The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-04
DRYS HAVE
ABUNDANCE OF ARGUMENT
Former Lieutenant Governor Wallace Files With Secretary
of State Official Statement Behalf of Those Interested
in Bringing About Elimination of Liquor Traffic.

A nations best defense is a sober
cittzenry."
Arthur Ariett has filed the argu.
ment in favor of the second measure.
which will be on the ballot this year.
mat 10 close public drinking place.
Two weeks before election the Secre-
tary of State will mail this argument
10 every voter in the State. II reads
as follows:
This amendment will close sa-
looms and stop the service OF liquor in
public places.
at viii NOT interfere with the
manufacture, importing or exporting
of liquors, nor prevent people from
buying liquor in California, provided
they buy directly from the manufac~
turer in two gallon. or larger. lots. to
be delivered at the buyers residence.
Effect Upon Wine Industry.
1T will have no appreciate effect
upon CALIFORNIA; wine industry. The
odore A. Bell. then attorney for the
wine interests, stated in 1914 that
of 10000 gallons OF wine pro-
duced in California in 1918, 10000, 900
gallons were shipped elsewhere. OF
the small part left in California, only
that consumed in public places would
be affected by this amendment
Fresno County. with more than
1o'NV"fNNN grape tiHcSs ana many
large wineries, is dry under the local
option law. Grape growers know
that public drinking places hurt their
homes and their business. and have
voted them out. This amendment
will do for the whole State what
Fresno grape growers have done for
themselves. 8
Tourist Argument.
The chief argument against Il II
that 1t will discourage tourists from
coming 10 California, and so hurt
hotels This has not happened else
where
Before Colorado went dry, her
citizens discovered that tourists re.
manned In wet Denver an average Of
one, and one-half days. and In dry
Colorado Springs three and ona-ha1f
days. Governor Carlson says this was
an important factor influencing the
people to vote dry.
, Chester H: RowelI; in the Fresno
jority Of California tourists como
from conditions and home in which
wine Is not customary. He also
points out that the total revenue from
wine sold in hotels would not pay for
the paint on the hoops of wine bar
rels.
Hotels and Prohibition.
The injury done to hotels by this
measure would be as nothing com-
pared with the gain to the State.
Liquor-serying hotels and restau.
rants are frequently the worst ele.
ment in city life. Many Of them be-
come designation houses WHOSE chief
profit Is from vice. Even the re.
spectacle ones have their lapses.
When the Palace Hotel re-opencd IN
San Francisco the Sacramento Ree
wrote thus OF the celebration. "A San
Francisco exchange states that wo.
men flocked to the bar-room as soon
as the conventions began to give way:
that they stood at the bar in rows:
that they drank and shook d!ce--
grandmothers. mothers and maideras
When this could happen in a respect-
able hotel. what must conditions Be In
disreputable hotels?
IF the curse of saloons ana French.
cafes is to be removed. the public
drinking place must go That Ii what
this amendment will accomplish.
will close the dive. stop the treating
custom. separate drink from publiS
dancing, lessen danger from drunken
automobile drivers, and take saloons
out of politics.
"Neighboring States have fornj
that closing saloons improveS bs1
ness. reduces crime ami makes Go
ditions better for the Averages 800
and marvelousiy better for Z
ana children. CaiifosnIs4 4x 4
manAt1oe have had 1H1
I,le ls