Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-11-08
"DIsE LEGlSiIATION."

Ii has been an old saying that
your chiGkons will como home TO
roost." When you do wrong,f whether
il DO an individual or people, this
wrong will bring its own punishment.
Tho Scriptures terS0ly say, AS We
SOW, SO shall ye reap" We thought
OF these things when VIC road
OF present day conditions and the
former attitude Of the white people
or large proportion of them i'll deal
ing with the colorcd people Of this
country, whom they denominated as
Negroes, rather than apply TO them
their natural inherited title OF
American citizens.
In dealing with colorcd people,
promises were made to the ear to be
broken to the hope. Dcceptions were
practiced upon them both by tho
Government and its agents. Various
expcdionts were resorted to in ordor
to deceive them and ridiculous dccis-
ions were handed down from august
tribunals in order to void the main
.ssues. AS q result constitutional guar
antees to American citizens of color
became worthless and all attempts
10 secu, @ decision; In accordance with
the plain mandates Of tho law proved
abortive.
But another day has dawned. The
denial Of fundamental rights to citi-
zcps Of color has led to the denial or
constitutional privileges to white citi-
zens Tho Washington Post in It's Is
sue of the 30th prox. has this to say
concerning the situation:
Congress enacted wartime prohi-
bition AS war measure under the
prctext of conserving the food sup
ply Of tho nation and protecting Its
man power. After hostilities had
ceased and there no longer existed
the shadow of an excuse for c0ntin-
uing prohibition as a war measure
Congress refused to heed the advice
III lECSlACliI " liool w sioNhy Wv
law in such a manner that he could
lift the ban until constitutional pro
hibition became effective i'll January.
Instead Congress proceeded to pass
tho enforcement bin which provides
for making effective not only war
tim3 prohibition, but also conStitu-
stitutional prohibition and when the
President vetoed it Congress passed
ii oyer his veto promptly and by an
impressive majority. From this sue
ccssion Of events the country is Civ
en- convincing proof that Congress is
devoted to the prohibition cause.
This is an open charge that the
Congress, consisting of both Demo
Gratis and Republicans has been guilty
Of double dealing, Of processing one
thing and doing another. 1t contin-
ues:
Whatever may be the motive back
Of this. the fact stands that the six
ty-sixth Congress is overwhelmingly
dry in It's policy if not in it's prac-
tice. That there are senators and re
representatives. with well-stocked cell
lars and with n keen appreciation for
alcoholic beverages, who lost no OPP
portunity to vote dry, there can be
no doubt. In their own defense they
will plead that in so doing they are
registering the sentiment Of their re
spective States and not their individ-
holiafo nj hat bn ,at
pg forces and however weak may be
the foundations upon which they rest
tho facts stand out with unmistak-
able Sharpness.
Here is charge that the "dram-
sters" in the Congress arc posing as
Prohfbitionists before the public 1t
is to be presumed that the editor of
the Washington Post knows what he
is talking about when he says
that there are senators and re.
presentariyes who have wo!lstoclsad
cellars and that they have keen ap
probation for alcoholic beverages
Certainly il the editor of the Post has
been favored visitor to any Of these
wine cellars in the past, he will be
barred out forever now.
Tha pity Of this spectacle Is not
in the enforcement Of prohibition
for which very strong economic and
moral arguments are advanced, hui
in the false pretense which envelopes
the movement. However much prohi
Aitiafs oahnnpfons may resent the sug