The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-02
NEITHER THE TINES DISPATCH
NOR PROF. RUEBUSH is CORRECT

, IN the destruction of that traffic.
| the league labors and works TO secure
! does not concern itself about the rec
| ord of candidates for public office, ex-
| cept on one point. namely, their at
titude toward the liquor traffic 1t IS
/ the business of the officers of the
| league . give TO the voters OF the
state the record and position of the
various candidates on that question.
Having performed that service. tho
| league leaves TO the voters of the
state to determine for themselves
hat action they will take, and how
they VIII vote in view of the facts
presented X may happen. that while
1 q candidates position on the liquor
question is not satisfactory, that his
general standing and position on other
matters are Of sufficient Importance In
I the eyes of the voters to outweigh
his position Oh the liquor traffic. So
voters may elect such a candidate,
although the record and position ~
his opponent may be more satisfac-
tory on the liquor question and such
a condition sometimes arises.
The Times Dispatch says: y et IL is
through the Democrats OF the state
that the league has been able to &C
complish anything. II is shifting the
hand that has fostered it. The time
has come for it to choose whether
it will help the Democratic party or
hurt it,
The league is not an annex Of the
Democratic party, nor is It an annex
Of the Republican party. II Is com
posed o. persons of both parties,
There are thousands OF Republicans
IN Virginia who support the policies OF
the Anti-Saioon league. and certain
ly these men cannot he expected 70
continue to support the league, If the
, league chooses, as the Times Dispatch
suggests, that it viii help the Demo
cratic party The league does not
choose TO help or hurt the Demo-
cratic party II Is not responsible for
the facts concerning the record and
position of the various candidates for
public office The candidates them
ieelFes make those facts. The league
is simply responsible for making an
1 impartial statement concerning the at
titude Of candidates on the liquor
question. That is what the league did
In reference To the candidates in the
Democratic primary That is what
the league has done In reference to
the Republican candidates.
The suggestion on the part OF the
I i lines LIS E1dLCH LI1dL Il ILlIG baQG OF
willful men Is endeavoring to main
tain A balance of power ard throw
its influence first to one party and
then to another, according TO which
is most subservient to its dictation,'
is not borne out by the present facts.
or the past record Of the league. II
the Democratic party had nominate7
a man who had committed himself
the repeal OF the prohibition law. or
to policy OF reimbursement, there
would have been a very sharp issue
raised for settlement In the coming
November election. But the Demo-
cratic candidate not only has not de-
clared for a repeal or weakening of
the prohibition law. but he has now
definitely stated that he considers pro-
| hibition to be the expressed will Of q
majority of the people OF Virginia;
that he will enforce the law. and ap-
prove additional legislation for its
more effective enforcement
The undersigned believes that he is
as thoroughgoing and as consistent
member OF the Anti-Saloon league
as any one In Virginia and yet he has
not heSitated to write to all persons
who have written to him that he OK
poets to vote for Mr. Davis ard 4hat
according TO his understanding par
tcfpation In the Democratic primary
bound him to support the nominees
OF that primary, unless there were de-
Veiopments after the primary sufficient
/ to justify reputation OF the nomina-
lions. Moreover, having always been a
Democrat in principle, he believes that
the national Democratic administration
should receive the support which
would naturally come to IL from a
Democratic victory In Virginia
But, while as an individual the
+ undersigned expects to vote the De-
mocratic ticket, and hopes that the
Democratic ticket will be elected yet
his position as an individual voter
would not Justify the preparation OF
an injustice on the Repu bl1can can.
didates by him as an officer OF the
Anti-Saloon League. of Virginia The
records OF the Republican candidates
for state offices upon the prohibition
question are good, and their replies
to the answer OF the Anti Saloon lea
cue are SATISFACTORY I4--!+nSa- S44aa pie
facts, aud unless the Anti Saloon Lea
que OF Virginia is false to its princIples
those facts MUST be puhliShs1 1t is
true that the Mann law, the Byrd law
and the enabling act were all passed
by legislatures controlled by the Dem
ocratic party, and the law is at
present being enforced by "A Demo
cratic administration. but II is only
just TO the Republican party to state
that the Republican members of the
legislature We're almost solidly III favor
OF the various prohibition eractments
ann that in the statewide election the
great ma iority OF the Republican yot-
ers Of the state voted for prohibition
II would certainly hc an injustice TO
the Republican supporters of the Anti
Saloon League Of Virginia for the lea
que to ignore the replies of the Re
publican candidates OF to refuse 10
make any statement concerning them.
or allow itself to he used TO help the
Democratic party.
'Messrs. Muncy and Davis In their
replies 70 the league. intimated that
they held the same view as the Times
Dispatch editor as TO the functions
o. the league, for they intimated that
they expect 10 receive the support
OF The league because their records
and answers were satisfactory, but the
headquarters committee stated very
positively In reply to their letters that
The only function of the headquarters
committee was to give Information to
the voters concerning the record and
position Of candidates, and 1t was then
left 10 the voters to decide for whom
they would vote,