The Worthington advance., 1876-08-10
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES; Il, r.;

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T. c. Bell, the editor. Of the. Journal,
contributes 4 column communication
to his own paper upon our connection
with the temperance meetings of this
place. Will our readers excuse us
while we give some facts from the true
history of the temperance work ill this
community. And for support as to. the
truth Of our: statements, ives appeal to
those who, during the first year Of the
history of the Colony took an active
part i'll that memorable campaign in
defence of the temperance feature. :.
In 1872. the FIRST year of the Colony,
the decisive battles were fought. Three
attempts were made to establish liquor
saloons in Worthington. and all were
failures. Prof. Humiston, Rev. B. II.
Crever, and others including the pres
ent editor of the ADVANCE, formed a
Temperance League, held weekly meet
ings, pledged each other support, and
resolved to fight the matter through to
the bitter end. Prof. Humiston was
burned in efigy in the park, rs all know
who were here at that time. On one
occasion, as he was preparing to 60
East on business and had to take the
train late at night, the whiskey rowdies
laid plan to trip him up and commit
some outrage under cover Of the night.
Two of Prof. Humiston's friends, one
Of whom was the present editor of the
ADVANCE, accompanied him to the de-
pot armed will revolvers. The rowdies
did not make al attack, and we believe
that the credit of preventing All as
sualt was mainly due to Gov. Miller
Insults were daily offered to Prof. Hum
iston and his family ut the hotel, and,
as for the editor Of the ADVANCE, he
was, OH several occasions, literally driv-
en- from the sidewalk and compelled to
take the middle of the street in efforts
to get away from the jeers, insults
and vulgarity of bands of the whiskey
element.
The temperance element, led by Prof
1Iumiston, conquered, and Mobiles coun-
ty became temperance county and to
this day has not a liquor saloon within
its limits. After the Temperance
League had done it's work, the Temper
ance Union was formed, branch of
the State Union. Rev. B. II. Crever
was elected President, Prof. 11umiston
Chairman of the Executive Committee,
and the editor of the ADVANCE Secre-
tary. We mention these three officers
because they necessarily took the labor
ing oar. Their very office made them
conspicuous, and we appeal to the true
men of the cause to sustain us in the
statement that, under their manage
ment, the temperance meetings were
warm, rousing, successful gatherings,
notwithstanding the sneers of the liq-
uor element and the demonstrations
Of such weak youth and foolish rowdies
as that element could influence to overt
acts.
During all this temperance work the
editor Of the ADVANCE never yielded
one iota in thought, word or action.-
lie was one of tile least of the men,
(true and god-sent men, as lie believes, }
who made this a temperance commune
ty, but he appeals with confidence to
every active worker in the cause to sus-
tain him in the statement that he was
invited to the work. continually con-
suited, frequently put forward, and al
ways relied upon for any work in the
temperance cause, however humble OF
however conspicuous. This is our re-
ply to Bells insinuation that we obtru-
ded our views and our efforts upon the
temperance element.
How was it during this time with
Bell, the editor of the Journal? While
we were undergoing insult and slander
for the cause while we were assailed on
the street and in public places with vile
epitllets; while every working temper
ance man in the community counted
upon us always as one who could be re-
lied upon at all times to do the work
and take the consequences, Bell was re-
ported among temperance men as one
of those who was slipping into a Ger
tain store and taking his drink on the
sly; lie was telling men that he did not
come here with the expectation Of fol-
lowing his profession of teaching but to
hold office, and was standing off crying
"Good Lord! and good devil !" because
he knew not into whose hands he should
fall. Well, he fell into the hands of
the temperance people, because they
triumphed, and it was decided that this
was to be a temperance community. and
that those who would he on the popular
side must be temperance men, professed-
ly at least.
Now he comes forward to elbow from
the work those who established the tenn.
perance feature; to defend and excuse
! rnv1vicn, whom r. ic -6irnctn1 AGAINST