The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-02-10
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1881.
THE TEMPERANCE FANA TICS!


:. THE TEMPERANCE FANATICS. H.
There was another temperate meet
inp at the Congregational. Church on
Thursday night last, at which, afte,
:. asking the blessing of God on their ia
naticism, the extremists fell to and a.
:bused their neighbors .roundly and ere
ated sentiment" business, political
and religious, in their own favor and a
9ainst better men than themselves.
We are informed that Banker Elihl
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 few dollars are
subscribing literally to raise a 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. It 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 more 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 CON-
munity.
They know that we are us 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 a 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
las had articles condemning these very
Infamous ''churcll methodist long be-
tore we knew there was such a 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 us;'' There are
but two classes, temperance people and
whisky peoples" this is like the rebel
lion, there are only loyal men and trail
TORS" etc., etc. The result is that at
least two-thirds of the business men, a
majority of the county officers, a major.
ity of the attorneys, and every membcr
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 the men who are
thus denouncing us? Several of them
have frequently been intoxicated dur.
ing the 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.
er yet had Il drop shipped to US. Some
Of them drink brandy at home for ''tl.ei1
stomach's sake" while we have not
consumed ten ounces of brandy or wills.
Ky in the past ten years. Some of them
owe large liquor bills which they do not
pay, while we never owed a cent for
liquor Ill 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
: instigating and supporting the present
movement are not in business in Wor.
Ellington while we have all our business
conferred here. But two out the six
men own any property in Worthington
while we do own some property in the
place and arc interested in building it
up. That there are men acting will,
~ the fanatics who have business and
property here no ono 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 lu tho o,.k.o..:a4. -