The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-16
X. r. RISHOp-

The several States that last Tuesday
voted to outlaw the saloon contain,
among other notable features the
largest city In the world that has ever
declared for prohibition. The honor
belongs to Detroit, and the vote OF the
State of Michigan. outside of Detroit.
Is decisive and emphatic.
Once more we congratulate the peo-
pie OF those States that have Joined
the dry column on keeping the main
issue to the fore amid all the bewil-
derments OF this extraordinary poll
teal campaign. This Is the explaua-
ton Of the victory. But how did it oc-
cur that in the. city OF Detroit men
were able to turn away from the saloon
economic argument and the personal
liberty argument and do the right
thing. while In so many other cities
the saloon dope was sufficient to blind
and stupefy the great masses OF voters
into continuing the old regime?
Is II necessary to remind ourselves
that our propaganda Is essentially re-
ligious Churchmen organized 1t and
church money, as well as religious en-
thusian, have propelled it thus far.
The great bodies of splendid women
who have borne and trained a new
generation of voters--chief sufferers.
many of them. from the gigantic evil
and best witnesses against it--what
other institution but the Church of
Jesus Christ could have produced
them?
Billy Sunday was in Detroi: for
weeks before the vote was taken. 1t
may be questioned whether any other
great city ever witnessed the spectacle.
Just before an election on the wet and
dry question of thousands of men
standing up. as in the Immediate pres
9 nf God. nfaIrn hpr tvn
against the saloon.
Time was when we impIored the
politicians TO save us. They seemed
to be the all-powerful ones. Men
faithful to our cause are still living
to tell US of the days when they went
. from one political camp to another to
beg as favor that some little recog-
milton be given-in party platforms
and in the selection Of candidates--to
the great cause of temperance. The
result is weil-known.
We are not now asking favors Of
professional politicians. We have
taught many of those gentlemen some
nuCh-needed lessons in practical poll
ties. They may not love us any more
now than in the former days. but they
have been cured of their contempt for
+ us; they have learned to reckon with
us: they know that we have spoiled
many Oh llelT DeSt-tai0 pidHS, ana tudl
/ there is considerable number OF
States in which no opponent Of prohi-
hilton 3an- hope for political honors--
/ We have just spoken of mothers
and the part they have taken in bring
ing about this revolution. In another
large city second only to Detroit in
! population, where our information re-
/ ports a temperance victory. a profound
religious awakening preceded the cam
paign, the wives and mothers taking
an active part. The following letters
may serve to indicate the kind of work
done by some Of them
! Depends Oh Sober Men.
ITO the Star: | am trying to buy a
little home on the instailment plan
and to send nay little boy, eleven years
old to school. The other night man
brought my husband home. paralyzed
drunk, his money gone and his peck
cts stuffed with paper telling what a
terrible thing prohibition Is.
My boys grandfather is buried in
the G.. A. II. plot at Elmwood Gene
terry He served through the Civil
War, lay in Libby Prison. drinksae
water from which he had to brush the
scum. and contracting rheumatism
from sleeping on wet ground. Many
a night when he was on picket duty
I he had 10 rub onions in his eyes to
keep awake.
! He did this for freedoms sake. and