The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-04
The Times-Dispatch Still Splits Its Venom

The Times Dispatch still continues
TO show it's utter unf1tness to be a rep
resentative newspaper of the state OF
Virginia Its alliance with the liquor
interests is OF such long standing that
it Ia still splitting and snarling over
the shoulders OF the general assembly
at the people OF Virginia for their de-
termination to bury John Barleycorn
forever out of sight,
In the same issue. January rs, II
gives utterance 10 the following COM
pLmentary illusions concerning the
action of the general assembly, and
concerning the advocates OF prohiDi~
ton; \
First: In a paragraph on another
subject il declares concerning the as
sembly: Having abandoned its birth
right for a mess of prohibition pot
tage, the assembly. etc" Here 1t COM
parea the general assembly of Virginia
to Essu, whom abe Scripture declares
to have been "a profane person, VINO
for one morsel OF meat sold his birth
right" The illustration IS sadly In
appropriate Esau was slave or APP
petite, and sold his birthright in order
that he might indulge his appetite Tor
a brief moment. The general assem-
bly, of Virginia on the other hand
rec ognized that the tap root OF the
liquor traffic was appetite. sense in
diligence sensual gratification and
that for the good OF the common
wealth. including men, women ana
children, Virginia should join in
league with the other states OF the
union TO Danish forever from our great
country the traff1c. which to crafty
tie horrible covetousness, appealed TO
a . tNRzsA oh
the appetite wrought the ruin of mill
lions and millions OF homes.
But not content with this vicious
characterization OF the general assem-
bly,. the Tim es- Dispatch proceeds fur
Their 10 attack the prohibition workers
Of the nation. especially rhe leaders OF
the prohibition movement in tho Anti
Saloon League of America. The de
liverance was as follows:
with two exceptions, every South
ern state Is operating under statewide
prohibition of the liquor traffic The
two exceptions are capable of deter
mining their further attitude in respect
to the question as may seem best to
them. Yet at conference OF Anti
Saloon league superintendents in Biz
! rningham on Tuesday the night was
/ formally opened to whip the Southern
states into line for the ratification of
/ the constitutional amendment. The
Antl-Saloon league is an Ohio-char-
tered concern. President Wilson re
Gently urged that the supreme duty
OF the hour was to concentrate all the
nations energies upon winning the
! war why should the peoples ener-
sies be diverted by this Ohio corpora
| tion from the supreme objective by
agitation in the prohibition states of
the South to induce them to abandon
their support of principle of self
government for other states to which
( they have In the past chung as the pal
dunn Of just government, when hey
already have what they want? When
the nation is engaged IN a war For
/ it's life, 1t is a poor time to weaken
it's efforts by agitation for amendments
! to the organic Lave. War and the ex-
| element and confusion and tyranny
! which followed in its wake brought
amendments TO the constitution which
should convince the South that further
changes in that instrument would best
await the cool reflection ana discus
sion of peace times.
III the above statement the Times
Dispatch declares that. the Anti Saloon
league superintendent of the South
ern states met together to whip the
Southern states in line for the ratifica-
tion OF the constitutional amendment. -
Why should not the Tines-Dispatch
denounce a convention, of road super
vlsors or experts. who assemble in con-
vention TO secure the passage of a ma
/ tional highway law by congress, or a
convention of social service workers
| from different states favoring the
] passage of a national child labor law ?
Why have not Anti-Salool league SUI :
perintendents the right to meet to
confer concerning the best method to