Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-04-24
THE PROHIBITIONISTS.
Pleasant and Entertaining Temperance
Talks by Delegates.
Resolution Asking an Amendment to the
State Constitution.

Special TO The Gazette.
PARIS April g. "A called meeting
! Of the Temperance movement was
| held at the courthouse to give the
numerous speakers chance 10 be
heard. A good audience assembled at
an early hour, and enjoyed themselves
throughout.
The first speaker was our Bohemian
friend and co.quillshover, DR.. Cranfill
of the Gainesville Advance. 1t seemed
Ikea breaking away from old land
marks and an adieu TO the things that
have been, to see a newspaper man in
this position. DR.. Craniill startled
many present by announcing that
within the space of one year he had
seen ia saloons clergymen Of various
denominations and patriarchs who
should know better. His speech was
really eloquent, able and well deliv-
cred. He demolished the ba.tements
of King Alcohol by hot shot and
hand grenades of rhetoric, until the
ghosts of Hamp Cook, bud Bryan
and Dan McGary mingled with the
memories of the Anheuser beer and
free lunches fled from our gaze. The
press need not be ashamed of DIR.
Cranfill.
After DR.. Cranfill, came Rev.
Mathence of Temple, who ably dis
cussed the question from religious
standpoint.
Prof. Clark, vice.president of Add
Ran college, claimed that as practical
educator he knew it to be impossible
to educate the youth of the land while
whisky was accessible, and advocated
vigorous measures OF prohibition.
He was followed by Prof. Temple
ton of Trinity university. Tehuacana,
who claimed the church to be the
strength of the temperance move
ment, and advocated sowing the state
knee deep in temperance literature as
the best means of assisting in prohi-
bition.
Capt. Ethridge, brilliant young at
torney from Groesbeck, was the next
speaker, who made some startling dis
closures concerning the power of
whisky in our local politics, averring
that in the judiciary we had toappeai
from Philip drunk TO Philip sober"
Capt. William Bell, prosperous
farmer from FaDnin county, repeated
from the Lords prayer: "rhey will be
done on earth as 1t is in heaven,n and
asked could Christians expect to find
saloons there, and if not why were
their names found on petitions TO
county courts praying for licenses for
saloon. keepers?
The event of the evening was the
poem read by Mrs. Bella Frances
Swisher of Austin. The poem was
written by the gifted lady some years
ago on the story of that widely known
temperance lecturer, who gljried i'm
the name of the Gold Water Fanatic
Sturgls. The poem was well recited
and well received.
Dr. Wyatt of Savoy, Fannin county.
was in favor of more work and loss
politics, and put himself on record IA
being In favor Of any man fer office
who was u friend to the cause of tem-
perance, be he Republican, Democrat
or Greenbacker. He charged the clergy
with the blame of the widespread dis.
sipation on account of their apathv
and fear of handling the question.
RMS brought to his fl eff Prof. Hobbs
OF Paris, who objected to The structures
Just passed so literally on the clergy.
He was sort OF brother-in.law to The
church, near enough on the inside to
see what was going on and on the out.
SIDE enough TO crltioise the clergy
when they deserved it. He offered 10
purchase Mt one dollar apiece the scaip
of any preacher who could be convict
ell OF frequenting saloon. This prop.
osition was seconded by others in the
assemolage, and raised to five or six
collars. Prof. Hobbs, though not
starting to speak, actuated by an ire.
slstlple impulse and not seeking the
regular stand, but standing Oh the
moor. yet made perhaps the most eff
lecliVe speech of the occasion. He
felt what he said, and had the hannv
know it.
Other speakers were called unon but
owing to the lateness OF the hour. n
motion TO adjourn was carried after
taxing up collection OF twelve dollars
Tor current expenses.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The prohibition convention reso,ved
to petition the senate and Legislature
TO submit to the voters OF The state nj
a special election in 1855, am amend.
ment to the con tuition prohibitino
the manufacture, sale or giving away
OF any Intoxicating or spirltu9us lid.
uots Whatever, including ale, wine and
eer,eNeept for medicinal sacrameutal
mechanical and scientific purposes.
resolution of thanks to the peopla
or Paris for the kindly hospitality ten
dered TO the delegates was read AND
unanimously adopted.
Also the following
Resolved, that the thanks of thi.
convention are due to the Fort Worth
GAZETrE for the prompiness in pub
Issuing the proceedings OF this prohtbl
tion convention in advance OF othel
state papers.
Inc convention then adjourned sin,
HOUSTON.