The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-01-19

| go Refsrcndums had been held In
majority were for prohibition
/. Cd The liquor question has been a
| federal question since 1862.
| No state or municipality could give a
dealer right to sell liquor without the
stamp of the federal government. Fed
eraf officers have operated in the states
Tin enforcing the revenue acts on liquor.
/ The supreme court OF the United
States has Tong and consistent list OF
decisions on this question. the gist OF
which rs that the right to sell liquor
is not one of the privileges and inmu-
mites" of citizen Of the United States.
1t is a travesty on states rights for
which our fathers fought so to pervert
/ that great doctrine as to lend support
to an iniauitous traffic which has O.
graded its promoters and derauched it's
| patrons.
On, states rights What crimes are
defended in thy name,
F. SUFFICIENT answer to the man W ise@ia
honestly concerned about the supposed
violation of a cherished doctrine should
b. found in the fact that every Southern
state ratified the prohibition amend
Heent and the three states that failed
to ratffy were never noted for their
advocacy of that doctrine
SAME OLD TRICKS.
Anyone familiar with human nature
and who has followed the course OF
events. called history, may recognize,
as hoary with age. the vain tricks now
neing played. Some men deceive them
selves knowledge would teach them
that their ways are dark
Some men Intentionally deceive the
public: Knowledge would teach them.
also. that deception has never been "A
permanent success. Two of the deceiv-
ers tricks. as old as established gov
eminent are:
"a To SANDER and remove from Of
fee those who discharged their duties
honestly and fearlessly.
90 To attack those engaged in en-
forcing the law instead of attacking
the infquities and the outlaws
Whoever Willingly aids and abets
srch efforts Is the enemy of righteous
ness. | say this no matter to whom 1t
applies, whether to private citizens or
public officials
Candor is not trait of those who
v ould undo the prohi bition laws They
are not frank and courageous enough
u say; We never favored these pro-
hjbition laws. We voted against them.
We oppose their vigorous enforcement.
We will nullify them If we can
One could respect them more If they
were open and avowed in their motives
and objective They did to a man. OPP
pose prohibition in Virginia in 1914.
! They are the same old tribe now
clothed in economyAs garb. The gar
, uaent is not becoming; it is a misfit.
SOURCE OF REVENUE.
J The legislature is asked TO abolish
TIE state prohibition department in the
interest of economy. This department
| has been source of revenue to the
commonwealth. While ferreting GU.
and reducing crime, while conserving
morals and enforcing Law. il has
( turned into the treasury OF the state
/ as of November |. 1919 S1e,3s12s more
/ t'lan its expe nses. to this must be added
S,8s9,l2 due the department hv the
! limited states government. making
/ total profit of s1S.2S2.3S. In addition
the state has received s3oa.514 from
! fines imposed for violation of the pro-
! hibition laws. Probably one-fourth OF
these fines were the result OF the pro-
fftshition department activities. There
has been saving IL, the criminal ex-
penses of the state of s1T5.112.T1. why
was not this voice of economy raised
! against The ayaricious fiquog traffic
{, when it was scorrunting politics. de
stroying manhood and womanhood. i'm
! povertshipg and wrecking homes under
1 a license system that enriches a, few
at the expense of the many Where
was the protagoniat Of economy and
I efficiency then? Why. we were being
/ be enforced: that Il was failure
wherever tried. The hand may be the
{ hand or Esaus economy. but the voice
! is Jacobs voice of anti-prohibition.
| If the whole truth were told the pub
! lie would understand that personal dis
/ likes, inherent moral antagonisTus. and
political ambitions are behind the
recomrn endation to abolish the prohi-
billion department. -4
| THE REAL OBJECTION.
! The reason for this objection to the
/ prohibition department. is not its ex-
pense but its vigilance. diligence fear
| lessness and efficiency. 1t has not
caught too few. but teo many Prohi-
| bitionists should love il for the enc
mics it has made The highest type
, of state officials appreciate the impor-
lance and usefulness of this depart
ment.
| The federal officials wish Its con-
tinuance They recognize as every
| thoughtful person must. that it will
require the utmost vigor of all officials
! for the next few years to enforce tho
| late amendment.
There is more argument for continu-
! ing the state prohibition department
/ than there was for creating IL. To re-
! lax now would be an encouragement to
the lawless and would necessitate
another heated campaign which some
! of us hope will not he forced upon
! Virginia. Indeed the eighteenth amend
ment unlike any other, puts the en-
| forcement Non the state concurrently
with the federal government
| The Issue of law enforcement how
7 ever, is broader than prohibition IT
concludes all American life; 1t concerns
| your business, your property your
homes The question goes to the very
foundation of our national existence,
If the liquor Bolshevists can violate
with impunby the eighteenth amend
n,ent. animated by the same spirit. the
Russian proletariat can violate with
| impunity all other articles. sections,
and amendments that thwart their
! purposes We should then have
wreck of the finest ship of state that
ever fioated on the ocean of time
| Ny friends, let us see clearly and face
fearlessly the issue. Disregard of law
means ruin. Not the law you wanted.
nor the law for which you voted. but
the law as 1t IL. as IT was written upon
the statute books and into the consti-
tuition; that law. I say. is. the protec
ton OF your life and loved ones and
the guarantee Of a stable government.
Wise men everywhere look with dsfa-