davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
oio, Lunenburg County, Va.

olUr LlutnuGIk AOuNtSs va
October 80. lsfT. =
DR. Janus Cannon, Jr., - ~.
superintendent Anti-Saloon League
Of Virginia.
Richmond, Va.
Dear Doctor:
II will doubtless be OF interest to
you to learn the result OF close OBJ
servStion OF the working Of our pro-
hibition laws which took effect on No
vember I. 1915. not only by myset
but many other business men. SON
of whom were opposed to It's passage
1t IL almost unani~iousiy concede'
by those with whom have talke
that the passage of this law has con
trihuted more to the moral. hnancia
and political welfare OF our state tina
any state legislation OF their know
edge.
branch of MY business lie the sal
of horses and mules. This necsssitatet
the attendance OF various circu;
courts by me. ana the absence OF dis
order occasioned by drunkenness ha
been especially noticeable the pas
eleven months. since our state wen
dry.
Most sincerely yours,
A. s. BRIDGEFORTH.
Merchant
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Richmond Va, Oct /. 1917,
Rev. Jas. Cannon. Jr., D, D..
Blackstone, Va. j
Dear Doctor Cannon:
= Have to say in reply to- yours OF
se9fs. ~. ~ i has x ss&z ssA4s~ cs1sl-2t.
for the better, in some of our em-
ployees since prohibition went into
effect in our state. We are sure that
all lines of retail business have Inn
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
ocran. va. oct. s. 1917.

Ocran, Va, oct. s. 1917.
Mr.. James Cannon. Jr. ~
Dear Sir: y
We wish to say that we believe
there is little rum that still comes
to our section. But wish to say that
for the year 1917 so far. we have not
seen person under the influence Of
liquor. As the government took over
all our steamers, we have only had a
few men. the most of the time. But
for six weeks we bought fish from
fishing rigs that had $50 men. Most
OF the families that three years ago
used the most rum and had but little.
To-Day nearly all have automobiles.
Your truly,
BELLOWS & SOUIREs CO.
Per j. P. BELOW. President,
Manufacturers.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26


Chase City. Va, Oct. S. 1917.
DR.. James Cannon, Jr,
Supt anti-Saloon League of Va.
My Dear Or:
Answering your request as TO pres
ent conditions as compa red with those
existing before the state went dry will
say: ] have lived in Virginia all my
life and have gone through the vari-
Gus stages OF prohibition effort, from
a largely whiskey controlled state to
one now so far as law Is concerned.
bone dry" and rejoice in the fact
that | have been permitted to live
TO see much wonderful changes
wrought. Even the stopping of the
quart shipment is an added improve
ment. We have had for many years
and have now a large number of men
In our employment and the difference
In their conduct as well as their worl i.
now without whiskey is very great
1t is a rare thing Tor any of them to
be out of place and drinking ara ong
them is certainly thing of the past.
When | was on the street engaged in
the mercantile business. counted one
day in my store sixty drunken men
and many of them very disagreed BILE.
This fall / have frequently gone ir.
the tobacco warehouses. crowded with
farmers. hundreds OF wagons and men
on the streets ana not once have I
seen drunken man. nor heard an
oath. Oh, the Improvement is go
great ! am unable to describe IT, TIM
also supervisor OF the Chase City dis
trict, member the county board and
because OF this, I have general over
sight OF all paupers in the district
we have over five thousand inhabitants
and not pAuper now among them.
Sometimes during winter or when
sickness overtakes them. have to
contribute OF county funds for their
immedite relief. All classes of peo-
pie are in better condition and have
more TO show for their labors than I
have ever known before. or course
this applies more particularly TO the
rural population. More people are
buying their own homes. farming in
dependontly of the landlords--estab-
fishing credit for themselves and in
ev'afy way becoming better citizens
th&n in any former period of my life.
Surely no man who desires the up
lift Of mankind can want Virginia
to return TO any form OF law which
would send intoxicants hack to the
state. With kindest regards, am.
Most truly yours.
LUCIUS GREGORY,
Manufacturer.
GAINESVILLE, Va, Oct. s, 1917
Raw las Cannon II
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
Saloon league to sweep liquor out of
our country.
Very respt. yours.
SLATER COWART,
Merchant.

Glover. Va. October FL, 1917.
DIR. James Cannon, Jr,
superintendent Anti-saioon League
Of Virginia, Richmond. Va.
Ny Dear Sir:
II gives me great pleasure to
report to you from this section Of
the great good that has come to our
people on account of the prohibition
law. which r. most effective. No one
knows better than one in my position
OF the great good that 1t is now doing
among our people. Men who hereto-|
fore have been unable to get credit to
mako crops and carry on their farm.
ing since the Law went into effect has
had no difficulty In getting all
the help they need In the way OF adj
vAncements during the summer. Now
they are selling their tobacco ct high
prices heretofore unknown. Just the
reverse of 1914 when we also had high
prices for tobacco and whiskey In
abundance Then they threw their
money away IN every conceivable way.
Merchants had to follow them to mar
kets to collect and so to their homes.
Now we have nothing OF the kind to
do. Our physician tells US that the
NEST notable improvements found in
the homes Of the poorer class who are
now getting rid of the old dilapidated
and dirty furniture and replacing with
new and neat goods which they would
never have been able to do II whiskey
could have been gotten. I could write
you great deal more. but cant take
more OF your time. The strongest
whiskey men we had are completely
changed and would be glad to endorse
this letter to you were to ask them
to do so.
Very sincerely.
c. A. GREGORY,
Merchant.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
capron. Va. Oct. i. 1917.

Capron, Va, Oct. /. 1917.
Dear DIR. Cannon:
Yours to hand and noted about the
effect of prohibition on business and
the moral condition of our state. SO
far as our experience goes In. our
manufacturing plants the labor is 1t
.eat so per cent more efficient and
capable and We find 1t takes 10 per
cent less laborers in number to keep
crew than when we had the saloon
The moral conditions are so much
improved that we can hardly describe
the difference. We have not seen a
drunken man In our town since the
prohibition law went into effect. The
laboring men are taking so much bet
ter care of their families. and are buy
ing their homes and paying for them.
Children of some of these men that
never had been to school are going
regularly now and look deceient and
like other children. One distiller in
our neighborhood had not lived with
his wife in FIVE wears has become re-
conciled and SO far as | know are liv-
ing happy together The strongest
friend of the saloon before the law
went into effect now are among the
strongest enemies of the saloon.
] don't know where to stop enumerat-
ing the good that the prohibition law
is doing in our county.
Sinceriy yours,
w. II. VINCENT,
Manufacturer.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Occoouan. Va, October 20. 1917
Rev. James Cannon. D. D..
Richmond. Va
MY Dear Sir:
Having lived In this state all M,
life. ! have witnessed the wonderful
change that has taken place In our
people. since the saloons have bee.
closed and the open sale OF liquor has
been outlawed
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
C. II. RUSSELL & SON,
Manufacturers

Fredericksburg. Va, Oct. 2. 1917.
DIR, Jas. Cannon, Jr,,
Richmond, Va.
MY Dear DIR. Cannon:
have your letter of Sept. 20 in re-
gard to the effect of the prohibition
Law upon business and the general
moral welfare of our town. In reply
would say In regard to business, that
the effect has been most gratifying.
Places that were formerly saloons have
been cleaned up, remodeled and open
ed up with other lines of business.
Two of the most notorious dives" In
our town are now replaced one with a
gentlemen's furnishing store, and the
other a drug store. Both are doing a
good business. our bank deposits have
Increased very materially. and bust
ness in general liz unusually good, due
to a large extent to taking the money
from a few saloons and putting 1t in
legitimate channels.
In regard to the moral side of the
question, | do not feel that | can find
words to express the good that has
been done along this line. Young men
that used TO hang around saloons Sat
urday night and stay drunk or partly
drunk all day Sunday, are now com
ing to Sunday school Sunday morn
ing and staying through preaching
service. Our church has bible class
of over 200 hundred men, regular at
PENDANTS. that are made up largely OF
the class described above.
In conclusion would say that mum.
bers of our citizens who not only vot-
ed wet" but did all they could for tbs
wet cause. are now dry because
they say they see the benefits derived
from getting rid of the saloon.
Hoping that you may have pfeab'
ant and successful trip, / am.
Sincerely yours,
WIN. s. CHESLEf, =
Manufacturer
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26


Cowart, Va. Oct az, 1917.
Rev. James Cannon. Jr.
My Dear Sir:
] am In receipt OF your letter of Oc-
tcber 18th. asking my observation a.
to prohibition. morally and material
ly. etc.
In replying, will say I am seventy.
four years old: have been In the
mercantile business nearly the whole
of my life. from a boy OF fourteen
years. and have been thrown with
drinking men through my whole busi-
ness life. up to the time our county
voted local option. We had a large
per cent of our men that drank whis-
key and q good many Of them were
worthless a. citizens, husbands and
fathers. They lived In squaIor and
poverty in a rented house: they took
no interest In church or school: their
children grew up In Ignorance; they
spent their earnings in whisksy and
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Petersburg. Va. Oct. 8, 1917.
Brother Cannon:
plying to your OF 18th inst. beg to
/ that being on the streets right
! and also a member of city cou,.-
am in position to notice effects
Since dry. the city
likes 4 new one. Very seldom
If a drunken man and have not
three since. city went dry.
n expenses reduced to ainost
~, compared with wet city CT
harroonax. Business very much
+, everybody happier. and I
i il impossible to vote wet again.
Sincerely.
J. e. YOUNG,
Merchant
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

instant
Replying, .beg leave to say. for many
years our town was considered a whis-
key ''pest-ho,e." The business was so
thoroughly organized and entrench-
ed that 1t seemingly defied any. effort
to eradicate It even afteS the prohi-
bition election and enactment OF laws
for the enforcement Of the will of the
people.
II. at present, intoxicants are sold
in this town or surrounding commun-
fly, II Is so little in evidence as to be
The moral and material improve
uent Is simply wonderful. the mer-
chants and bankers enthusiastically
attributing this to prohibition.
We employ considerable number OF
workmen in our factory. many of
whom habitually lost several days
weekly on account of the saloon and
the blind tiger which followed in the
wake of the saloon, but for the past
shteen months none has lost a day
on account of drunkenness.
We are acquainted with large
number of prominent business men
throughout the state who were oppos-
ed to prohibition, but now declare
they would not vote for the return
of the saloon for any consideration.
Yours resp.
C. H. RUSSELL e. SON,
Manufacturers.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Ivor. Va, Oct. 10, 1917.
Rev Jas Cannon. Jr., D. D.,
Richmond. Va.
Dear Sir:
Replyie to your letter of 18th in
slant. The material and moral effect
of prohibition has been wonderful,
noticeable with each step that has
been taken to put it further from us,
especially the last step.
Very truly.
THOS. L. Balm,
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Charlottesville, Va. Oct. 90, 1917.
Rev James Cannon, ia,
E. Grace street.
Richmond. Va
Dear DIR. Cannon:
/ have your letter of October l@tn'
asking my Judgment as to the effect
OF prohibition has had upon the ma
terial and moral welfare of the state
of Virginia. / am glad of the OPP
portunity of making reply to your in
quiry. but consider 1t wise for me TO
confine my answer to the effect upon
the particular community which | have
had opportunity to observe and study
carefully.
The operation of the law upon
Charlottesville and the University OF
Virginia in my Judgment has been
oeneticent in every respect, 1t is IN
Conceivable that this community would
ever again live under the system OF
the open saloon The tone of life has
been higher, economics finer. the civic
atmosphere cleaner. and the whole
place better place for the develop
ment of character, especially for the
training of masses of capable youth
who gather here for instruction at the
university.
Faithfully yours.
EDWIN A. ALDERMAN.
President University of Virginia.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Rev. James Cannon, Jr..
Anti-Saioon League of Virginia.
Richmond. Va.
Dear Sir:
am In receipt of your letter of the
ing to maFn several speeches in Iowa.
and want RE to state what | think
prohibition las doUe in this section.
Well. II w oald b. hard for me to say
the amount of good prohibition has
done here, not orly in n financial way
hut In a mW'ai way. When we sold
liquor here. ctr streets were lined with
people talking and fussing. AS you
know, we Rave lets OF CT lored people
here and fhey would 10 home half
drunk. beat the! wives and children
and carry nothing 10 eat. but now they
are well fe and as peaceful and quiet
citizens as any place could have. 1t
Is the rarest tNinr IN ever have any
disturbance. ] war mayor for about
eight Naoi tiss end tht~e w-as hardly
'esef affyohe ss,cugtlv beIoie me THEY
are law hiding citizens. and as to
their working We find considerable
difference In their WORK now than
what il was before. In other words.
II is hard to estimate in dollars and
eer-ts what Improvement we have. and
so far as the uplifting of men. women
and children SIS concerned, that is be-
yond calculation.
Yours very truly.
y. ID. CAMP.
Ma nufa cturer
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

South Hill, Va, October 80, 1917.
DR.. James Cannon. Jr.,
Richmond, Va.
My Dear Sir:
Yours OF the 18th TO hand and in
regard to prohibition in this section,
I am glad to say 1t has done wonders.
and think It more popular every day.
/ Just noticed one case yesterday and
there are many others: this man be-
fore last November was about down
and 0ut--his home under mortgage
and the man seemed to be discour
aged. He would go to church. btu
would set on or near the back sea
and would slip out when preachin;
was over: yesterday he was there wit
hls wife and little girl and was wei
dressed, he had on a new suit and
came UP near the front of the churci
and seemed SO happy. He tells m
that his crop Of tobacco this year vii
bring him $4,000. and he seems
much encouraged. and he is now pay
ing or his debts. This case is on
of many that have noticed.
Yours very truly
j. Fl. WALL.
Merchant.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
'sntinued from Second Pass)


our holiday season OF 1915 it
demonstrated to US very clearly
vsral occasions that some of our
ners who had previously been
uins their money for booze had
\ Cash to spend for jewelry. I
one instance in particular; q
Y nanger who had always liked
2oose made a purchase amounting
1000 and paid cash. When the
nase was made, our customer
fd to me that 1t was the first
etmas for quite sometime that he
mad any ready money, as previ-
he had spent his cash on hq-
He also stated that he had three
men who were in the same posi-
that he was.
|am confident that the closing OF
saloons In our city has had .
ency to increase cash purchases
70 better home conditions.
Yours very truly.
D. p. PAUL, :,
Jeweler.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Winchester. Va. Oct. 4, 1917.
Doctor Canton:
brief, the effect OF the prohibit
law upon both the material and
Y condition of this section OF the
has been marked The IMP
sment began with the victories
DO several local option contests
isoS onward. Labor is more re-
3 and efficient, collections are bet
md workmen have more money
bend but for the necessities and
fies of life. Savings are rapidly ac-
|alating In our banks.
the moral sphere the results
equally satisfactory. During the
|kwenty six months of license. the
hxe monthly arrests for both city
state offences was eighteen and
fourth--of which a large proper
was for drunkenness and dis
lily conduct
recently got from the court re-
the number of arrests for the
teen months from Jan. ]. 1918 to
1. 1917. which averaged twelve
two-third arrests per month for
ste and CITY offences. Three con-
live months in 1915 had but one
II per month for drunkenness. A
large proportion OF arrests now
Fs are for violation of traffic ordi-
es. There have been several
Ids Of three to four months in the
twenty-one months In which
not seen a person under the in
&c of liquor.
my opinion II would be impos-
I'm view of the good results OF
ebitton In our commonwealth to
re the liquor traffic under any
itions
18Th you. and those to whom you
huch success in the campaign.
Very truly,
j. II. COOPER.
Merchant
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
Heads Of Our Large Schools
Agree AS to Great Improvement

OF the business men have now come
over. bag and baggage, to the pro-
hibition camp. Not from any senti-
mental visw of the issue. one way or
the other, but bee2use they have
found it is good business.
One of the most prominent state
officers. located in Richmond, stated
to me few Ronths ago that when
he voted in favor of state prohibi-
ton all of his neighbors, who were
prominent business men in Richmond,
had laughed at him and told him he
was making serious mistake. He
said that in less than a year, after
prohibition went into effect, every one
of these noighbors had stated to him
voluntarily, If The issue were to be
voted on again they would vote in
favor OF prohibition, because the eff
ficiency OF their labor, under the new
conditions, had convinced them it was
in the interest of business efficiency
to have prohibition.
For many, many years have been
travelling into every nook and Granny
OF this state, and I do not hesitate to
say that the effect that state prohibit
ton has had and Is having, both ma
terially and morally, is beyond COM
putation--it cannot be measured
1t is admitted that practically all
drunkenness starts from the social
urlak. ins naruer IL Is MADE Tor tEBs
young man to take drink, either by
| himself or with his companion, tha
less social drinking there is. of course,
and thus this easy roadway to drunk
enness lis barred.
| Ii Is to be hoped that the forces Of
! prohibition will press the fight along
| the whole line without letting up.
even for a day
| I have not written as one who might
Isxa GO fOtt -
| of drink. because it was many years
before l became favorable to prohih3-
4 ton ] was convinced by It's results.
| I am,
! Very sincerely yours.
| J. ID. ESGLESTON
! Ashland Va. Oct II. 1877
| DIR. James Cannon. Jr,,
/ Box COS.
Richmond, Va
/ Dear DIR. Cannon.
/ I have seen nothing but good ef-
| fects on the material welfare Of the
state as result of prohibition. Promi-
nent streets in our cities that had "a
wrong side" because OF drinking sa-
| looms are now conspicuous for hav-
| ing two good sides. Especially ara
| the good effects of prohibition shown
among the working classes and those
! least able to resist temptations OF tbs
saloons.
| AS president OF college for men
great weight OF anxiety has been
taken from my shoulders. While
CONTINUED on feurtA pxks)
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26
Amelia Courthouse. Va,

Amelia Courthouse, Va,
October 20, 1917.
Rev. James Cannon. Jr.. d. D..
Richmond. Va.
My Dear Mr.. Cannon:
It always gives me pleasure to say
q word In behalf Of the great benefits
prohibition has given our people,
can see the greatest difference in some
Of our lanorins class They pay cash
for the articles they need for their
families instead OF throwing away
their wages In liquor. Many of the
VETS tell me they never want TO see
liquor back and that they would now
vote dry II the question ever should
arise again. 1t would be hard to ex-
press in words what prohibition means
to our people. 1t has made many happy
homes and few criminals, I never saw
our Jail In the days of liquor empty
and now II IL a rare thing to see any
one In II at all. Wish / could go on,
but ] must stop. Wishing all the sue
cess possible on your trip.
Yours sincerely.
r. A. MARSHALL.
Merchant
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

fayetteville. Va, Oct, is. 1917.
James Cannon,
Va.
DR.. Cannon:
observation since our state has
lad statewide prohibition:
{nditions are very much improved
Vary way; the temperance laws
hefng enforced and you very sell
ace a drunken person. or one
! the influence OF intoxicants. I
n merchant. come in contact
many travelling men who travel
All parts OF the state, and they
/ that the prohibition laws are be-
|enfcrced; that intoxicants cam
81 obtained. and that they see lit
~ no drunkenness. A travelling
Ifrom Lynchburg. who was wet be-
~ statewide election, argued that
could not control the liquor traf-
J the cities, now sayB that X il
controlled; that the pauper ex-
OF his city the past winter was
rad 40 per cent. with everything
~ and an unusually hard winter.
fhat he 10 now uneQuivocally dry.
,oung farmer who was wet before
sfatewide election, and whom I
rs persuade to vote dry. now de-
himself most positively a pro-
ionist. and who declared to me
ne can now eliminate the dry
and let the former vets vote on
IUide prohibition, and that they
n themselves would new veto the
dry, You can hear the former
II every section say: I'VE are
YOU now" Our town IL prosper
Y II has never prospered before,
buhlic improvements And not
~ the liquor forces to fight In
ions NE elect cleaner and. better
~ once. We are getting better
~ bur legislature. We have clean
ctions now than formerly which
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-26

Farmville. Va. October s. 1919.
James Cannon. Jr.. n. d.
Ackstone. Va
Brother Cannon:
|pIying to your favor of the 9Th.
n say that the Virginia dry law
|brking here much better than we
Expected. Many mon are making
rages that never made them be-
l1nd are providing for their fayni-
lin most satisfactory way. or
be, we have some few men who
Erying to get whiskey, but the law
hing spfendidiy enforced. be-
that conditions will even TIM
= - time wears os..
Yours very truly.
m. e. BARROW.
Merchant.