neary sixteen years that law has been
daily transgressed by men of promi-
hence everywhere, and ignored by
common consent: / say that then this
presumption as to the will OF the com.
munity hast been most eneotually re-
butted, and that you cannot re-estab-
lish that presumption. cannot rehab-
ilitste it, by merely showing that this
or that Legislation has refused to re-
| idle and imperative words.
Remember, gentlemen, that the
liquor dealer does not come OF a pc
culiar race, or or particular species
of the human family. The blood flows
in his veins as II does In your own.
He is subject to the same passions
and appetites, the same sympathies
and emotions that you are. He is not
an accident, but, like those of every
|cther trade, the result of the commu-
mites needs determined by the law
of demand and supply. Make your
laws such that liquor dealers do not
have to become politicians.
Some of you gentlemen serve the
State as Legislators from a sense of
duty: some of you do IT because II Is
the pleasantest occupation you can Sc
| lect, or because yon find II otherwise
for your interest; but most of us are
in politics or out of 1t for reasons
which affect us individually and, not
as members of class. So II should
be with the liquor dealers There
is nothing in the nature of things to
make man. who dlspenses liquor at
wholesale, or retail, politician There
is not particular connection between
government and liquor. 1t Is a con-
nection which is made by the persecu-
ton of the class; and you can readily
convert wollen manufacturers or iron
manufacturers into politicians by un-
necessary interference with their meth
DDS of doing business Indeed, the
wooden manufacturers already go To
Congress for their tariff and the iron
manufacturers have likewise became
politicians to look out for their in
terests The same is true of some
other classes of workers Why? Be-
cause they have private ends to sub
serve. Because they believe 1t la
necessary for their existence to go into
politics. to have power and to exer-
J else it; and so long as the laws OF
the Commonwealth compel the liquor
dealers to exer, influence in politics
| in order to live. those engaged in the
trade viii endeavor to control the gov
eminent. 1t is the struggle for exist
lence A great thinker has expressed
the opinion \that II would be better
/ to have the liquor trade wholly I'M
regulated, than to give 1t such strong
inducements to engage in politics. In
my opinion that alternative is not a
necessary one. Today, under the limit
ed and high license system, the liquor
/ trade contains large number of men
whose position is good financially, and.
| to a certain extent. socially. men who
desire to elevate their trade, men who
want to conduct themselves properly,
linen who do not want TO be In poiitics
any more than all Of US do, at certain
! times and for certain purposes. Make
| your regulations. but reasonable, ana
! these men will gladly comply with the
! law-and as gladly retire from posi-
lions in the political field. Then there
will be some liquor dealers In the
+eeisiature-as- thefe-wiH- be-sene of
+ all trades, as there will be bakers and
! lawyers and farmers. 1t IL best fo-
the community that all interests should
| be represented here, and theirs among
the rest But you will not find pre-
dominance or any class unless yos
make that predonineuce an essential
Ito existence. REMOVE FROM THE
| STATUTE BOOK OBNOXIOUS AND
/ DEGRADING LAWS, REMOVE THE
UNCERTAINTIES WITH WHICH you
HAVE SURROUNDED A BUSINESS
| WEIGH is SURE TO EXIST FOR
AGES TO COME, REMOVE THE DIS
CREDIT WHICH YOU HAVE PLACED
ON TIKI sTRADE, WHICH YOU HON
OR WITH YOUR PATRONAGE; LET
THESE PEOPLE PURSUE THEIR
TRADE WITHOUT FEAR OF PER-
sECUTION. AND UNTRAMMELLED
ny REGULATIONS WITH WHICH