Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-11-03

Il
synonym for all that was grand and
noble, and desirable-yet ali the while
in this Virginia, boys and men, with
all the inherent rights of unimpeach-
able nobility, the sons and wives of
noble women, whose sacrifices made
possible the glorious strides of pro-
gress of the South since the days of
'65 and who gave to the word "sacri-
flee" holier tone, have fallen beneath
the feet of this Monster DESTROYER.
and have been laid as evidence Of a
cause that had not been won.
Prayers Answered.
But the prayers of good men and
of good women, the sobs of broken
lives and the piteous cries of stnrv-
ing children and hungry mothers could
not forever fall upon blank, un-
needing ear. The senses of men were
touched by the still small voice until
The dawning of n beautiful day was
blown upon Il sky that was hidden by
clouds lowering, dark and threaten
ing. The prayers and efforts and un-
failing perseverance of men who had
stood faithfully and long on the side
oil Right, until the principle that
was good triumphed in magnificent
victory. Almost unbelievable was the
news that Virginia was going dry.
That the State that had harbored the
mint bed, that had nursed the baby
on decantur, and that had continued
through all the years to fill the ceme-
terics with the young men grown old
along the gaudy path of hidden thorns
had succumbed ut last to the teach
ings of good men and had been touch
ed by the spirit of tho NaZnrcne
which bathed lonely soul upon the
cross that men might live upon the
earth.
Ends Long, Long Years.
And it isn't next week, perhaps or
next month, next year, that this thing
is coming to pass. 1t is tomorrow.
Not the tomorrow, and tomorrow,
and tomorrow" of Shakespeare, which
draws on the days into endless time,
put a real tomorrow that ends the
long, long years of waiting and watch
ing beside a principle that must have
vanquished in spite of all efforts
that could have been put forth against
1t. Not ut some indefinite time, kent
present in the minds of men md
frcsher i'll hearts of determined, but
now, the distance of u DE-. 10 this
thing to come to pass.
4hitut aliSi All, IL 1871 IHe lucL InlJ
Virginia's going dry represents n
great victory unreservedly won that
counts so much; that it shows how
surely goodness and mercy must final
ly be victor over all the ends the dew
IL may pursue, that it is the prayer
of men and women vindicated in 4
prophetic way. But it is significant
more tenderly because it brings with
1t gentle command and wholesome
provision that the peace and happi-
ness of home is not to be violated,
that mothers may rest content in the
knowledge that sons may fare forth
free from snares that have beguiled
them on the way, and that prosperity
may come not built on n foundation
Of ravished homes and shattered forms
of broken men.
1t is true that there is revenue
most costly rcvenue-derived from
the sale of liquor, which will be
missed from the Golfers of the State.
But it is also true that there will
come revenue for flour, for shoes,
for clothes, for meats. which has not
come before. And buildings that were
used for the dispensaries of booze,
will serve as meeting places for men
Who spend their wages for bread in
oSSob Va pOioOHs
Revenue Will Not Be Missed.
Prohibition takes some $4,000
from the revenue of Richmond alone,
but, prominent real estate dealers
say that in the place of the liquor
houses from which this revenue is de-
rived, in six months there will be in
every case n house of business of n
legitimate nature. And that the re-
venue from this dissipation of human
life, used in the building of side
walks, streets and the improvements
of the city docks, will be replaced by
revenue from the sale of food and
clothing, and the benefit to happy
homes will pay all the price there is
to pay.
Tomorrow night, at the stroke of
twelve, it is said the witches with
which legend and folk-stories have
peopled all the by-ways, will walk
and whisper and caper, and that
spirits long departed will apnear in
form again. But at the same stroke
of twelve, thanks TO the earnest and
almost unspeakable tenacity of those
who would not lose, when these
spirits walk they will adopt into their
midst the shade of n new-departed
form that of one John Barleucorn,
who lived long and hard, and his
memory will be kept forever black
by the hopes he has crushed, the am
bitions he has wrecked, the friend
ship he has despoilcd, and the
means of deception, unscrupulous con-
duct and unmentionable denravity he
displayed while fighting for his worth
less life.
Virginia is going dry!