The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-15

WIS to make effective the will OF the
people as duly registered mt the polls
TO prohibit the beverage liquor traf-
fic. There were some flies In the
ointment" attaching to the Statewide
referendum measure, which were
endurabie and defensible solely on
the ground that. their elimination
would have prevented the passage of
the bill, and the declared purpose of
the prohibitionists to remedy the de-
fects at the present Legislative session.
OF course, this will be- done, and
every safeguard provided to insure
an absolute enforcement of Virginia
from the ubiquitous traffic In bever--
ages that has proven such woefui
crime.
We may expect artfui contrivances
to evade the law and legislation should
be well considered, sufficiently drastic
and with penalties for violation that
will prove deterrent. Trivial fines
for a misdemeanor are not sufficient
in this particular. This lie no time
for softness or tenporizing. The
scope of police surveillance should be
broadened and soda fountain and bar
Der shop fronts with suspected
liquor backs should be provided
against by making it the legal duty
of the constabulary to frequently In
spect all business places, including
hotels, cafes and restaurants, and the
homes of all social clubs. The social
club subterfuge should be given spe-
ciai attention. 1t would be well to
require all business and social clubs
To publish the names Of their OFF,
GERS and members their places OF
meetin. objects of the association
etc, and the penalty for a social club
subterfugc TO dispense liquor should |
be made n felony nthe part of all
participants. All establishments /,
handling beverages of any kind should |
be required to print the formula OF |
each and post such formula i'm a con- |
spicuous place on the premises. The /
sale of any other beverage whatever T
being prohibited under strict penalty !
The purchaser of Illicit booze" should I,
be Jointly guilty with the selle and I
drunkenness OH the public streets or :
common carrier or in a public plac |
should be Il felony. This view is not'l
vindictive. The penal code Is not for :
the purpose of Furnishing a criminal in !
retrihutive sense so mu h as a .
deterrent example. While we waste I
Sym athy over the criminal in lax laws /
we are in danger of making more
criminals The thou shalt not Of 4
the law should he dreaded and its ma
Jesty respected.
An uuequivocal statute should he /
passed forbdding the advertising OF /
any spurious or malt liquors wines, /
beer or cider and any substitute in
taxicating decoction in any periodi- !
cal or by pamphlet, circular, card. I
letter, sign or token within the Com +
monwealth. An exception could be.
made to allow alcohol for medicinal /
and mechanical purposes to be ad- |
vertised only ny regular business /
houses above suspicion OF seeking TO |
evade the law and upon permission of I
a duly authorized prohibition COM !
missionsr---the law being so phraSed |
as to afford 10 temptation and pre-
clu3e any likelihood OF It's perversion /
to beverage designs.
1t would be wise to create STATE /
Prohibition Board TO assist the con- /
stabulary III enforcing the Law. And
all good citizens should heartily CO.
operate in securing the prohihitory
ali left to the officers. independent
or the active moral support of the
citizenry
And il is foolish to regard the vie
tory over the liquor traffic and drink
curse as yet completely won. We
have taken the main breastworks of
the enemy, but the fight is not yet
over. 1t we'll behooves us to keep
alive the agitation of the subject to
Ns~N''
cup, TO make effective the prohibitory
statutes of our own State and to
reach forward to the goal OF national
constitutional prohibition. Nor should
We be at all discouraged if some eva
slons of the law occur The Times
Dispatch-not known as a dry cham
pion--recently said editorialiy that the
fact of such evasions or violations
would he no argument against the
law. Certainly not! And no more is
a murder an argument against the
law---'ssf.ou shalt not kin"
The prohibition army has fought o
good fght'--it has kept the faith"
but It has not finished the course
There is vet much work to do. which
will require patience, faith and per-
severanceg but the greater distance
of the long march UP the hill TO the
sun-crowned summit OF complete srr-
cess is behind us, and soon from that
gained height will be flung to the
breeze the stainless BANNER Of "a
ioonless nation
w NJ BICKERs.
Richmond Va.
January 12. 1916.