Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-03-11
Another Surprise !!
COMMUNICATED.

article Will be very brief, for the reason
that there is but very little to reply to.
The first and only point worthy of
notice is the charge of IMPROPERLY in
presenting a matter in print which only
ought to have received attention be-
fore the society.
reply, first that many people who
were present that evening, and not
members of the society, felt insulted by
the introduction of such resolution,
and it was designed in the article to
make sort of an apology for it, by
leading the community to consider the
source from whence it came, and not
mind it any further.
Second Editors claim to be educa-
tors of the people,-and the editor of
the Tribune would really feel insulted
if he were regarded otherwise. He
would not like at all to be looked upon
as setting an example unworthy of imi-
tation, for he verify believes that if the
community would follow his teachings
and example--especially in matters of
temperance" the good time coming >
would speedily appear.
Now, Mr.. Editor; all matters pre-
sented in that Society are equally Sc
cret, or equally public, whichever you
please to call it and if one member
has. right to carry any matter into
print before it is disposed of by the
society, it follows that each and every
member has the same right. [ know
that it makes a great deal of difference
as to whose OK is gored. But don't
you remember that ouly a few weeks
since a resolution was introduced at a
meeting of the Society one evening,
that was to be debated at the next meet
ing. and before the debate could take
place ''where it only should receive at
tention,' you came out before the pub
lie, under "The Eternal Fitness of
Things" with nearly column and a
half of printed matter, written in your
usually terse style, with all your char
acteristic purity of dictioD, chastity of
language, and eloquence of expression;
and you handled the subject in such a
mastery manner that it was never de-
bated in the Society. And then when
it is attempted to follow your example,
and disabuse the public mind, you rush
to the attack, and fire such a volley Of
your own pet expressions, that it seem
ed for awhile as though poor Fair
Play 7" must perish in the storm.
Now, sir for your temperance prin
ciples. One thing is sure. You can
not stand on both sides of the hedge at
one and the same time. 1t is too high,
and your feet, one Of them at least.
must touch bottom somewhere Did
you ever know of person who at
tempted to ride two horses at the same
time and succeed? Now let me illus
trate: Suppose that anti-temperance
principles should at all times and in all
places, assume a definite, visible form,
which nothing else could produce. We
will suppose that form to be nose, two
feet in length, red on one side, purple
on the other, and on the end of it a
blossom like a full-blown rose And
there should come into an assemblage a
man with such nose. Everyone
would say at once that is an anti-tem-
perance man, because he bears the
mark.
Now, sir [ want to examine you
by comparison, and ascertain whether
or no you bear the mark of temperance
or antl-temperance. Let US take any
one of your neighbors who keeps sa-
loon (whom we will distinguish for
convenience sake as n. and see if each
of you have any marks in common. n.
is opposed to total prohibition.-So are
you, Mr., Editor. n. faVors with all
his soul the ''license system. SO do
you. n. charges temperance people
(and that includes all who oppose the
licensing traffic. with venalty. and
style them blatant race of fanatics. =
So do you, Mr.. Editor; and you did it
in your answer to Fair Play. n. makes
money out of the trafic.-So do you,
Mr.. Editor, by advertising it. n. is
very sorry because there are not more
respectable people engaged in the bust