The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-03-29
Gov. st. John i'm Worcester.
BY REV. HENRY T. oHEEvERs

BY REV. HENRY T. CHEEFERS.
The Worcester reception of the late
noted Governor Of Kansas came off on
Saturday. the 26th Of February, at the
historic Mechanics Hall, which has
so often resounded with the eloquence
of Garrison, Phillips, Foster, Wilson,
Sumner, Bullock, Blanchard and
Hoar. One Of the dailles reports that
a larger audience than ever assem-
bled Of a week day in the cause of
Temperance was gathered at this hall
to receive Ex-Governor John P. st.
John. The No-license Mayor, S. E.
Hildreth, presided, giving the welcome
Of the city, and he first introduced
Hon. J. P. Grinnell, of Iowa, as from
State that had voted by a majority
of 10000 for Constitutional Prohibi-
tion. The speaker affirmed that, not
withstanding the present blocking Of
the wheels of reform in that State by
venal judges, and the thwarting Of
the will Of the people by clerical
blunders in the legislative journals
and technicalities in the courts, the
saloon-keepers would have to go, and
for their epitaph they could take that
on the tombstone of cherished Iowa
pig:
But when / died / died ali over.
Governor St. John followed for up
wards of an hour, speaking with great
force and fervor, showing how as
Abraham Lincoln argued, that the
country could not exist half free and
half slave, so it could not endure half
drunk and half sober. Either the
sale Of intoxicating liquors for drinks
was right or We wrong. If right
and good it should be put upon level
with other lawful business. If wrong
and ruinous it should be suppressed
and outlawed, and no amount of
money paid into the municipal treasu-
ries for its license could ever make it
right. 1t were better to walk in mud
to our boot-tops than by streets and
sidewalks made and kept at the cost
of human souls. The 175 licensed sa-
looms Of Worcester doubled and
trebled the police force, and quad
rupled the cost of the almshouse and
prisons. Massachusetts, was justly
regarded as the mother of Kansas,
and he, as an adopted son Of Kansas,
was a grandson of the Old Bay State;
but he was almost ashamed of his
grandmother when he was reminded
that she spent $45, 100000 year for
liquor. The liquor traffic was re-
sponsible, by the showing of Massa-
chusetts courts, for 81 per cent. Of the
crimes committed within their juris-
dict1on. It destroyed manhood. it
blasted character, it ruined the home.
it even got on board the lamented
Presidents funeral train. 1t was ev-
erywhere fraught with misery and
death. Put now the ballot in the
hands of women, and the mischieYous
traffic would die in day.
But many said you can't put down
the gainful business. So there were
plenty to say you can't crush the re-
bellion. But we did crush it. They
told us we couldn't pass the Prohibi-
tary Amendment in Kansas, but we
did, and it was to be noted that Pro-
hibition in Kansas had already closed
21 of the 80 breweries, end II of the
3S wholesale. houses; and it had driv-
en- the last illicit distillery from the
State, and, although the news had not
yet reached the people of the East
through the Associated Press dis
patches, he was happy to say that on
The 14th inst the Kansas House of
Representatives, fresh from the peo-
pie, voted down, by very decisive
proposition to rescind the
Prohibitory Amendment to the State
Constitution. Had the vote been the
other way, who doubts it would have
been flashed in an instant from Topeka
to Sandy Hook and San Francisee
Anecdotes, pungent and pathetic,
enlivened and emphasized the dis
course, and at its close fitting deelar-
alton was adopted by rising vote of |
the large assembly in these terms:
D. The temperance men and women
Of Wo -cester having before OBJ
served at a distance, with profound
interest, the public career and labors
Of Ex-Governor John P. St. John, of
Kansas, in behalf Of temperance; and
having now had the pleasure Of listen
ing to his mastery defense Of the
principle and policy of prohibitory |
legislation in regard to the liquor
traffic, take this occasion to indorse
the metho of Constitutional Prohi-
bition by him advocated and enforced |
with such signal ability and success.
And they hereby declare their deter
mined purpose, under God, come what |
may, to 'chain the tiger" of the liquor
traffic in Massachusetts, by Consti-
tutional Amendment, to be secured
as in Kansas, by vote of the people,
and executed with fidelity and courage
by the chosen executive in their be-
half.
WoRcEsTER. Mass. March 3.