Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-09
THE TEMPERANCE AGITATION.
An Original Talk by An Earnest
WOrker--StrODg words.

The SeAmen's Bethel was last evening
filed to its capacity by an assemblage IN
Guiding a number Of ladies, gathered to hear
addresses on the subject Of temperance by
Rev. David Tatum and his wife, OF Cleve-
land. Ohio. After brief religious exercises,
Mr.. Tatum was introduced to the assem-
blsge, and for over an hour and half held
the attention of the audience.
He is an extemporaneous speaker, and in
tersperses his remarks with appropriate
RHYMES IN a peculiarly original manner
He distinctly asserted that he was radical
in his views, and his policy had been 20
strike at the very root OF the evil or intem-
perance. and hence he was earnestly, strongly
aud unflnchingly in favor OF general pro-
hibition law, and urged all who were inter
ested in the cause TO work with will until
the day dewned when the traffic Of liquor
was suppressed in this fair and beautiful
land. IL might be years before this de-
sired end was accomplished, but he
had faith In God, and believed that by IN
ceasing agitation their efforts would be
crowned with success. The prospect was
encouraging; in every State the temper
ance cause was advancing, and the ranks
of total abstainers were filling up. He de-
nounced as criminal the licensing Of the
LIQUOR traffic, and contended that the reve
nues derived from this source were far ex-
ceeded by the burthens put upon the people
ia the maintaining of jails, peDiten-
tiaTies, courts and policemen. That
crime OF nearly every degree could
be traced 10 the indulgence in LIQUOR,
and that as long 81 the traffic existed there
would be murderers, thieves, tramps, idlers,
vsgabonds, paupers and drunkards. That
IL was immoral and criminal for q State or
city to receive into its treasury money for
the licensing of a traffic whose effect was
immoral, and which filed the land with
criminals, paupers and drunkards. What
wisdom was there in deriving revenue from
a trade which was more than exhausted by
the expense necessary to protect society
from the evils flowing from it. IL
was morally wrong and was politically
wrong, and by strict prohibitory laws, should
be stamped out. Last year the Legislature
Of tbirty-three states had met, and, with
the exception of three, prohibition laws
had been considered by them, aud sixteen
Of the thirty-three had enacted laws for
the suppression of the liquor traffic. There
was no use in mincing words. The evil
was in the sale Of liquor, and the remedy
was with the States. They had authority
| for prohibition in that grand old book, the
Bible, the standard of moral law. God had
laid it down. There was no installing
its languages: Thou shalt not kill-thou
shalt not steal-thou shalt not commit adul-
terry. There was prohibition for you; no
| patching up of laws with amendments to
suit this or that one. Let the State, in her
majesty, say "thou shalt not sell liquor"
Only in prohibition could the people find
safety, peace, harmony and protection. You
pray lead us not into temptation, and then
| license LIQUOR saloons and allow gilded
palaces to be erected, rendered attractive
by every device, to tempt the unwarY, and
when they fall in you pay policemen to ar
rest them, pay courts to try them, and build
| and maintain penitentiaries to hold them.
Was this sensible? Was it wise?
The speaker narrated number OF incl
cents which came under his observation
| during his extended tour In Europe work
| ing in the cause of temperance, and stated
that everywhere he found drinking there
was to be found impoverished homes, IN
| happy, neglected wives and children, pau
pers, criminals and vsgsbonds. The mod
| crate drinker and the social drinker
were also described, and the effect of
their example upon the rising generation
| graphically detailed. The troubles In Ire
| land the speaker in part attributed to indul-
| gence in liquor He felt sympathy for that
| people, but cited statistics showing that the
| revenue from the sale of liquor largely ex
| ceeded the value of the lands. Throughout
/
ence was similar, and he never omitted an
opportunity during his work there to give
| hard knocks and plain talk. He would
rejoice If he could in the new era
| which he fOresaw be able to secure the
position of Judge Of some court; then would
| he give some damaging blows against in
| temperance. He was reminded here of q
| negro in his own town, Cleveland, who
| had lost both his feet by accident and was
| compelled to crawl about on his knees. The
poor fellow was a drinking man, and being
| lured by the attractions of a convenient
saloon entered and Cal for q
drink The barkeepeF suppl him with
| all he wanted, and when the emon began
TO work in the victim he st Zed chair,
| slung it against a window aud smashed it,,
| then another, and broke mirror, and seiZ-
ing another demolished bottles on the
counter. He was arrested and carried be-
fore the Judge, who fined him $50 and Sen
fenced him TO thirty days in the work
house The speaker said had he been the
Judge he would have fined the
man who sold the liquor $50 and
seLt anced him to ninety days i'm
| prisonment and would have fined
the negro ten dollars, with the regret that
he had not made the destruction more COM
plete The speaker closed his address by
presenting several large sized colored
photographs of the human stomach, first
showing the stomach of a total abstinence
man, then that Of the social or moderate
drinker, with the effects OF alcohol plainly
delineated, then that of the steady df1nker,
and finally that of the drunkard or a victim
of the delirum tremens or the mania pOtU.
The latter showed in vivid lines :he dis
tended blood vessels Of the stomach, and pre-
sentiDg it to the full view of the assemblsge,
he asked if there was a young man
present who would desire to have a stomach
like that to hold up his hand, when con-
siderable diversion was cccasioned, and
laughter followed at the sight OF hand
held aloft at one of the front benches. The
speaker quickly responded that he did not
believe the owner OF that hand wanted such
a stomach, but il he did he could readily
obtain it by pursuing the path to drunk
ards grave.
He closed with an earnest appeal to the
temperance people to continue steadfast in
the good work.
Tue audience, notwithstanding the sacred
chsrac er Of the edifce, frequently gave
applause to the speaker, who was certainly
forcible, original and earnest in his re-
marks.
Mrs. Tatum followed her husband In some
remarks, addressed especially to the ladies,
and urging the formation of women
Christian temperance unions. She was
among those who had originated in Ohio
the famous crusade against the saloons, and
narrated the good they had done. The
women of the land were much concerned
in this movement, their welfare and happi-
ness were in the issue, and they should be
untiring in their efforts and God would
bless and reward them IL the souls saved.
At the close of her remarks Rev. Mr..
Webb announced that a collection would be
taken up, when several earnest listeners
were seen to quietly get up and slide for the
door and quickly disappear. Two gentlemen
were appointed TO make the circuit Of the
church, and neat sum was realized from
the collection.
The meeting was then closed with singing
"Yield Not to Temptation" prayer and
benediction.