The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-04-12

appear to the world both az a be1ates
ifnitator of the state that Aired on Fori
Sumter. and as cats paw for run,
sellers"
Not all Of these sticklers for Per
sonai Liberty" and states Rights
have always been consistent in prac-
tictns what they preached.
Some OF this same tribe would com
PASS heaven and earth to make one
'prosolyte' for their political school
ana add one convert to the defender
of individual freedom and to the
protectorAte or states tndependence $
While at the same time, with micro
scopic minuteness and interchangeable
perseverance, they scan the heavens.
scrutnixe the earth, and scour the
deep sea, searching for the mote" COT
radicaiism) that is In prohibitipn's
eye. while the beam" COT Liberalism,
In their own eye. blots out entirely
from their sight of mnltitudinous
blessings that follow in the wake of
prohibition. With righteous indi g. ma :
ton, they Strain at gnat'' when some
prohibition oNfeers, trying to do his
sworn duty, makes some little blum
der. and with graveyard silence "swal-
low camel when prohibition itself
brings unprecedented prosperity and
happiness.
Virginia, and the country at large,
have reaped inestimable benefits from
prohibition, as every Intelligent per-
son knows; and every one endowed
with a grain of fairness and good
sportmanship, will admit this. and say
something about 1t, at least occa-
sionally, when discussing prohibition,
or forever hold his peace"
From what we hear and see there
is great stir, at present in this lib
eral' camp, and with palnstaking care
wet delegations" are being appoint.
ed tanother concrete case of lib.
eralism-" for behold how the people
as a whole express their will In pick
ing these delegates) that will meet at
a convention. and move heaven and
earth, In order to get some Moses
elected governor who will speedily
lead the people of odd Virginia" out
Of this dry wilderness" into states
rights promised wet land that flows
with beer and whiskey. These same
calamity howlers inform Us that the
old ship of state" has suddenly
drifted from her ancient moorinSs.
and Is now in imminent peril storm
tossed and wind driven upon the bill
lows of the federal ocean, and that II
IS imperative that the people of the
commonwealth bestir themselves and
put pilot on the ship that will steer
Ter safely back to the constitutional
harbor of states rights. where nothing
ever happened to disturb the tranquil
ity of individual freedom.
Who are these opponents of per
sonal liberty. that have come down in
true apostolic succession" from the
days of Washington? For what do
they stand? What reforms have been
written into law through their instru-
mentality? What peculiar blessings
have they beaueathed to humanity?
Where did they stand in 1885. when
the local option question confronted
the people? In 1904 when the Mann
law was adopted, whom did they sup
porte When the Byrd Mann law was
enacted in 1908 how did personal lib
erty vote? Practically all of these
laws offered the advocates of personal
liberty an opportunity to do what they
now preach; namely. let the city,
county. or state vote for prohibition.
but then, our personal liberty friends
said, no don't vote liquor out Of the
city. county or state, but vote it out of
the United States, and III vote with
you Consistency. thou art jewell
What is personal libertyc To soi1e
Il is synonymous with saloon on
every corner, track gambling.
Sunday theaters and baseball red
light districts. etc. personal liberty"
take your fll''' SOW your wild oats"
stolen sweets" all have the same
meaning to some people. But this IA
brute license, not liberty t"Use not
liberty for an occasion to the flesh -
Galations 5:13).
This idea that personal liberty. with
no thought of the liberties of others
constitutes he right for a person %
do as he pleases regardless of who
he displesses. crawled out of the pit
Of hell: with all the earnestness Of
my soul I want to brand this falla-
cious theory as the most pernicious
and diabolical doctrine that ever
biighted the human race, and the indi-
vidual, or nation that persists in its
practice, bears in his body and soul
the mark of a degenerate his days
are numbered and he Is fastening to
irretrievable doom" If had the
power. | would speak in the voice CT
thunder around the world and write
across the blue dome of heaven in let
ters of iurid fire: He that soweth to
his flesh shall of the flesh reap cor
ryption." and The wicked shall be
turned into he'll. and all the nations
that forget ODD" FE no manner OF
means can wickedness be justified IN
the name of personal liberty
Through the centuries there have
been those, who imbibed with the
spirit of Individual freedom have made
of countless numbers of helpless wo-
men and children, and ridden rough
shod over all the liberties these help
less ones ever had.
"Oh, personal liberty. what crimes
are committed in thy name"
Some of these same champions OF
individual rights used to tell you that
: this city would go to the blows
vows" and business would have to
hang crepe" on the door, aid seek
refuge in the alnhouse if the prohi-
hition plague struck Norfolk; but lis
len to some interesting figures and
comments, clipped from a local paper
asst week, concerning the growth of
the city mostly during the period that
prohibition has been in effect:
ION June 20, 1917. the total re-
sources of the banks of Norfolk and
Portsmouth were, In round figures
$50, 100000 In December 81, 1919.
they were sos, 1000, 900. The govern
ment didn't bring that about
activities can't account for that Bank
resources represent money, ca pital in
the community. They represent the
business OF the community and when
they grow as our resources have
grown they reflect not only the solid
growth of business, but they indicate