The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-18
LEADERS SEND OUT
APPEAL IN BEHALF
Of OPTIONAL BILL
Ask Pastors to Help Secure Relief On
Liquor Question Through Leg
islatiye Action.

New York. Jan. 17.-Evidence is
not lacking that the temperance ques-
ton has become 8 live issue in New
York State and that the Anti Saloon
Lea que is proving itself an effective
agency.
Among the facts which make up
this evidence is the one that New
York citys pastors are actively and
earnestly interested in the success
of the optional local prohibition
measure pending In the General AS
sem bly,. There has been much said IN
the past TO indicate that this city is
serene and satisfied in the midst OF its
wiokednees. and that the leading
churchmen either are indifferent to
the temperance or afraid to express
their sentiments concerning it
II such a condition ever existed 1t
q oes not now exist. The following
letter. sent by the clergy of New
York city 10 the clergy Of New York
state. shows that the elergy of the
metropolis are alive tc, the situation
intensely interested IN the issue and Oh
the right side Of the question.
The signatures attached 70 tins let
ter are those Of men whose churches
are national institutions. The effort
in which they are Joining lines up
is. possibly. the greatest array OF
Influential clergynen ever massed III
belief Of a ,cnnGtete legisla tife pGoro.
sition
This is the text of the letter,
TO the Clergy of New York.
The taaaaF sisHaA clergyman Ia
the city OF New York. which is the
stron ghold of the liquor traffic in
America. appeal to you Of the State
to help US secure relief on the liuucr
question through the state EegIsia
ture
We do not ask your representa-
tives in the Lesisla ture 10 close any
OF our saloons. All we want IS tor
them to pass legislation mat will al
low us 10 do Il for ourselves by giving
us the right 10 vote an the liquor
question which is possessed by every
farmer and villager upstate. We do
not ask your Representatives to pro-
tee. Us from our saloons, hut We do
want them TO QUIT PROTECTING
OUR SALOONS FROM US
Our People Are Disfronchised.
This great city. with OYER half the
population of the state. is helpless
and PROSTATE on the liquor question
Our voters cannot vote to close ga
looms in the city as a whole or In any
portion of the city 10 protect oar
nome districts, W 10 HtE dSA VT
need anybody to do ON: work for us,
but we do need help to get our hands
united on the liquor question.
al last the temperance forces ars
united upon q practical program. The
Optional Prohibition Referendum Biz
proposed by the Anti-Saloon League
and supported now by the temperance
forces generally. will give relief TO
us and also to you. II will give every
voter IN the state a chance 10 vote
effectively on the liquor business. Its
passage would ena BILE It's TO keep our
city liquor interests so busy at home
that they will not have so much tiIne
or money Ia spend in hetAAFiass- re.t4,-
So long as we are distinguished on the
LIQUOR question our liquor controlled
legislators are free To block upstate
moral progress that depends upon
legislative action. The moral In
terests of the city and upstate must
stand together. Separated we have
been at the. mercy OF the liquor traf
fic. United we can win.
The Truth That VIII Make Us free
I'VE find that there are many In
teiiigent. fair minded citizens of the
state who do not fully realize the in
iouitous unfairness Of which the cities
of New York are the victims on this
to Realization;
"uD That nearly four-fifths of
the population of New York
State is totally distinguished ON
line liquor question.
seq That the Optional Prohi-
LItion Referendum Bill yiil give
them freedom In their respective
communities to work ont their
own salvation by majority vote
on this question and enable them
TO enforce their expressed will.
The passage of similar legislation
has been greatly facilitated in other
States by what lis known as Concerted
Discussion on this specific issue on
one day simultaneously through the
State, We therefore Join In request
ing that you unite with the churches
generally throughout New York State
in bringing this matter to the atten-
ton of your congregation on Sunday.
January 80. 1915. to the end that they
may write or petition their represen.
tstives in the LEGISLATURE to grant this
relief to the people OF this and the
other cities In the Empire state"