The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-02-10
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY TO- 1881.
nrye 'rparpERlNcE FANA TICa

Il s4S.++{c5 THURSDAY fEbttU AM ~, Aool'
THE TEMPERANCE FANATIca = !:
= There was another Temperance meet.
E ing at tho Congregational Church on
Thursday night last, at which. after
asking the blessing of God on their ia.
:: naticisn,, the extremists fell to and q.
bused their n eighbors round]y and ere
ated sentiment" business, political
and religious, in their own favor and a.
gainst better men than themselves.
, We are informed that Banker Elihu
Smith was quite sarcastic in his allu-
sions to the editor Of the ADVANCE and
proposed that we he made Chairman Of
the Temperance Committee. This was
doubtless the only wise suggestion
which Mr.. Smith made during the eve
ming. And since he has nominated us
for that position, we accept gladly, and
shall begin at once to inquire how much
beer and ale Brother Smith has kept in
his cellar during the past year; how
many of the temperance committee have
beer and ale shipped to them; how
many of the temperance committee are
owing whisky bills at Sioux City and
st. Paul which they cannot pay; and
how many of the fanatics who cannot
pay an honest debt of a few dollars are
subscribing literally to raise temper
ance cloud Of dust to hide their own
shortcomings. For we have the best of
assurances that every one Of these inqui-
ries can he put in the form of direct
charges and sustained. 1t is remarka-
bic how many temperance men have
''sick wives" for whom they get beer by
the case, from which they give the'' poor
woman one bottle and take twenty
three themselves.
Now, we give Banker Smith credit
for being an earnest temperance man.
But neither he nor the element with
which he acts will give US credit for be-
ing the same. We haye no doubt what
ever that during the past ten years ev-
cry one of these temperance agitators
has swallowed one pint of liquor to
every drop that we have swallowed.
Moreover in these ten years we have
done mora hard, actual, costly work for
the temperance cause, twice over, than
any man who is so loud in the present
foolish and uncalled-for liquor excite
ment.
But all this counts for nothing with
them, because we cannot approve their
present methods. their unchristian
bulldoZing of every moderate and sem
sible man, woman and child in the COM
munity.
They know that we are as much op-
posed to open saloons as they are. They
know that we did not oppose the arrest
of Chase and Langdon, but on the con-
trary always said that if they were vio-
lating the law, they should be arrested
and fined. They know that what we
did oppose was the hiring of pious
fraud to come here and by lies, deceit
and the commission Of crime himself
endeavor to entrap our own citizens in
to a violation of law. They know that
nearly every other issue of the AD-
VANCE for the past two or three years
has had articles condemning these very
infamous t'church methodist long be-
fore we knew there was such 4 man as
Crissy in existence, or ever dreamed
that a band of Worthington fanatics
would combine and introduce this in
famous Comstockism into Worthing-
ton.
They have done many other things
during this foolish and fanatical move.
ment which we oppose: They have sent
their minions over town to say to every
man, woman and child, IF you are not
for US you are against u.s." there are
but two classes, temperance people and
whisky people;;'' ''this is like the rebel
lion, there are only loyal men and trai.
tors" etc., etc. The result is that at
least'two-thirds of the business men, a
majority of tho county officers. a major.
ity of the attorneys, and every member
OF the village council, are all denounced
~ ''whisky men," And Of course we
are classed among the ''whisky men,
because We are not with the fanat.
les.
And now who are tho men who are
thus denouncing US? Several of them
have frequently been intoxicated dur.
ing tho past few years, while we have
not been intoxicated during the past
twenty-five years. Some of them are
having liquor shipped to them from St.
Paul or Sioux City, while we have new
e. yet had drop shipped to US. Some
Of them drink brandy at home for ''thei,
stomach's sake," while we have not
consumed ten ounces of brandy or whis.
Ky in the past ten years. Some of them
owe large liquor bills which they do not
pay, while we never owed cent fol
liquor IN our life. One of them is reg.
ular liquor seller and has sold barrels
right under the noses of his fellow-fa.
natics. while we have never sold drop
OF whisky since we were born. Six OF
the men who have been prominent in
tnstigating and supporting the present
movement are not in business in Wor-
Ellington while we have all our business
centered here. But two out the six
men own any property in WorthiDgton
while we do own some property in the
place and are interested in building it
up. That there are men acting with
the fanatics who have business and
property here no one denies, but at
least three-fourths of the business men
and property owners of the village con.
denim the methods and the partially
OF the present movement, and are there.
fore set down by the extremists :as
"whisky men,
Moreover, the present movement is
taken advantage OF for political purpo.
ses. One of our county officers was An.