Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-28


EQuALIZATION
Not IL Despotism. but Dcmocrncy
+" the Editor Of The Times Dispatch:
Sir,-Thc writer desires TO call at
! tention to your editorial Of February
| =, headed Erecting n New DcEpotisn'
= Mess the word "dcSpotiSin" has an en-
tirciy new meaning from that which
! 1T conveyed 10 historians OF the past
! ms charge against til. present As
! semhly ia wholly misleading. Assum-
ing that it's meaning IL the same lib
"rty is taken TO show how groundlos,
the assertion IS.
The new dcspotism 10 which YOU
refer Is in the firs, place. a relative
matter. which depends on YOUR posi-
lIon in regard 10 the question at issue;
in the second place, /, is necessary 70
explain what is meant 10y 'dcspotisin"
II Is made especially necessary, since
. III ~ q new name tn give TO any law
which has been passed III accordance,
with tho viii of the sovereign voters Of
the state. II appears 70 he no more
I than the old charge Of tho classes
AGAINST tho masses in a diffcrcn, Lam
EuIEc and dress.
such charges were brought acaius,
IN" bcmocratic- Republican party of
1900. which was opposing the aris,o-
cratic administration Of the Fcderal;sts
To tn" FcdcralistS this party seemed
= cav" Of .tdullam. a band OF .Iaccbins
WIN ITS clubs and rcgala. The nature
ot this rising power was :, relative
matter To Thomas jefferson il was
"a chcrishmcnt of the people" and
the "stabiis hrncMt OF :, great principle
OF government. TO the F.dcraiist
leaders the whole contest was AN at
tempt TO SET uD Il dcSDotiSin i'm the
person OF jefferson.
IT, M, ~.
state or Virginia who voted against
prohibition III 1914 and now oppose It.
ANA many OF them cousccnticusly. the
PENDING bill seems 10 be erecting "a
new dcspotiSm. but 10 the great ma
jority of voters who voted for prohibi-
tion, II is the pleasing spectacle OF the
enactment OF their Will into lcgisla-
ton. II Is tho expression Of democ-
| racy. When the people have made
themselves so Enthusiastically clear on
the question at issue. il is /, matter of
wonder and regret that 80 many OBJ
stacles are offered to prevent the cxccu-
ton OF this Expressed Will. The OBJ
! icct appears TO those who would be
most liberal in their criticisms to be
direct attempt to heclOud the issue
sand defeat the whole purpose of the
election To say that the Assembly is
erecting & new dcspotism IS only TO
deny the right OF the representatives
! Of the people TO pass a law which is
F.; expressly desired by the majority.
; It is the further charge that the AS
/ scnbly is unable to understand the
| wishes of the voters. when their wishes
only did the people vote in favor Of
| the enabling act with majority of
10000. but Ia insure the carrying OFT of
this act they elected to the present
Assembly men vino were b. sympathy
with this measure. The charge is q.
f.tl al -iSi. t,,,n
to defeat good legislation and 20 mis-
guide public opinion. Il is an argu-
mcnt adj hoInincs.
1t may be answered by the opponents
OF the present plan of prohibition leg
islation, that they have acuuiesccd in
the will OF the majority, and are now
trying TO see that the best possible
law Is passed TO carry into effect that
which they have no faith in. The uucs-
ton naturally arises as 30 the fitness
of these opponents to criticize the pro-
! hibition bill, when they are opposed
and have been opposed to prohibition
! from the very first. To the opponent
| Of prohibition there is no difference
between good prohibition law and a
! bad one. To him they are all had and
| Will not prohibit. one law, them is
| as good. in his estimation. as another.
Why. then. should an opponent Of pro-
hibition insist on an adequate law, and
| again. how is such anNoppomcnt to un-
derstand the needs Of that which he is
| utterly opposed to and at variance
with? These men are no moro Capable
| of passing Judgment on prohibition
| law than the most conservative of the
old Republican guard is capable OF
| passing on ii low tariff law.
| The Assembly Is not erecting a new
| deSpotism, but is rather attempting to
meet the demands of the people that
! there shall be passed an effective pro-
! hibition law. that will meet the needs
| OF the State--needs as seen and felt.
not by the opponents OF prohibition
| who have fought II TO the very last
| ditch and have not ceased to wage
war on il, hut by the advocates OF
prohibition. who have watched its
progress in other States and have
studied it's defects. LII determining
these needs and the kind of bill TO
meet them, there can be none more fit
! than those who have led tho fight
The ever-decreasing minority favor
Ing the sale of alcohol may look upon
the prohibition bill as a now despotism,
| but those interested in the Old Do
minion and her people see In 1t the
rule Of tho people.
| Let it be hoped, then. that the AS
semhly will put Through tho exact
brand OF prohibition which tho Anti
| saloon League desires" Surely, that
! band of leaders who have led so we'll
| this far VIII not now lead the peoplo
astray. Again, let IT be hoped that
that official (the commissioner) within
fiH sphere, will be moro powerful than
| tho Governor" because his only duty
1 Will be to have this particular law en-